The grace and hunting instincts of a greyhound… in a smaller size. The Italian greyhound is the smallest of the sight hounds.
Historians believe that the breed developed more than two thousand years ago in the Mediterranean basin. Likely sites for the breed’s origin include Greece and Turkey. The miniature greyhounds appear in art and architecture dating back at least two thousand years.
The breed became prominent in the sixteenth century. Across southern Europe, miniature breeds rose in popularity with the upper classes — the greyhound’s popularity in Italy earned the breed its name. English, Italian, Prussian, Russian, and Danish courts all favored the Italian greyhound, and the little dogs were popular subjects in Renaissance paintings.
Did you know? The Italian greyhound was popular with American “nobility”, too — President John Tyler bought an Italian greyhound named Le Beau for his wife.
As with many breeds, World War I put a strain on the Italian greyhound’s hopes for survival. The breed was nearly extinct in Great Britain, but was revitalized with imported Italian greyhounds from the United States.
These dogs are slender, delicate, and graceful in appearance. The neck is long and arched; the legs are fine-boned but strongly muscled. Adult Italian greyhounds stand between thirteen and fifteen inches high at the shoulder. In motion, these miniature greyhounds lift their legs high, adding to their dainty appearance.
Coat maintenance on the Italian greyhound is relatively easy. The hair is short and glossy — no double coat to worry about here. You can find Italian greyhounds in just about any color. (The only coloring that doesn’t fit the official breed standard is brindle — tiger striped.)
Were these dogs bred to hunt small game, or were they bred simply to serve as lap-sized companions? We may never know for sure, though either or both are possible. These dogs are adaptable, and live just as well in the city as they do in the country.