What Do Italian Greyhounds Look Like

Size, Weight and Lifespan

Being the smallest of the gazehound family, the Italian greyhound weighs 5 – 15 lbs (up to 20 lbs has been seen) with an average of 8 lbs. The dog stands 12.5 – 15 in (32 to 38 cm) tall but in the toy category, this breed is actually the Great Dane of the group. The life span is approximately 12 -15 years.

Coat Colouration

A greyhound can come in a variety of colours (e.g., black, cream, seal, fawn, red,/sable and white) and although you might think the normal colour would be grey, “grey” actually means blue. Blue and red are both unique coat colours. When it comes to coat patterns, any colour can be found in combination with white. The coat itself is short, fine and soft with a glossy shine. According to the AKC, if you want to show your dog, the following coat colours are not permissible: brindle and a dog with tan markings which would be found on black and tan dogs of alternate breeds. Masks can also be found on this breed and are considered ok for showing.

Red fawn colouration (Oodle Inc. 2012)

Head and Neck

The head is elongated, tapering to the nose which is dark in colour. The teeth are scissor-like, meaning the top incisors slightly hang over the bottom incisors. The eyes are medium sized, round and dark; usually medium brown to black. If an IG is born with light coloured eyes, it is a fault and the dog cannot be used for showing. The ears are small, delicate and folded over in the middle (i.e., rose-shaped); the exception being when the dog is alert. The arched neck is long and slender which widens slightly when it connects with the shoulders.

Head profile (Nash, Inc. 2012)

The Body

The body (medium sized) is flat along the topline, starting at the whithers, and is ached, drooping as it connects to the hind quarters. The chest is deep and narrow.  The forelimbs are lean, straight and long. The hindlimbs are also long, straight with a well muscled thigh. The feet are referred to as "hare feet", which means they are long and narrow and the toes are highly curved. The hocks are close to the ground and the knee joints (or stifles) are well bent (hindfeet only). The tail is slender and long enough to reach the hocks. It is also curves near the end.

Hare foot profile (Salmelin)

Body profile (Nash, Inc. 2012)

**Note: For more detailed information regarding the physical characteristics of the Italian greyhound please visit The Canadian Kennel Club or The Italian Greyhound Club of America