The Italian Greyhuahua might be the right dog for you if you like small dogs that are full of energy. The Italian Greyhuahua is a mix between the Chihuahua and the Italian Greyhound. He weighs about 8 to 15 pounds and is about 10 to 14 inches tall. They are special because they have a unique and interesting personality. This dog can be a great pet, but he needs to be socialized and trained well as a puppy because he can be protective around strangers. Even though they are smart, this breed is stubborn and needs to be trained to go to the bathroom right away.
Italian Greyhuahua history and origin
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The Italian Greyhuahua is a relatively new breed, so not much is known about his history. This is why you need to look at the history of the Chihuahua and the Italian Greyhound to figure out the history of the breed.
The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog. It comes from Chihuahua, Mexico, and has been around since 100 A.D. The breed has both short and long hair, and its head can be round like an apple or flat like a deer. In Mexico, There are various myths about this tiny dog, and people used to sacrifice them to help the souls of the dead find their path to the afterlife. The tiny dogs were bred from Techichis, which were Mesoamerican dogs from 300 B.C. The Toltec religion thought that these dogs were spirit guides because they were descended from Techichis.
Even though Chihuahuas were hard to find in the early 1900s, luckily, this tradition died out before they went extinct. When the Spanish musician Xavier Cugat started showing up with his dog, the breed became popular again and even got its own Taco Bell commercial. The Chihuahua is now the most popular breed in Los Angeles. It is also the 30th most common breed in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club, where it has been registered since 1904.
The Spanish musician Xavier Cugat with his chihuahua.
The Italian Greyhound, which comes from Italy, was made to be a hunting companion and sighthound thousands of years ago. They are said to have been brought to Europe by the Phoenicians more than 2,000 years ago. The Bible even talks about them. The Romans, Egyptians, and Greeks helped the breed grow, and when their numbers started to drop, they kept them from going extinct. They were brought to the United States in the 1800s, and the American Kennel Club accepted them in 1886. They are now the 72nd most popular dog breed in the United States.
Italian Greyhuahua Breed Info
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Before thinking about adopting this mixed breed, you should read carefully the following guide about this dog. Enjoy!
Appearance
This is a very small dog with a small round head and a small compact body. It has long, skinny legs and big feet like rabbits. Their ears are pointy and triangular, their eyes are round and bulging, their noses are black or brown, and their tails are long and tapered. When they’re not being silly, they usually have a serious, intent look on their faces.
The temperament of the Italian Greyhuahua
The dogs are shy and socially awkward. They don’t like meeting new people, so they usually hide or act mean when they do. Early socialization is important for building their confidence, which can help fix some of their natural shyness. Because they are small, they are easy to scare, which can make them mean. When they are young, if you introduce them to a lot of different people, they will often learn to trust others.
When they are with their family, they do tend to be very playful. They form strong bonds with only one or two people, which may make them less good for families. If you want a dog that will accept everyone in your household, this might not be the best choice. They love the people who are “theirs.” Still, they are very loyal to their owners and make great guard dogs.
They need a lot of things to think about in order to do well. Since they are smart, they need to be entertained often. Even though they are small, they can cause damage if they are left alone. Dog sports, obedience training, and puzzle toys are all great ways to do this. To keep these dogs from acting destructively, it is best to keep their minds busy on a regular basis.
Most of the time, these dogs are somewhere between Chihuahuas and Italian Greyhounds in terms of how they act. How shy they are, depends on what genes they get and how they are raised.
It is important to hang out with these dogs often. They love to talk to people and are people-focused. Because of this, they need lots of love and playtime. We recommend you not leave this dog for more than 4 hours alone. Some may get separation anxiety, especially if they tend to be one person’s dog. You’ll have to teach them how to be alone when they’re younger to keep these problems from happening when they’re older.
Coat and colors
Depending on the type of coat the Chihuahua parent has, the Italian Greyhuahua has a short to medium coat. Their coats are often more than one color and have various patterns, such as white, caramel, black, chocolate, salt and pepper, red, liver, tan, blue, white, pied, merle, spotted, speckled, sable, or brindle.
Food and Diet Requirements 🦴
These dogs don’t have any special needs when it comes to what they eat. Because they are small, they don’t eat a lot. For this reason, Most dog owners can buy more expensive, higher-quality food for their dogs because their dogs don’t eat as much of it.
We suggest foods that have a lot of meat. Look for recipes where meat is the first thing listed. Whole meat and meat meals are better, as long as they are named. You shouldn’t feed your dog a literal “meat meal,” which is the same thing as “mystery meat.” “Chicken meal,” on the other hand, is often a good choice.
Grain-free dog food is not necessary unless your dog has a specific allergy to grain. Most grain-free foods don’t have more meat. Instead of grain, something like peas or potatoes is used instead. Even though vegetables can be healthy in small amounts, if you eat too many of them, they often stop being useful.
The food you give these dogs doesn’t have to be different from what you give other dogs, but the way you feed them does. They can be a lot smaller than most other dogs, which means they eat less than most other dogs. They can’t eat much because their stomachs aren’t big enough. What they do eat is quickly broken down. When they don’t eat, their blood sugar starts to go down. This can cause low blood sugar, which can kill the dog if it isn’t fed again soon. Dogs often start to act sluggish and may seem a little lost. Then they can start to have seizures and pass out. Eventually, they won’t wake up.
