Italian Greyhound
Height33–38 cm (13–15 in)
Weight3–5 kg (7–11 lbs)
TypeToy
Life Expectancy14–15 yrs
OriginItaly
A miniature sighthound with the elegance of a Greyhound in a toy-sized package. Italian Greyhounds are affectionate lap dogs that love to sprint, cuddle, and bask in warm sunlight.
Breed Ratings
Personality
Intelligence
4/5
Trainability
3/5
Playfulness
4/5
Energy Level
3/5
Social
Good with Kids
2/5
Good with Dogs
4/5
Good with Strangers
3/5
Lifestyle
Apartment Friendly
5/5
Exercise Needs
3/5
Watchdog Ability
3/5
Barking Level
2/5
Care
Shedding
1/5
Grooming Needs
1/5
Health Robustness
3/5
Where Are Italian Greyhounds From?
Italian Greyhounds have graced the laps of nobility for over 2,000 years, with miniature greyhound remains found in Egyptian tombs and Pompeii excavations. They reached peak aristocratic popularity during the Italian Renaissance, where they appear in paintings by Giotto, Carpaccio, and other masters — hence the name. Unlike working sighthounds, Italian Greyhounds were bred exclusively as companions from very early in their history, making them one of the oldest purpose-bred lap dogs in existence.
What Is It Like Living With a Italian Greyhound?
An Italian Greyhound’s temperament is an unlikely cocktail of regal poise and goofy mischief. They’re affectionate to the point of being velcro dogs, burrowing under blankets and pressing against you with every available inch of their tiny body. They bond deeply with their person and can be anxious or standoffish with strangers until they feel safe. Italian Greyhounds are more sensitive than almost any other breed — a raised voice or tense atmosphere sends them into emotional retreat. They’re playful in sudden, short bursts, zooming around the house at startling speed before collapsing back onto the couch.
How Much Exercise Does a Italian Greyhound Need?
Italian Greyhounds need 30–45 minutes of daily exercise, split between walks and brief sprinting sessions. They’re genuine sighthounds with a prey drive that kicks in at the sight of squirrels, rabbits, or anything small and moving — off-leash exercise requires a fully fenced area. Their thin coat and minimal body fat make them extremely cold-sensitive; below 45°F, a coat or sweater isn’t a fashion statement, it’s a health necessity. Many Italian Greyhound owners report that housetraining is the breed’s greatest challenge, with some dogs taking a year or more to become fully reliable.
How Often Do You Need to Groom a Italian Greyhound?
Grooming is minimal — the short, fine coat needs only occasional wiping with a soft cloth. They barely shed and have almost no doggy odor. Dental care is the critical maintenance task: Italian Greyhounds are notorious for poor dental health, and without regular brushing and professional cleanings, they can lose teeth by middle age. Their fine-boned legs fracture easily, especially during puppyhood and adolescence. Other health concerns include patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (degeneration of the hip joint).
Are Italian Greyhounds Healthy?
Italian Greyhounds fit perfectly with quiet households, apartment dwellers in moderate climates, seniors, and people who want an elegant companion without the exercise demands of a larger sighthound. They’re wrong for families with rough-playing toddlers (those fragile legs are genuinely at risk), cold-climate owners without indoor exercise options, or anyone impatient about housetraining. The fact that surprises most people: Italian Greyhounds can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour in short sprints. Watching a seven-pound dog hit that velocity across your living room is both impressive and slightly terrifying.
Our Honest Take on the Italian Greyhound
Italian Greyhounds are stunning, affectionate velcro dogs — and structurally one of the most fragile breeds you can own. The leg fracture rate is the dirty secret nobody at the breeder mentions.
Common Mistakes New Owners Make
- 1Letting them jump off furniture or stairs. Roughly 1 in 4 Italian Greyhounds will break a leg in their lifetime, with surgery running $3,000–$5,000 — ramps and stair gates aren't optional.
- 2Skipping the sweater in cold weather. With less than 5% body fat and no undercoat, they genuinely shiver and refuse to potty below 50°F. Buy three sweaters.
- 3Believing they're easy to housetrain. IGs are notoriously difficult — expect 9–12 months of consistent crate training, and many remain unreliable in rain forever.
- 4Ignoring dental care. The breed has terrible teeth; dental cleanings every 12–18 months ($600–$1,200 per cleaning) are mandatory, and tooth extractions by age 7 are common.
Who Should Think Twice
Avoid IGs if you have a chaotic household with toddlers or large clumsy dogs — a single misstep can shatter a leg. Also skip if you live somewhere genuinely cold without commitment to indoor potty pads, can't tolerate a dog who must be touching you 24/7, or expect easy housetraining. Owners who want a dog that's content alone for 8+ hours will create a barker with separation anxiety.
