Is the Italian Greyhound the right dog for you

Is the Italian Greyhound the right dog for you?

Before you buy, consider that this breed is not inexpensive to purchase or own. They are demanding in ways that are unique to this breed. The average lifespan of an Italian Greyhound is 13 years. It is important to be willing to commit to at least this amount of time with your companion.

The breed has a number of inherited or genetic afflictions that can crop up, even in the most carefully bred bloodlines. They also are very apt to break a leg at least once in their lifetime. You need to be prepared, both mentally and financially for this possibility. Canine health insurance is a valuable investment if you're considering adding an IG to your family.

It is also important to find a vet that is experienced with sighthounds, preferably Italian Greyhounds specifically. They react differently to anesthesia and other drugs than many breeds. A veterinarian that is experienced with canine dental issues and orthopedics is a plus.

Italian Greyhounds cannot be housed outside, nor should they be allowed to be unsupervised in yards for any length of time. They should NEVER be allowed to run at large, unless they are in a totally fenced area. They are sighthounds, and can bolt and run at the slightest provocation. If they run scared, they often will not return even if their owner is calling.

Italian Greyhounds are notorious for not being easy to house train. It's not impossible, but many IGs are turned into rescue because the owner was not able to train them. Often this is the fault of the owner not following through with proper training, but even so, it IS an issue you must be aware of. For wonderful advice on HOW to housetrain your IG, check out this article written by my good friend and fellow IG breeder/owner, Vikki Landes of D'Folly IGs. HOUSETRAINING YOUR ITALIAN GREYHOUND

Information regarding some of the health issues of Italian Greyhounds can be found on the Italian Greyhound Club of America website at http://www.italiangreyhound.org/pages/700links.html#health. Use the back button on your browser to return here.

Responsible breeders test for inherited conditions, and don't breed affected dogs. They also do at least preliminary testing on any puppies/dogs they place, whether into a companion or a show home. Responsible breeders generally won't allow puppies to leave their homes until they're at least 12 weeks old. Often, a responsible breeder will have more than one litter expected or available, yet still work from a contact/waiting list that is generated from accepted applications from prospective families. Be prepared to complete an application/questionnaire and even possibly a home check. You might be asked to pick up your puppy in person, or arrange for someone to do this for you.

For some wonderful information regarding purchasing a purebred Italian Greyhound, please read http://www.italiangreyhound.org/pages/200about_igs.html . Use the back button on your browser to return here.

PLEASE DO NOT BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE!

Do you know where that cute puppy came from? Do you know the conditions it lived in from birth until the time you saw it? Do you know the conditions its parents will continue to live in until they can no longer produce, at which time they are destroyed?

Puppies that are sold in pet stores are NOT from breeders who care one whit about the puppies they've produced, or the parents of those puppies. Don't feel like you are "rescuing" a puppy by purchasing it from the pet store. If you purchase that puppy, you have helped condemn both of its parents to a continued life of misery at the hands of people who don't love them. Many of the dogs in mills are blind, crippled, and have not received anything more than minimal veterinary care. Broken legs or other injuries are not treated, dental care is nonexistent. The bottom line is the only driving factor for the people who raise puppies for pet stores.

These puppies are "merchandise" and are ordered in the same manner that a bag of dog food or a pooper scooper is ordered. It is a matter or supply and demand. The store sells an item, and orders another one to fill the hole on the shelf (in this case the cage the puppy was in). The order is received by the miller, who basically goes to the "warehouse" (kennel) and plucks another one off the shelf. Ok...not exactly like that...but they will keep breeding the dogs if there is a ready and willing market for them. To learn more about puppymills and the little known facts of what really goes on there, please visit the website www.prisonersofgreed.org after you have completed your tour of Curio.

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Also, a word about internet puppy sales. PLEASE be careful about buying a puppy online. Slick, professional websites that seem to always have puppies available (sometimes many litters in a short period of time) that are willing to sell to anyone that can click a mouse, send payment, and pick up a puppy at an airport are rampant. An Italian Greyhound puppy that is under 12 weeks old is NOT OLD ENOUGH to make a good transition into a new home, and if that puppy is being flown to you on an airplane, it can compound the problems. PUPPIES between the ages of 7 and 14 weeks of age are at the MOST RISK of contracting, and dying from, viruses such as PARVOVIRUS. Internet puppy sellers often are counting on the impulse purchase from those who are unwilling to wait for a quality puppy from a responsible breeder. They generally are only interested in the sale, and are not available should a problem arise with your new puppy. The guarantees they offer often aren't much more than fluff, and are difficult to deal with if necessary. A guarantee of only a year is not sufficient when several of the inherited conditions sometimes don't show up for several years.

They will NOT take an adult back if there is a reason you can't keep the dog at some point in it's lifetime. If a breeder has a USDA license, they are involved in wholesaling puppies either to pet stores or laboratories. Beware of registrations that are not AKC (American Kennel Club) or, in Canada CKC (Canadian Kennel Club). Registries such as ACA, APRI, CKC (not Canadian) etc. were started to provide people who didn't have AKC registrations on their dogs to sell their puppies as "registered". These registries do not have the inspection process that the AKC does for people breeding multiple litters per year, have no way to evaluate dogs registered, such as conformation or performance competitions, and have no stud book history on the dogs they register.

By the same token...just because a dog is AKC registered, doesn't mean it's a good quality dog. If you're inquiring about a puppy or dog, request copies of the health evaluations done on the dog or the parents before you send any money for a deposit or purchase. The minimum requirements should be an annual eye exam (preferably with CERF registration), patella examination and clearance (preferably with OFA certification), and any other testing that the responsible breeder has deemed necessary for their dogs, such as thyroid panels (with OFA certification), von Willebrandt's disease clearances, and OFA BAER (hearing) testing on ALL white dogs, or dogs with white heads. An annual vet exam does not mean the dog has had the necessary testing done.

If you have any questions about adding an Italian Greyhound to your family, please feel free to contact us. We are not all about selling puppies. We are about educating new IG owners and prospective owners so that the matches that are made are the right ones.

Recommended reading for prospective IG owners includes the wonderful book, written by renowned IG breeder/exhibitor/judge Lillian Barber. The most recent edition of this publication is The Italian Greyhound, 21st Century. You may purchase this book from Italian Greyhound Publications at mailto:igprod@aol.com. Use the back button on your browser to return here.