The Little Hound or Galician Italian is a quiet and peaceful dog, with a slender and refined silhouette, and small dimensions, being one of the 5 smallest dogs in the world! Its appearance resembles that of spanish greyhounds, but with considerably smaller size. This is not to say that they are not, like all greyhounds, incredibly agile and fast. Then we’ll reveal all the views on these miniature greyhounds here in Animal Expert.
We are talking about one of the oldest breeds in the world, because there is archaeological evidence, both of bone remains and of its record in the decorations of the time, dating from 3000 BC and prove that the Italian lebreis already existed in ancient Greece. , as well as evidence that they even accompanied Egyptian pharaohs for more than 6000 years. Thus, although the exact origin of the Italian greyhound is unknown, it is suspected that the breed is descended from this medium-sized Hound that already existed in Greece and Egypt.
- In Europe.
- The breed was highly appreciated for several centuries.
- Accompanying nobles and kings in their hunts and meetings.
- Thus appearing in paintings and portraits of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
It is true that in its origins, the size of these Lebreis was larger, but over time the race evolved and reached its current dimensions, imposing itself in the nineteenth century as the race we know today.
Italian greyhounds are small dogs that weigh between 4 and 5 kilograms and measure between 32 and 38 cm high at the cross, without appreciable differences between males and females.
The silhouette of the Italian Hare is slender and elongated, but maintains balanced proportions between the length and height of its body. In addition, it differs from other Greyhounds because its coast is not arched, but straight. Their limbs are thin and wide, with a powerful muscles, which makes them very agile dogs that can reach surprising speeds.
The head of the Italian greyhound is also thin and long, especially when approaching the snout, which has a proportionally large truffle and dark color. Its ears are tall, wide and bent at right angles with the nape of the neck.
Depending on the characteristics of the Italian greyhound, its fur is short and smooth, usually showing colors such as black, gray, cinnamon, white or Elizabethan yellow: not brought, always solid colors, although white spots may appear on the chest and feet.
Softness and intelligence are features that stand out among Italian greyhounds. They are very simple animals, who love and ask their families to be pampered and affectionate, with which they like to share moments of play and activities, as well as rest and tranquility.
Although their agility may be different, they are quiet animals, and although they need to perform daily physical activities, they are not at all nervous, on the contrary, they are quite quiet. Therefore, they need an environment that allows them to stay away from noise and agitation, since they are very sensitive animals, they are easily stressed in these situations, as well as in new and unpredictable situations.
Due to the temperament of the Italian greyhound, it is considered a good companion for the elderly or families with older children, but it is not the best option as a playmate for young children, as they can annoy you with its overflowing energy. unpredictability. However, if both are properly educated, there should be no problem, as the Lebrel are very sociable and affectionate with those they trust.
As it is a breed of short hair, with little care it is possible to keep its fur smooth and tidy, it is recommended to brush it once a week and bathe it orientively once a month. The thing to keep in mind is that, having a short coat, these dogs are more sensitive to cold. Therefore, if you live in an area where the weather is cold, in the face of extreme temperatures, it is advisable to house the Italian greyhound to avoid snot and hypothermia.
Another care of Greyhound is to brush their teeth, as they tend to develop tartar more easily than other breeds. Therefore, it is recommended to brush your teeth at least once a week, although the more common the brushing, the better the oral health of your pet. For this brushing you have to use the right tools: on the market there are toothpastes that can be applied simply with your fingers, and you can even prepare a toothpaste yourself at home.
Although we have pointed out that the Italian Greyhound is a quiet dog, it is also curious and intelligent, so you can not neglect its physical activity. Thus, it is practical to carry out indoor and outdoor activities, to keep the animal physically and mentally stimulated.
Finally, you need to keep your nails well cut, your eyes and ears clean and nourish them in a balanced way, covering all your nutritional needs, which vary according to your age and your level of physical activity.
The training of the Italian greyhound will be greatly facilitated by the wonderful combination of intelligence and curiosity that characterizes dogs of the breed. You will always be willing to learn and devote all your attention to the trainer.
You have to be careful with your habituation to situations and new people, because they are very scary dogs, especially those that have been rescued from the street or a shelter, because unfortunately many have been mistreated. That’s why they can react very differently, or even be aggressive because of the panic they may experience in certain situations. Check out the article on how to socialize an adult dog to do it correctly and feel free to call a professional educator if necessary.
For your Little Rant to adapt to life with you it is important that you get used to your new environment, being appropriate to know as many places, animals and people as possible while you are still a puppy, so it will be easier to show you. more sociable to strangers when you’re an adult.
Once socialized, you can start introducing the basic commands of dog obedience, always through positive reinforcement, and more advanced tricks to keep the Italian greyhound properly stimulated. Because it is such a smart and curious dog, it is also advisable to play intelligence games.
Small Italian greyhounds do not suffer from major congenital diseases. However, it is true that they may suffer certain ailments that affect all breeds of dogs, such as rabies or canine filariasis, so it is important to follow the vaccination schedule and protect it with flea products, ticks and mosquitoes. .
Because of their small size, especially puppies, you have to be careful when handling them, because because they are very affectionate puppies who like to follow their owners everywhere, you can end up treading on it unintentionally, which can be extremely dangerous because you bones are fragile and very thin. Therefore, care must be taken to avoid possible fractures during its development.
As we have already mentioned, due to its short hair and low percentage of body fat, it is a breed of dog very exposed to climatic conditions, so it can suffer colds, breathing problems and hypotenmas. To avoid these health problems in the Italian greyhound, simply keep it dry and safe.
Finally, we should not ignore the psychological aspect, because they are dogs very sensitive to stress and anxiety that generates fear, loneliness or traumatic experiences. Therefore, you must offer the Greyhound a quiet environment full of love and affection, and thus have a stable, healthy and, above all, happy pet.