About Italian Greyhounds at Aurelie’s IGs

Leg Breaks
This breed has a higher than ordinary incidence of leg breaks. Statistic say 8-11% of IGs will have a leg break at some point in their life. This is NOT caused by weak or brittle bones, but just because of the simple laws of physics. A long, slender leg will break more easily than a short, thick leg because of the longer distance from the fulcrum point to the pressure load. If you are not prepared for a slight possibility of a leg break, then do not choose an IG for a pet. They love to jump and are utterly fearless- they have no concept of "too high for me" because sighthounds are very farsighted and can view distances better than close up. That long leap- to them- doesn't look too far, and they will bail off. Some common situations that pose a high risk for IGs are raised decks with no railings, stairs with open banisters, very tall furniture, etc.

Flooring
I must mention that slick floors can cause injury to a dog's joints, since they can't control their movements in these situations. Imagine if you were to do the splits accidentally while walking on ice: ligaments could be torn, etc. Protect your dog's joints and connective tissue by putting down memory-foam throw rugs in high-traffic areas if you have linoleum, slick tile, or hardwood floors.  
Additionally, the temperature of the floor is very important. IGs are very cold-natured, and as we all know, cold air settles on the floor; it's much warmer up at our level! Be very sure that any bedding you put on the floor is very, very thick and very, very warm so that the cold doesn't seep through it.

Outdoors
When IGs are not on a leash, it is necessary for them to be inside a fenced enclosure or they will chase something that catches their eye; they will possibly not stop running until they catch that object or get lost or run over. They are, after all, sighthounds- and chasing small prey is instinctive to them. Studies have shown that the "hearing" portion of their brain basically "turns off" when they are in the "sight" mode.

Leading on a Leash
Some IG owners have found out the hard way that an IG can slip a collar over their head pretty easily and quickly. You must use a body halter when leading on a leash. I cannot stress enough the fact that when they get loose, they love to run, and when they are running, they do not listen to calls or commands. Please don't take any chances, even for an instant, no matter how well-trained your IG may be.

Skincare
These dogs are low-maintenance in this area. The reason IGs are odorless is that they do not have highly active oil glands. Do not bathe them with soap, as this will dry out their skin and coat. You may give them a plain warm water bath if you feel it necessary. To keep the coat shiny, a teaspoon of flaxseed oil, salmon oil, or virgin coconut oil given with food daily will provide a beautiful shine.

Teeth and Nails
Iggy nails grow quickly. You will need to trim them on a regular basis. Begin manual cleaning of the pup's teeth at a very early age to acquaint them with this procedure. This is very important, as gum disease and tooth decay/loss can be a problem in this breed if not prevented. See my Recommended page for options.

Ears and Noses
The ears will always go through funny stages for the first year or two, before finally folding nicely in the classic IG pose. Until then, the ears will flop forward or stand up or even go in two opposite directions for a while! This is caused in part by fluctuating calcium levels during teething. Some pups are born with pink noses, but the black pigment fills in slowly by the time they are 1-4 mos old.

                                                                Italian Greyhound Colors          

Black: A true black is a little less common than one might think. Many seals are mistakenly labeled as black. The difference is not always easy to distinguish for the first few weeks.Blue: This is the most popular color in the breed. The correct term is blue, but of course, it appears grey. This is genetically a dilute color of black.Red: Genetically dominant color.Fawn: This is a dilute color of red, and comes in many shades.Blue/Fawn: Fawn hair shaft with blue shading and cool tones.Red/Fawn: Fawn hair shaft with red shading and warm tones.Seal: This color is sometimes such a very dark chocolate brown that it appears black in certain lights.Cream:  Genetically distinct from fawn.Sable: Red hair shaft with black shading. True sables are not very common.

                                                        Italian Greyhound Markings

Solid: The solid color Italian Greyhound can still have a small/moderate amount of white on the chest and toes, and still be considered "solid". It's somewhat uncommon to find an IG with absolutely not one white hair anywhere on the body.Irish: The Irish markings will include white on the feet, chest, and various amounts of white on the collar area, tip of tail, muzzle, and face blaze.Wild Irish: The wild Irish markings will extend from the feet up the leg, and into the torso. They appear flashy and unique.Pied: The pied Italian Greyhound phenotypically *appears* to be white with spots of color in varying sizes in random areas of the body and/or head, but- genotypically, it is actually considered ___ (fill in the blank with whatever the color the spots are); however the white markings are oversized and cover more of the body than the actual color.
Extreme Pied: This dog will appear white but it is actually the white markings being expressed to the extreme. A genetic color test can be used to determine the dog's true color.

About IGs