The origin of the breed, the standard of appearance of the Italian greyhound, character and health, advice on care, features of training, interesting facts. Price when buying a puppy. Italian greyhounds personify comfort and coziness. They are not like more than one breed in the world. Breeders call them sticky dogs. There is no better place for them than your knees. These magnificent dogs can be kept both in an apartment and in a private house. It's a pleasure to travel with them. The breed is the golden key to the pass to another world. Because usually the owners of such dogs are artists, sculptors, writers and musicians. Having got such a dog, there is an opportunity to communicate more closely with creative and interesting people.
The origin of the Italian greyhound breed
This is one of the smallest hunting dogs on the planet. Now Italian greyhounds belong to the category of decorative companion dogs, but at the same time they do not stop being reckless and impetuous greyhounds. They retain their hunting roots. Dogs are great at chasing small game like a hare or a rabbit. The French say that the name "greyhound" comes from the French word "levre" - which means "hare". German dog handlers are convinced that "levret" in translation from Old German is "a toy of the wind".
Initially, Italian greyhounds, like other beautiful lap dogs, were court animals. This dog was used to warm up their masters aristocrats. They slept on silk pillows, bathed and perfumed with the finest perfumes.
In ancient Egypt, Italian greyhounds were used as guard dogs. Queen Cleopatra presented the first such puppies to one of the Roman rulers. This is how this breed came to the territory of modern Europe, and from there it gained further distribution, having won the love of many Europeans.
These are blue-blooded dogs. Italian greyhounds decorated with their grace the royal courts of Charles the First, Catherine the Great, Queen Anne, Queen Victoria, and these are just some of the monarchs. The most passionate admirer of the Italian greyhounds was King Frederick the Great of Prussia. In total, he had about fifty Italian greyhounds. Three of them: Alkmitche, Beshe and Tisbe were the most beloved and even went down in history. He let them sleep in their own bed. When one of them died, the king gave her a magnificent funeral. The king himself followed the coffin, accompanied by the great thinker Voltaire. It is Voltaire who owns the phrase: "The more I get to know people, the more I love dogs." Not far from Berlin in Potsdam, in the Sanssouci Palace Park, there is a bronze monument, which was erected in honor of Frederick the Great and his two Italian greyhound dogs.
Despite their name, the homeland of these dogs is not at all Italy. In fact, it is believed that Italian greyhounds appeared in Greece and Turkey more than two thousand years ago. By the Middle Ages, the breed had spread throughout southern Europe. During the Renaissance, Italian greyhounds, which were a symbol of wealth, increasingly appeared in artists' paintings. On the territory of Italy, they were popular in the 18th-19th centuries, but by the middle of the 20th century, the breed fell into decay. At some point, there were not more than a hundred Italian greyhounds left, but thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, the breed was revived.
Italian greyhounds were the favorites of the Italian aristocrats, which is why they began to be called Italian greyhounds. The oligarchic Medici family had a great weakness for them. It was thanks to these people that Italian greyhounds came into fashion. Many European monarchs wanted to emulate a powerful family. So the little Italian greyhounds have become not just dogs, but one might say, luxury goods. To receive such a puppy from the hands of a king or a cardinal at that time meant that a simple nobleman was now patronized by the ruling person.
The first Italian greyhounds were brought to Russia by Tsar Peter the First. The monarch tried to change the foundations of the Russian state in a European way. And since he was a great lover of dogs, he could not pass by the unique Italian greyhounds. His daughter Elizabeth also loved them very much. Catherine II was a big fan of the breed. She said that she adored these dogs for their ease of running, dedication and consistency. In our time, an unconventional portrait by the Russian artist Vladimir Borovikovsky has survived, which depicts the empress in the company with her dog Zemira.
According to scientists, over the past five centuries of existence, the appearance of the Italian greyhound has not changed much. The last hundred years have been challenging for these animals. In pre-revolutionary Russia, there were many Italian greyhounds, although they could not be called too widespread. Such pets could only be kept by representatives of the upper class.
After the October Revolution of 1917, there were no such bourgeois dogs at all. Only in the eighties of the last century they began to work with the breed, first in Leningrad, then in Moscow, and then in Riga. Some of the best representatives of the Italian greyhounds in the world now live in Russia. While there are not too many of them, the popularity of the species is steadily growing again.
