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SmallToy Group

Italian Greyhound

The Italian Greyhound is documented in Mediterranean antiquity back 2,000 years — archaeological remains at Pompeii resemble the modern breed.

Calculate Italian Greyhound age
Lifespan14 yrrange 13–16
SizeSmallToy Group
Weight7–14 lb3.2–6.4 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Italian Greyhound

The Italian Greyhound is documented in Mediterranean antiquity back 2,000 years — archaeological remains at Pompeii resemble the modern breed. A true miniature sighthound rather than a dwarfed type; the breed retains Greyhound-like anatomy at 7-14 pounds.

Aging

How Italian Greyhounds age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 14.0 years (n=459). Leg fractures from the fine skeletal build are the defining welfare concern of early and mid-life; periodontal disease and Legg-Calvé-Perthes are secondary inherited concerns on OFA screens.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 14 yr · range 13–16Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues5 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
7–14 lb(3.2–6.4 kg)
Height
13–15 in(33–38.1 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
FawnBlueRedRed FawnBlackBlue FawnSableSealWhite & BlackWhite & BlueWhite & FawnWhite & Red
Temperament

Temperament

How Italian Greyhounds tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

alertgentleplayfulathletic
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Hypothyroidism

    Description and veterinary guidance for Hypothyroidism land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Italian Greyhounds are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.