closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 29 of 29

Thread: Italian Greyhound - does anyone have one?

  1. #1

    Red face Italian Greyhound - does anyone have one?

    If so, are they really as hard to house-train as they are reputed to be?

    Wife is very keen on one.

    Does anyone know of any reputable breeders in the UK?

    Thanks. :)

  2. #2
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    I have not had one - only the full size versions - but they really are small toy dogs. I know that hasn't answered your question, sorry!

    I imagine just like the full size that they are very susceptible to heat and cold.

  3. #3
    Master PreacherCain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    3,932
    Italian? No - but we've a couple of whippets. Lovely dogs, and house-training was no issue at all. The advice we had (which we used with both dogs) was to crate train from Day 1, then the house-training builds on the puppy's natural desire not to foul its own sleeping quarters.

    As with any sighthound breed, the real time and effort training wise was on impulse control and recall, to try and damp down the prey reponse a little. Once a sighthound has "target lock" and is running, it essentially becomes impossible to distract or recall, so the trick is to get in ahead of the charge!

  4. #4
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    4,567


    Get yourself a Whippet! Next size up from an Italian Greyhound.

  5. #5
    Master draftsmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Malta and sometimes bits of Brit
    Posts
    5,043
    They’re pretty but strike me as rather petite and delicate.

    I’ll share one thought if I may? If you’re thinking that you really like the look of sighthounds but would prefer a smaller dog because it might be less demanding of exercise and or space.

    I keep klieb tal fenek, known outside Malta as pharaoh hounds. Think of an all-terrain greyhound with amazing pricked-up ears and you will get the idea. My little pack of four take as much or as little exercise as they get, and are happy. In winter in Malta they will walk for miles but our summers are too hot and even the tarmac and rocks can burn their feet so they loaf about and look for shade. They think they are lapdogs and can make themselves very compact when they fold themselves up, which is a good thing when they venture onto the humans’ bed for a cuddle. They are demanding of attention because they are so intelligent and affectionate, but are actually very easy to keep and live with. I know a couple of people who keep full size greyhounds and they say similar things.

  6. #6
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,935
    Quote Originally Posted by PreacherCain View Post
    As with any sighthound breed, the real time and effort training wise was on impulse control and recall, to try and damp down the prey reponse a little. Once a sighthound has "target lock" and is running, it essentially becomes impossible to distract or recall, so the trick is to get in ahead of the charge!
    That makes my terrier a sighthound breed

    Very accurate, thought...
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  7. #7
    Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Cornwall
    Posts
    3,436
    Quote Originally Posted by PreacherCain View Post
    Once a sighthound has "target lock" and is running, it essentially becomes impossible to distract or recall, so the trick is to get in ahead of the charge!
    Aye, as a former sighthound owner (a lurcher and a Borzoi) if you're not constantly scanning the horizon and can snap them out of the pursuit within the first three strides - your wallet or pet insurance can be in for a pounding. Once locked and loaded anything between them and the "prey" simply does not exist, be it a road, cars, fences etc. Be very careful where you let them off the leash.

  8. #8
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    Ooohh I want a borzoi - my dream dog and so rare. Only ever seen two I think.

  9. #9
    Craftsman Integrale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Durham UK
    Posts
    448
    Neighbour had one. Very highly strung and difficult to manage.

    Was a shock to me as I almost rehomed one to bring back from Toronto a year before when we lived there.

    Thought I'd got off lightly.

    I'd consider a grey/blue whippet instead.



    Sent from my SM-G950F using TZ-UK mobile app

  10. #10
    if you want a smaller 'greyhound' just get a whippet (it will prob be alot cheaper too) , my parents had a whippet when younger and it was a great dog - very placid though like most dogs it got greedy when older and my parents didnt help matters as you would think they were feeding a bull mastiff- in the end it looked like a potato with toothpick legs.

  11. #11
    Master Yorkshiremadmick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Yorkshire man in Northumberland
    Posts
    2,583
    Quote Originally Posted by catflem View Post
    Aye, as a former sighthound owner (a lurcher and a Borzoi) if you're not constantly scanning the horizon and can snap them out of the pursuit within the first three strides - your wallet or pet insurance can be in for a pounding. Once locked and loaded anything between them and the "prey" simply does not exist, be it a road, cars, fences etc. Be very careful where you let them off the leash.
    Yep, exactly. we got our Lurcher at 4 months with prey drive already high. He’s now coming up to 6years old. Rabbits and Cats are his favourite and there’s nothing we can do when he goes. Target Acquired. He nearly always gets the rabbit. 50 50 on cat if it get get up over walls/fences or hedges that are too high for him to scale. But he still tries. Loads of flesh nicks with hedges. Seagulls on the beach is another target too.