The external standard of the Italian greyhound
This miniature version of the greyhound is the result of selective breeding. Therefore, they run very fast, developing a speed of almost 40 kilometers per hour, which is 10 kilometers faster than other dogs of this type. Their graceful movements in the show ring are especially noticeable.
- Italian greyhound body. The average weight of an animal ranges from 2.5 to 4.5 kilograms. Body length is almost equal to or slightly less than its height. The height at the withers is approximately 38 cm. The back is straight, mesomorphic. The loin is slightly rounded and merges smoothly into the croup. The chest is rather narrow, but at the same time powerful, it is emphasized by an arch and sharply passes into the stomach.
- Tail - long, thin with a curved end. At high speed and sharp turns, it helps the dog to maintain balance.
- Limbs - also long and thin with dry muscles. Feet are oval with closely knit toes. The nails are dark in color.
- Head. Streamlined elongated shape, narrow, with prominent brow ridges and flat cheekbones. The color of the nose of the Italian Greyhound is dark, the nostrils are well open.
- Muzzle - elongated and pointed with tight-fitting dark pigmented lips. The jaws are elongated. The bite is "scissors".
- Eyes. Dark, deep-set and expressive. Eyes can melt even the hardest heart. Their look is so devoted, sincere and real. The eyelids are outlined with a dark border.
- Ears They are located high in Italian greyhounds, raised at the base, towards the end, as if pulled back to the back of the head. When alert, take an upright position. The cartilages of the auricles are thin.
- Wool. There is absolutely no undercoat. The hair is dense, shiny, well-fitting to the skin.
- Color. There can be only three colors: black, gray with a blue tint or "isabella".
The name of the last color comes from the name of the Spanish queen Isabella, who vowed not to change her white shirt until her husband Rudolph the Seventh took the city besieged by him. The siege dragged on for three whole years, naturally the courtiers could not offend their mistress and call her clothes simply dirty, so the concept of "isabella color" appeared. This color of Italian greyhounds is characterized by a light color of the entire body, a dark color of the eyes with a rim, and a dark nose.
The character of the Italian greyhound
Amazing and striking creation. Italian greyhounds are very smart and understand everything. Easy to learn. They are very attached to the owner, they always feel his mood subtly. But at the same time they are very independent. They fulfill all the whims of the owner. Starting from the fact that, if necessary, the animal will lie on the sofa or on the hands, and if circumstances require it, it will be unusually active and playful. It is very easy to communicate with such a dog.
Interestingly, the Italian greyhound can approach almost any stranger. Loves all family members.
Pets love to be on the move. They love to run and play with children. These dogs are well suited for single people of all ages, childless couples and families with babies. Italian greyhounds are very versatile. They get along well not only with cats, but also with other animals in the house.
The Italian Greyhound is small and compact and never gets tired. If you go on a hike, feel free to take her with you, she will be a good company for you. The dog's advantage is that it is very easy to rebuild. Can lead both a passive and an active lifestyle. If you are a sporty person, you can run with her. Well, if you are elderly, she will calmly accompany you on a walk.
Italian greyhounds are calm and self-possessed. Very affectionate creatures. In the evening they climb into bed with the owners and want to be stroked. The more you show tenderness to them, the more they give it to their master. There is something unusually regal in Italian greyhounds. They give the house a special cosiness.
Dog health
At first glance, Italian greyhounds seem fragile, like crystal. But in reality this dog is dynamic and strong. The deep rib cage makes them unusually resilient, even when rushing at high speed, they do not lose their strength. In addition to the makings of running, Italian greyhounds have keen eyesight and hearing. Body temperature is one to two degrees higher than that of other dogs.
Life expectancy reaches 15 years, these are exceptionally healthy dogs. However, if they are not observed in the first year and a half of life, they may have problems. Due to improper feeding, allergic reactions may be troubling.
For a healthy strong skeleton, vitamins and minerals must be given regularly, especially during the period of intensive growth. In puppyhood, until their bones are fully formed, you need to be careful not to jump off the hills, otherwise they can break their paws. Adult pets are already more careful. Italian greyhounds are very playful and sharp, which is often associated with injuries.
Italian greyhound care tips
- Bathing. They are smooth-haired dogs and the hairs on their body are small and smooth. One of the few odorless breeds. A big plus is that their molt is not pronounced. You will not constantly walk around the apartment with a vacuum cleaner and clean up her fur. They need to be bathed extremely rarely, only as they become dirty, with special shampoos for smooth-haired dogs. Sometimes owners are limited to wiping with a damp towel. After walks, you need to wash their paws. There is no need to comb out the wool.
