Owning

The coat requires very little grooming. It is virtually odorless and sheds very little. Though they give the impression of fragility, the Italian Greyhound is a very hardy breed. They adapt to most households and enjoy the company of children and other pets.

Did You Know

Volume III of the American Kennel Club's Stud Book (1886) contains the first Italian Greyhound registration in this country. The Italian Greyhound is the smallest of the family of gazehounds (dogs that hunt by sight). The breed is believed to have originated more than 2,000 years ago in the Mediterranean basin, possibly in the countries now known as Greece and Turkey. The breed was a favorite of various royal families of Europe including the consort of England's James I, Anne of Denmark; Mary Beatrice d'Este of Modena, the Italian consort of James II; Frederick the Great of Prussia; Catherine the Great of Russia and Queen Victoria.