Real Costs in 2026
Expect $2,000–$3,500 for a well-bred Italian Greyhound puppy in 2026 from a breeder doing patella and dental health checks. Annual costs are moderate at $1,800–$2,500 — but pet insurance ($45–$60/month) is critical because the leg fracture risk alone justifies it. Lifetime dental costs typically exceed $5,000–$8,000. Wardrobe (coats, sweaters, raincoats) realistically adds $200–$400/year.
Living With a Italian Greyhound: Year by Year
Italian Greyhound puppyhood is fragile, fast, and emotionally intense — these are the smallest sighthounds, and the puppy phase combines extreme delicacy (broken legs are genuinely common in IG puppies leaping from beds) with bursts of speed that startle first-time owners. Adolescence (6-14 months) is when the velcro intensity surfaces; IGs bond with obsessive focus to one person and develop visible distress when separated. Prime adulthood (2-12) is what makes the breed cherished by their devotees: gentle, emotionally attuned, capable of curling into impossibly small spaces against their person, and astonishingly fast in short bursts. The surprise for most owners is the housetraining difficulty — IGs are notoriously hard to housetrain, especially in cold or wet weather, and many never become 100% reliable. Senior years are typically 13-15; the breed is unusually long-lived for its size, with dental disease and luxating patella as the primary concerns.
The Training Reality
Moderately trainable but emotionally complex — IGs are intelligent but distractible, and they shut down dramatically with harsh handling. Coren rankings place sighthounds low, but pet trainability is better than rankings suggest. Housetraining is the breed's defining challenge: most IGs hate cold and wet conditions, refuse to potty in rain or snow, and many remain unreliable through adulthood. Indoor potty solutions (litter boxes, pee pads) are common owner workarounds. Marker training with very high-value food rewards works; corrections produce immediate withdrawal. The realistic ceiling is solid pet obedience, lure coursing, and basic agility (with caution — broken legs are common). The training pitfall is jumping from height; IGs leap off furniture casually and break legs frequently, and many owners install ramps and steps for every elevated surface. Skip aversive methods entirely; IGs hold grudges and remember harsh handling for years.
A Day in the Life
Morning is a 20-30 minute leashed walk plus a few minutes of zoomies in a fenced area. They are capable of 35mph sprints but only briefly; daily exercise needs are modest. Daytime is sleeping under blankets, in laps, or in pre-warmed beds — IGs have almost no body fat and chill easily; they need sweaters below 60F and refuse outdoor activity below 40F. The short coat sheds minimally and requires almost no grooming beyond nail trims. Most IGs sleep 14-16 hours, more than most breeds. Evening is another short walk and a long couch session. The quirk owners discover: IGs 'roach' — they sleep on their backs with legs splayed, in positions that look distressing and are entirely normal. The other reality is the leg fragility; broken legs from leaping off couches are genuinely common, and many IG owners learn this through emergency vet visits in the first year.
How Italian Greyhounds Compare to Similar Breeds
Compared to a Whippet, IGs are dramatically smaller and more fragile — Whippets are 25-40 pounds and athletic, while IGs are 8-15 pounds and delicate. Compared to a Greyhound, IGs are essentially miniaturized in temperament and looks but require more careful handling. Compared to a Toy Manchester Terrier (similar size and shape), IGs are calmer and more affectionate; Manchesters are more terrier-tough. Compared to a Chihuahua, IGs are gentler, less yappy, and more sighthound-typical (aloof with strangers, devoted to one person). If you want the small sighthound aesthetic with more durability, a Whippet is dramatically more practical for active households; if you want the lap-companion intensity, a Cavalier is friendlier and easier to housetrain.
Great For
- Apartment living
- Multi-pet households
- Allergy-conscious homes
Think Twice If
- You have young children
Are Italian Greyhounds Prone to Health Issues?
Italian Greyhounds are predisposed to: leg fractures, patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy, dental disease. Regular vet visits and a healthy diet help prevent common issues.
Health Robustness
3/5
How Much Does a Italian Greyhound Cost?
Purchase Price
$1,200–$3,000
Monthly Food
$25
Annual Vet
$500
Annual Grooming
$50
Est. First Year
~$2,950
Est. Annual
~$850
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Italian Greyhound cost?
A Italian Greyhound puppy typically costs $1,200–$3,000. The estimated first-year cost including food, vet visits, and grooming is around $2,950, with ongoing annual costs of approximately $850.
How long do Italian Greyhounds live?
Italian Greyhounds have an average lifespan of 14 to 15 years. Common health concerns include leg fractures, patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy, dental disease.
Are Italian Greyhounds good with kids?
Italian Greyhounds score 2/5 for being good with children. They may not be the best choice for families with young children and require careful supervision.
Do Italian Greyhounds shed a lot?
Italian Greyhounds have a shedding level of 1/5. They are minimal shedders, making them a good option for people concerned about pet hair.
Are Italian Greyhounds good for apartments?
Italian Greyhounds score 5/5 for apartment friendliness. They adapt very well to apartment living and don't require a large yard.