- Ears - clean the auricles only when they are heavily contaminated. This is done using special equipment.
- Eyes - do not need special care. If necessary, rub it with a cotton disc towards the inner corner of the eye.
- Teeth. To prevent oral diseases, brush your teeth regularly. You will find everything you need for this procedure at your veterinary pharmacy or pet store.
- Claws. Italian greyhounds are mobile animals, so in the warm season there is no need to cut their claws, they grind off perfectly themselves, but in winter the claws will have to be cut off.
- Feeding. It is advisable to feed any dog with special food, but the fact is that there is currently no specially developed food for representatives of this breed, and vitamins are necessary. Greater attention should be paid to the diet of Italian greyhounds, because on the one hand, they are refined dogs, and on the other hand, they are able to withstand enormous physical exertion. So you need to feed them correctly and pay great attention to this. The main diet, of course, should be lean meat or offal. You need to give a little porridge. Italian greyhounds have an interesting feature - they are very fond of fruits, vegetables and berries. Their diet must be enriched with vitamins and minerals. The widespread belief that these dogs are economical and need little food is wrong. Italian greyhounds have a fast metabolism and high energy consumption. They need food to keep their bodies warm. The amount of food consumed by pets directly depends on the physical activity of the dog. In winter, animals move less and eat accordingly.
- Toilet. Although they are dogs, Italian greyhounds strongly resemble cats. They like to bask in the sun. Animals do not tolerate cold and rain, so many owners train them like cats to a litter box.
- Walking. Italian greyhounds are very fond of walking, especially in sunny weather. They do not like the strong wind, they try to hide from it, and they will be shielded by their paws. No wonder they are called toys of the wind. Cold winter weather is poorly tolerated due to the peculiarities of the hairline.
This means that in cold and damp weather they need to be insulated. You can also wear them shoes so that the paw pads do not freeze. Now there are a lot of specialized stores for dog clothes, where everything that a pet needs is selected. Italian greyhounds are compact in size, so they can be carried even when carried.
Italian greyhounds can be difficult to call to you due to their highly developed hunting instinct, so it is best to use a leash in open spaces. Since this dog, although small, is still a greyhound for a good shape and display of hunting qualities, they need to run a lot. To do this, they came up with a special competition - running after a mechanical hare. This special sport for animals is called coursing.
Italian greyhound training
Italian Greyhounds are not trained as service dogs - they are hunters. They learn elementary commands quickly enough. It is quite difficult and simple to instill the rules of behavior in an animal in the house at the same time. You need to be patient and persistent. Learning should be started from an early age, since Italian greyhounds are timid by nature. It is recommended to constantly acquaint them with the world around them. Let them interact more with other dogs and young children.
Interesting facts about Italian greyhound
In connection with this breed, there is a legend about how the Italian greyhound in ancient times saved the son of the Egyptian pharaoh, thrown by the enemies to perish in the desert. Having escorted the executors of the infant heir to the place of execution, she then warmed the boy with her little body all night and, as best she could, drove away the predators of the desert. From her own excitement, fatigue and the cold of the night, she trembled all the time, and the necklace of bells hanging around her neck emitted a rattling alarm bell, by which the faithful warriors of the pharaoh found them. This is how a small but brave dog saved the heir to the throne of Egypt. As the legend says, it was from those ancient times that the Italian greyhound developed a characteristic trepidation, which became another sign of a dog's thoroughbredness.
Price when buying Italian greyhound
So, Italian greyhounds:
- sensitive to cold - they need to be dressed;
- they have thin bones, so at an early age it is necessary to ensure that there are no fractures to provide good nutrition and vitamins for life;
- it is extremely easy to care for them;
- they don't smell like a dog at all;
- communication with the outside world should be started as early as possible;
- Italian greyhounds quickly rebuild, they can lead both a passive and an active lifestyle;
- they are smart, playful, funny and affectionate animals.
It is necessary to purchase an Italian greyhound puppy exclusively in professional kennels. Otherwise, you run the risk of buying something completely incomprehensible. Of course it will be a dog, but not an Italian greyhound.
In Russia, this breed is only gaining popularity, and therefore it is very expensive. The average price for a thoroughbred puppy ranges from 21,000 rubles. up to 210,000 rubles, depending on the sex and exterior of the dog.
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