Italian greyhound temperament

[LakieLady]

Anyone know much about this breed, please?

I've been considering getting a rescue whippet. I've known many whippets over the years, and I regularly look after one that belongs to friend, and I really like their temperament, but I'd ideally like something a little smaller.

I met some people with a delightful Italian greyhound the other day and thought that that would be perfect for me, but that's a bit of a big assumption to make on the basis of having met one, once, and only briefly.

I'm an experienced dog owner (had a lab cross for 16 years and Lakeland terriers for 20 years) and live on the edge of open countryside, so plenty of opportunities for free running. The aspects of whippet temperament that appeal to me are the way they're so chilled much of the time, their sweet temperament (at least with anything that's not small and furry or feathered), their affectionate nature and their playfulness. And minimal grooming is quite a big plus, too.

The IG I met seems to have all that in spades, but I have no idea if she's typical or not.

I'd love to hear what others think of the breed.

Honestly, I think they're lovely little dogs - really great temperament, although they can be a bit timid around other dogs IME and are quite clingy with their humans. That being said, I've never met one with a bad bone it it's body.

But, they are so so fragile. I know one that broke both it's front legs during a bad case of zoomies in their owners back garden - literally just tripped.

Was about to say what @LandSharksAnonymous has just pointed out.

A family friend had one years ago. They're beautiful and very refined, but so fragile. You can injure them just by tripping over them in the house. She was forever at the vets. They need very dedicated owners because they can't exactly do normal dog stuff. So it does need to be a consideration. Whippets are a lot more robust.

I don't know much about them but I briefly looked at them when we were getting our puppy. I believe they are nightmares to house train which tbh as soon as I discovered that they were off my list! Some people said despite a lot of effort they'd never managed to fully house train them.

As @LandSharksAnonymous says, they're also particularly fragile. There were a couple of instances I read where they'd broken bones just jumping off the sofa.

I do love them but I think they'd suit a single person/couple more than a family depending on your situation.

I agree with everyone else - they are lovely natured dogs but so, so fragile. I’d be forever paranoid about tripping over them or them injuring themselves jumping on something.

Ditto the others, lovely dogs, very fragile - sisters friend had one who broke a leg leaping off the sofa

Had alot of sight hounds over the years and although Iggys do have a lovely nature they are not comparable to whippets. From my experience they tend to suffer quite badly from separation anxiety with what I would say is a more highly strung temperament than a whippet (but still pretty chil as far as dogs go but comparing the two here). This is not a dog you can leave at home for hours at a time like you could with a whippet who will sleep till your back from whatever your doing. They are more geared towards a toy type companion dog (they are actually in the toy group in crufts) than a sighthound who are known for their laid back independence. If you spend alot of time at home (WFH) and intend to take your dog with you when you go out this obviously wouldn't be much of an issue but please bare that in mind. Oh and they are HORRENDOUS to house train even with crate training, I've never known one who could be fully trusted even as an adult.

As PP say, terribly fragile and not as robust/ healthy as a whippet. Whippets vary greatly in size but if you got a female they tend to be smaller.

Ours is a dear little dog. So affectionate and such a character. The only problem we had was it took ages to house train her.

I grew up with IG and Whippets and agree with SummerSun24 they do not have similar/ same temperament.
I would say Whippets are far more robust and forgiving compared to the IG. Both in body and soul.

If you want a Whippet get one. The IG isn't a smaller version of a Whippet.
Don't get me wrong Italian Greyhounds, are delightful little lap dogs and really have a sweet indearing nature. Some are very playful whilst others are a bit more aloof. But like most hounds they are also sprinters rather than long distance runners, something to keep in mind when it comes to walks and play.

Thanks, everyone, that's really helpful.

The fragility of them is very offputting. The IG I met lives in a house with a greyhound and a whippet/BC cross, plus a family member's huge lurcher (I'd say grey x deerhound, at a guess) spends the day there, so I'm amazed it hasn't broken a limb yet. I've seen it haring round the field with all the aforementioned as though it was as tough as old boots.

The housetraining I'm not so bothered about. I'm retiring in a few weeks, so will be home all day, plus I was told the same about Lakies before I got mine and I found them pretty easy to get clean/dry in the house, and my carpets all need replacing anyway. Plus I'm looking for an older dog, at nearly 70 I don't think it would be fair to get a puppy, which is why I'm thinking of a rescue.

A whippet from lines that tend to be a bit smaller sounds like a much better fit for me though. The whippet I'm dogsitting at the moment seems bloody enormous though, probably because I'm used to the lakies.