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  12. #12
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sunny Manchester
    Posts
    1,288
    You could go half way between a whippet and a greyhound and get a scruffy lurcher, this is Alf, lovely temperament, great with kids and daft as a brush.

    Sent from my motorola one macro using Tapatalk

  13. #13
    Master draftsmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Malta and sometimes bits of Brit
    Posts
    5,043
    If you want a rarer sighthound that’s much more laid back than a borzoi I commend these. Same prey drive as the other breeds though. They are quite rare outside Malta but if you’re interested I could help source one here.


  14. #14
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    Yes I have considered pharaoh and Ibizan, both lovely and will be a consideration when I get another.

    Thank you very much for the offer, appreciated but it will probably be another 18 months or so when I retire.

  15. #15
    Master
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Mid Glamorgan
    Posts
    5,472
    I’m somewhat surprised by these sighthound/lurcher comments regarding “prey lock” but then other than my own lurcher, I have no other experience with them.
    Mine just wants to play with everything. Other dogs, the peacocks at my fathers home, ferrets. You name it hand she sees it as a playing partner. She’s coming up on four year old this year and she’s always been this way.

  16. #16

    Red face

    Thanks for all the comments so far - much appreciated! :)

    I'm open-minded as to breed - it's the wife that has a fixation for Italian greyhounds, but I'll see if I can convince her.

    It needs to be a smallish dog though, so not sure how big Whippets, Pharaoh Hounds or Borzois are?

  17. #17
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Everywhere, yet nowhere...
    Posts
    13,717
    We had whippets growing up and they're perfect in my eyes.

    Italian greyhounds look so fragile you couldn't imagine them chasing down a wet rag, never mind a wily squirrel - more toy than dog.

    I should point out that we didn't actively take the whippets squirrel hunting, but if they saw one there wasn't a lot you could do. I should also add that the squirrel always won.

  18. #18
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    Whippets are the next size up, pharaoh normal dog size, borzois huge.

  19. #19
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    My greyhound unfortunately did a swan once (damaged its wing), made the local news, lucky we were not prosecuted.

    I wasn’t there. My ex foolishly gave the lead to my young daughter.
    Last edited by markbannister; 15th April 2021 at 21:00.

  20. #20

    Question

    What about Basenjis?

  21. #21
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    Nice looking dogs but know nowt about ‘em.

  22. #22
    Master Kirk280's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Manchester
    Posts
    7,051
    This thread reminds me of the time I went to an animal sanctuary that was unusual as it only contained one dog and lots of watches!


    It was a Shih Tz-uk

  23. #23
    Master Rinaldo1711's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Suffolk
    Posts
    8,120
    Quote Originally Posted by Kirk280 View Post
    This thread reminds me of the time I went to an animal sanctuary that was unusual as it only contained one dog and lots of watches!


    It was a Shih Tz-uk
    I’ll get your coat😀

  24. #24
    Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Cornwall
    Posts
    3,436
    Quote Originally Posted by markbannister View Post
    Ooohh I want a borzoi - my dream dog and so rare. Only ever seen two I think.
    Their life expectancy (7 to 10 years) will break your heart. We lost our at 9, the years flew by so quickly

    In terms of being a dog - he was probably the worst one we've ever had. But what a character he was, he could sulk for England if he didn't get his own way. Undoubtedly the mutt I miss the most............. and a great deal of the reason why I wouldn't have another.

  25. #25
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    SE England
    Posts
    27,035
    If I was after a sight hound I'd get an ex racing greyhound.

    Plenty around and great pets (with the obvious sight hound caveats).
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  26. #26
    Master draftsmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Malta and sometimes bits of Brit
    Posts
    5,043
    Life expectancy wise Pharaohs should be good for 11-13 years. No dog ever lives long enough but the bigger breeds will break your heart sooner.

  27. #27
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Yorkshire at the moment
    Posts
    3,582
    Both my greyhounds went 13-14 years.

    This was Zora on her sofa, jet black apart from her feet when she was younger.

    Last edited by markbannister; 16th April 2021 at 15:32.

  28. #28
    Journeyman
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Stourbridge, UK
    Posts
    140
    Quote Originally Posted by draftsmann View Post
    Life expectancy wise Pharaohs should be good for 11-13 years. No dog ever lives long enough but the bigger breeds will break your heart sooner.
    This.
    Give something a home that needs a home.
    Beautiful dogs.

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

  29. #29
    Master draftsmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Malta and sometimes bits of Brit
    Posts
    5,043
    That gives me an excuse to post a pic of James, my senior KTF. He’s a rescue, and was around 8 when he came home with me 18months ago. The best therapy dog I’ve ever had and so affectionate. I hope he gets to spend a few years with me.


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information