# The Italian Greyhound



## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

*Note, this isn't for me, it's me gathering information for a friend. 

Are they good for first time owners? I've recently seen a lot of "They are hard to train, They are extremely high energy, and are defiantly not the best for first dog owners."

Is this *usually* true?


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I know a few of them and they are all owned by your typical average owner with no real issues. I've never met any super high energy ones but maybe others have. The ones I know are pretty fearful/nervous. Sight hounds in general aren't known to be biddable so maybe that is what is thought by "hard to train". I also have heard they are hard to housebreak, but that can be said for a lot of small breeds. Overall they are cute little prancy things. I can't imagine they are all that difficult of a dog to deal with.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

Thanks for the information!


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

ForTheLoveOfDogs said:


> I know a few of them and they are all owned by your typical average owner with no real issues. I've never met any super high energy ones but maybe others have. The ones I know are pretty fearful/nervous. Sight hounds in general aren't known to be biddable so maybe that is what is thought by "hard to train". I also have heard they are hard to housebreak, but that can be said for a lot of small breeds. Overall they are cute little prancy things. I can't imagine they are all that difficult of a dog to deal with.


This.

All the Italian Greyhounds I know are extremely flighty/nervous/fearful.

With that said I've never heard anyone describe them as high energy. They're very delicate dogs, though, and require a special kind of owner who will be extremely gentle, both physically and psychologically.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I knew a vet who bred them and they were pretty easy dogs to own. I agree that they are cute prancy little dogs who don't seem to have a ton of issues. I've heard that they can tend towards SA, but so can many breeds. And they never seemed high energy other than running around a bit like any dog. They are fairly fragile and might not be good for a household with rough and tumble kids, but I think most first time owners could handle them just fine.


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## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

My co-worker has an Italian Greyhound. I probably would try to find something "easier" for a first-time dog owner. He's a great dog, but is nervous, clingy, etc. If you're not sure how to deal with them I could see that being a problem. They're also kind of fragile so if you have kids I wouldn't get one.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

Thank you guys! This community is so helpful.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

Don't know much about the breed but have actually trained one and had no problems, she was a sweetheart and ended training with a happy tail.


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## Kurzhaar (Jan 30, 2015)

They can be nervous & need gentle handling when training, too much chastising can break their spirit.
As someone else said, if you have young children I wouldn't recommend them for a first time dog owner.
For a small family friendly dog that's just as happy to go for long walks or be a couch potato, you can't go far wrong with a Cavalier King Carles Spaniel.


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## xChlorineAddict (Jul 17, 2014)

Thanks guys! Yeah, I heard that their bones are VERY delicate as puppies and are prone to breaks!


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## Shep (May 16, 2013)

They are very soft, gentle dogs, like most sighthounds, and don't take well to any kind of harshness or rough handling. They love soft beds and sleeping covered up completely, head and all (mine had his own quilt which he would disappear under in the morning and nap the day away). Many have a very high prey drive and will be gone in an instant if they see a bird, squirrel, etc. when they're off-leash in an unfenced area. They are notoriously hard to housebreak, but it can be done. My IG was over a year old before he was reliable in the house, but after that he was fine. A lot of the housebreaking problems can be attributed to weather; IG's hate rain and cold, and won't go outside when the weather is bad unless you absolutely insist. Many people paper train them.

It's hard to exaggerate how charming and sweet my IG was. He was funny, happy, cuddly, smart, loved playing with toys, and slept in my bed (under the covers) every night. He went on long hikes with me and my Border Collies, and was much hardier and sportier than you would think. He has been gone for nine years, and I still miss him terribly. He was altogether adorable.


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