Where the Italian Greyhound came from
The Italian Greyhound is a small sighthound with a long history. Small greyhound-type dogs appear in art as far back as a statue from the second century. Italian noble families such as the Medici and the Visconti are believed to have kept them, and painters such as Giotto and Tiepolo showed them.
Dogs of this type reached the United Kingdom in the first half of the 1800s, where they were called Italian Greyhounds. The first Kennel Club stud book in 1874 listed forty of them, and a British breed club was founded in 1900. Small sighthounds like these were favorites of royalty, including Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria.
The AKC recognized the breed in 1886. The FCI and Italy group the breed with sighthounds, while the AKC and the Kennel Club list it in the Toy group. Today they are affectionate companions and fast little runners.
- 2nd century A Roman statue shows small greyhound-type dogs
- 1874 The first Kennel Club stud book lists forty Italian Greyhounds
- 1886 AKC recognizes the Italian Greyhound
- 1900 A British breed club is founded
The job a Italian Greyhound was bred for
The job was being a companion and chasing small game. That shaped a fast, sensitive dog who loves warmth and cuddling. At home they chase small animals and burrow under blankets.
Sports that fit a Italian Greyhound
- Lure coursing. Fast and fun
- Scent work. Low impact
- Trick dog. Smart and eager
- Rally. Gentle teamwork
- Agility. Low jump heights only
Training tips for a Italian Greyhound
- Use gentle rewards.
- Teach recall in fenced areas.
- Housetraining takes patience.
- Use warm clothing in cold.
Body and health
Thin legs break easily. Avoid high jumping. They get cold quickly.
Fun fact. Italian Greyhounds weigh no more than about 11 pounds, yet one source reports bursts of speed up to about 35 miles per hour.
Breed is where we start
A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Italian Greyhound is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.
Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.