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Animal register · DogIn the app

Italian Greyhound

Italian Sighthound, Piccolo Levriero Italiano, Iggy

The Italian Greyhound comes from Italy; the FCI lists it as the Piccolo Levriero Italiano among the short-haired sighthounds. The Kennel Club standard describes a Greyhound in miniature, more slender in all proportions, elegant, graceful and quick-moving, intelligent, affectionate and vivacious though it may appear aloof, with a short, fine, glossy coat over fine skin. It gives a height of 32–38 cm and a weight of 3.6–4.5 kg; black, blue, cream, fawn, red and white, or any of these broken with white, are accepted — never merle, brindle or tan markings.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day, says the breed suits a small house and either town or country, needs grooming once a week and does not shed. The PDSA says Italian Greyhounds are full of energy, should exercise in a confined area because they can be hard to call back once they see prey, can be timid so early socialisation is essential, and — because their bones are fragile while they grow — may not be the ideal breed for homes with young children or other pets. PetMD adds that their thin coat does not keep them warm, so they feel the cold easily.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Italian Greyhound — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S486
Adult weight
males 3.6–4.5 kg, females 3.6–4.5 kg — The Kennel Club S485
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S486
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S486
Shedding
does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S486
Lifespan
more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S486

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • families with childrenS488
  • homes that prefer less sheddingS486

Keep in mind:

  • fragile bones — better with older childrenS487
  • thin coat — feels the coldS488

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S486

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S486
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S486
  • Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S486

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S486

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 8–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S486
  • Height at the withers: males 32–38 cm, females 32–38 cm — The Kennel Club S485
  • Adult weight: males 3.6–4.5 kg, females 3.6–4.5 kg — The Kennel Club S485

Training

  • No. 60 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 200, group 10 (sighthounds); origin: Italy. — FCI S484

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does an Italian Greyhound need?

According to our sources, the Italian Greyhound needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S486.

How long does an Italian Greyhound live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Italian Greyhound is: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S486.

How big does an Italian Greyhound get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Italian Greyhound, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S486; Adult weight: males 3.6–4.5 kg, females 3.6–4.5 kg — The Kennel Club S485.

How much grooming does an Italian Greyhound need?

Coat and grooming of the Italian Greyhound, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S486; Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S486; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S486.

Who is the Italian Greyhound a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Italian Greyhound as a good fit for: families with children — PetMD S488; homes that prefer less shedding — The Royal Kennel Club S486. Keep in mind: fragile bones — better with older children — PDSA S487; thin coat — feels the cold — PetMD S488.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 108 (9 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands more slowly than the mixed breed of the free plan (0.7× its speed).
  • Becomes a senior in month 108 (9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S486

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Periodontal disease, an infection and inflammation of the gums and the tissues that hold the teeth, is a known problem in the breed. — PDSA S487
  • Epilepsy, a brain disorder that can cause seizures, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S487
  • Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S487
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, occurs in the breed; DNA tests and eye testing are available. — PDSA S487
  • Autoimmune conditions, where the body reacts against itself, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S488
  • Legg-Perthes disease, a painful condition in which the hip joint dies and crumbles, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S488
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S488

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Further tests for best practice

  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S486

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S484FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — PICCOLO LEVRIERO ITALIANO (200)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/LEVRETTE-D-ITALIE-200.html
  11. S485The Kennel Club (UK) breed standard, reprinted by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa — Italian Greyhound — breed standard (KC 07/2025, PDF)https://www.kusa.co.za/images/BREED%20STANDARDS%20EFFECTIVE%2001%20JULY%202025/Italian%20Greyhound%20-%20KC%20[07-2025].pdf
  12. S486The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — Italian Greyhoundhttps://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/italian-greyhound
  13. S487PDSA — Italian Greyhound breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/italian-greyhound
  14. S488PetMD — Teresa Kho-Pelfrey, DVM (published Feb. 8, 2023) — Italian Greyhoundhttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/italian-greyhound
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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