The
Italian Greyhound
History and Standards
Breed
History
A
race originating in the Mediterranean basin. They were bred mainly
in Italy
and
since ancient times were called ; Italian Greyhounds. The breed
spread in
Europe
and through the ages has always kept in its denomination the name
of
it's country of origin.
In
general appearance it's form is the same as that of the large
greyhound with
accentuation on the long, slender, refined and elegance of their lines. The
small greyhound is a model of grace and distinction. He is agile, swift, vivacious
and if he is bred in sensible condition of hygiene, and for sportive qualities,
he can be very strong and resistant. High on the leg, and slender,
it has in
movement a gait of grace, and rhythmical prancing.
Italian Greyhound Standards
Head -Long and sharp with skull narrow and flat. The stop between forehead and nose
must be very slight.
Lips -Thin, must well cover the teeth and adhere to the jaw. Dark pigmented.
Nose -Black or very dark in relation to the coat.
Teeth -Sound, whole, white, with scissors bite (overshot is a grave defect and equally
undershot if very stressed.)
Ears -Small, soft, and thin, carried well back on the head, attached high with the folding tip
that falls down to the sides of the nape in a manner of leaving visible in the inside rose of the ears.
Eyes -Rather large and expressive, from hazel to black, not protuberant and not too light.
Neck -Long, lean, elegantly carried and slightly arched.
Body -Eminently long lined. Upper line; long and arched in the region of the loins. (sometimes when
cold or timid the small greyhound will move the upper limbs forward, a position which gives the
impression of a hunch back. This is not a defect but a characteristic of the dog. Lower line; very
convex in the thorax region dropping down to the height of the elbow and deeply concave and
receding in the region of the abdomen which must be very retracted. the chest must be deep and
narrow with the ribs not to rounded.
Limbs -Slender and lean, bones light
1. Front -shoulders oblique, elbows high and not too detached from the chest, forearm
and pasterns straight.
2. Rear - Thighs muscular and strong, hocks high and well bent, tenons visible.
Feet -Narrow, not too long, with toes thin and arched and close. Pads of the feet thick.
Nails -black or the same colour as the coat.
Tail -Fine and straight, must be thin from the root, carried downwards in the first part and with
an elegant and soft curve upwards at the end. Its length if drawn forward underneath the abdomen,
between the rear legs, must surpass the hip slightly.
Skin -Thin and soft
Coat -Short, and equal over all of the body, shining and like silk to the touch. All one colour
black, grey tawney in all variations, white tolerated at the extremities. Striped and spots are
not permitted.
Height -Maximum height at the withers for males is 38 cm (15 inches), females 36 cm( 14 inches).
On a perfect specimen one cm more is permitted but maximum height never to touch 40 cm,
and very small subjects never to show signs of pathological dwarfism (eyes protruding,
rounded skull etc ) and must not have short legs.
Weight -Not over 10 pounds.
Defects -Head with tendency to differentiate from conical form, skull round, stop too stressed ,
erect ears , pink lips ,nose pink or light hazel ,eye protruding , heavy cheeks ,teeth defects in
conformation or decayed , overshot ,dew lap short neck , hunch backed ,rear not sufficiently
curved , belly relaxed ,bone structure to heavy , short legs hind legs to straight , shoulders too
straight and not regular , feet flat and open , tail thick hind legs to straight ,tendency to
albinoism in its various aspects.
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