Italian Greyhound
Galgo Italiano
- Sizevery small (toy)
- Weight3.2–6.4 kg
- Lives12–15 years
- Popularity in Mexico★★
Character
Italian Greyhound temperament
A very small (toy) dog from the companion (toy) group, in twelve traits from 1 to 5:
- Energymiddle of the road
- Affection with familyglued to you
- With kidsmiddle of the road
- With other dogslife of the dog park
- With strangersparty with everyone
- Playfulnessplayful for life
- Guarding instinctmiddle of the road
- Adaptabilitysettles anywhere
- Trainabilitylearns on the fly
- Barkingmiddle of the road
- Mental stimulation it needsmiddle of the road
- Prey driveno data yet
Distinguishing features
Italian Greyhound characteristics
- Ears
- drop
- Height
- 33–38 cm
- Weight
- 3.2–6.4 kg
- Muzzle
- long
- Coat
- smooth
- Coat length
- short
- Colors
- any color
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Sheddingmiddle of the road
- Coat carea brush a month
Life expectancy
How long does a Italian Greyhound live?
12–15 years
The breed sets the range; how long each dog lives depends on its weight, its exercise, its teeth and its check-ups with the vet.
The long profile
Long profile, in Spanish for now
The long version of this breed — character, care and origins, in Lord Chucho's voice — exists in Spanish and hasn't been translated yet. The hard data on this page (traits, features, lifespan) is the same in both languages.
Buying guides
What to buy for a Italian Greyhound
What to buy, by what it needs:
What we'd give Choco
For a dog like this one
Affiliate links: it costs you the same. How they work (in Spanish)
AI image: the real product may vary Rubber brush for short coats
Short coats don't need an arsenal: a rubber brush in the tub and done — massage and de-shedding in one.
AI image: the real product may vary Flat 2-meter leash
Two meters: enough to sniff with dignity, enough to keep it close when it matters. Neither retractable nor 50 cm.
AI image: the real product may vary Small donut bed
Small dogs sleep curled up with a wall around them: the donut is their castle. Washable, because it will smell like dog. It's the law.
AI image: the real product may vary Hard-sided carrier
The hard carrier works for the car, the vet and moving house. Buy it for the ADULT dog's size, not the puppy you have today.
What people ask
Frequently asked questions about the Italian Greyhound
How big does a Italian Greyhound get?
An adult Italian Greyhound stands 33–38 cm at the withers and weighs 3.2–6.4 kg.
Does the Italian Greyhound need a lot of exercise?
The Italian Greyhound scores 3 out of 5 on “Energy”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “couch potato” and 5 is “marathoner”.
Is the Italian Greyhound good with kids?
The Italian Greyhound scores 3 out of 5 on “With kids”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “better without kids” and 5 is “excellent”. Even with a 5, no dog should be left alone with small children: supervising them is the adult's job.
Does the Italian Greyhound get along with other dogs?
The Italian Greyhound scores 5 out of 5 on “With other dogs”: life of the dog park. On that scale, 1 is “lone wolf” and 5 is “life of the dog park”.
Is the Italian Greyhound easy to train?
The Italian Greyhound scores 4 out of 5 on “Trainability”: learns on the fly. On that scale, 1 is “negotiates every command” and 5 is “learns on the fly”.
Does the Italian Greyhound bark a lot?
The Italian Greyhound scores 3 out of 5 on “Barking”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “nearly silent” and 5 is “reports everything”.
Is the Italian Greyhound a good guard dog?
The Italian Greyhound scores 3 out of 5 on “Guarding instinct”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “not a guardian” and 5 is “born guardian”.
Does the Italian Greyhound shed a lot?
The Italian Greyhound scores 3 out of 5 on “Shedding”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “barely sheds” and 5 is “hair everywhere”.
Can a Italian Greyhound live in an apartment?
The Italian Greyhound scores 4 out of 5 on “Adaptability”: settles anywhere. On that scale, 1 is “needs its space and routine” and 5 is “settles anywhere”. An apartment is fine, being shut in is not: every dog needs to get out every day.
Health
We only publish each breed's health topics after reviewing them carefully. We guide you, but we're not your vet: if something about your dog worries you, the internet doesn't replace a visit to the vet.
Data on this page: 3 reference sources, including the AKC. See sources (in Spanish)