Italian Greyhuahua needs to be fed at least twice every day and more when they’re puppies. Even though the bigger dogs probably have nothing to worry about, it’s still best to feed them twice a day. If you don’t have time to feed these dogs several times a day, you shouldn’t adopt them, or, at the very least, you should buy a timed feeder.
The dog’s Exercise 🐕
The Italian Greyhuahua is a little bit more active than a regular Chihuahua because he has Greyhound genes. But this doesn’t mean that they need to work out a lot. Because they are small, they often do best with short workouts. Often, a short walk in the morning and a short walk at night is enough. If they seem restless during the day when you’re home, take them for another walk.
Like most other breeds, they can also get exercise in other ways. They like all kinds of games, but especially ones where they have to chase something. Many are smart enough to be used for dog sports, but that doesn’t mean they’ll listen to you when you tell them to do something. They probably won’t win any competitions, but they might have fun training for a sport like agility.
Try games that are harder and get you moving. If you hide close to where the dog is waiting, the game of hide-and-seek can be both mentally and physically challenging for them. At first, you might need at least two people to play this game. But as the dog learns the rules, he or she will learn to stay still while you hide.
The dog’s Training 🎾
Socialization is the most crucial component of this pet’s training. They are usually anxious around strangers, youngsters, and other animals. The effective way to stop this from happening is to meet a variety of individuals and animals when the dog is still a puppy. This breed almost always needs puppy classes. This isn’t because they’re hard to train, but because they require to meet other dogs in a safe place.
These dogs are small, which makes it easy to take them with you. As soon as they are done with their puppy shots, take them everywhere you can. Get them to meet new people and animals and put them in new, exciting situations. Go to the park with them. Visit families with dogs that know how to behave. This will make sure that when they grow up, they won’t be as scared.
These dogs can be hard to train to do what you want them to do. Many will learn the commands during training, but then they won’t listen at all when they’re not in training. They’re usually angels in training, but when they get home, it seems like they didn’t learn anything. The key is to train them in a variety of settings. It is often hard to get their attention. They can also be very set in their ways.
They are hard to potty train because they are small. The main reason for this is that they need to go outside more, not because they are inherently bad. Because their bladders are so small, they may need to go outside as often as every 30 minutes, just like puppies. When their puppies are small, many owners use puppy pads or something else.
Grooming
These dogs don’t need much grooming because both of their parents have short fur. The Italian Greyhuahua sheds, but not nearly as much as some other breeds. At least once a week, you should use a slicker brush to remove hair, dirt, and other debris. The dog’s natural oils, which help the coat stay healthy and grow, will also be spread out during the brushing session.
In contrast to some breeds, these dogs don’t usually shed a lot at certain times of the year. They don’t have a time of year when they shed. So, most people will lose a little weight all year long.
If your dog doesn’t need a bath, don’t give it one. If they bathe too much, the oils on their fur will be washed away. This will make it easier for your dog to get dirty. Instead, you should only bathe them when they get dirty or smelly. If you can see that they are dirty, they probably need to take a bath.
When it’s time for a bath, it’s best to be safe and use a shampoo made for sensitive skin. Some of these dogs have skin and coat problems that can get worse when they get a bath. You can also use other products on your dog’s skin after the bath to make it feel better.
The only reason to take your Italian Greyhuahua to a groomer is if you don’t feel comfortable cutting your dog’s nails. They will need to have their nails cut often. With the right tools, you can do this at home, but many people would rather have a groomer do it. Many groomers offer cheap walk-in appointments for dogs that only need their nails clipped.
Keep an eye on your dog’s ears as well. Even though they don’t get sick often, they can get dirty and get sick. If they are dirty, use a wet cotton ball to clean them.
THIS ARTICLE MAY HELP: chihuahua Nail Trimming Guide – How to Trim Their Fragile Toe-Nails
The Italian Greyhuahua Health and Conditions
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Even though they are a mix, these dogs are very healthy. Because they get traits from a bigger gene pool, they are less likely to get certain genetic diseases from their parents. But because they are smaller, they are more likely to get some diseases.
One of these is having low blood sugar. When your dog’s blood sugar is too low, this will happen. This is mostly a problem for the smaller dogs in this breed. Their stomachs are very small and can’t hold much food. When they have finished digesting all of their food, their blood sugar will start to drop. If they aren’t fed again quickly, they will start to show signs of having low blood sugar. If the dog isn’t fed and brought back to life, it could die from this condition.
Another problem that these dogs often have is patellar luxation. This means that the kneecap is out of place. The kneecap, or patella, usually slides around in a groove on the femur as the dog bends and straightens its leg. In some cases, the groove and the kneecap may not be in the same location, this can lead the kneecap to pop out of place. This makes it hard for your dog to walk and can lead to more problems if you don’t fix them. When the kneecap rubs against something, it can hurt muscle tissue.
This condition can be caused by trauma or by genes. A physical injury can knock their kneecap out of place, but it can also just slide out of place for no clear reason.
Possible health issues
Are These Dogs Good for Families?
It’s up to the family. They are a bit more active than most dogs, but they don’t have to work out for long periods of time. Instead, it’s often better to play in short bursts. These dogs do best in families that are at least a little bit active since they aren’t likely to just lie on the couch all day.
Also, they usually form close relationships with only one or two people. So, they might not be the best for big families who want their dogs to pay equal attention to everyone. They can be great for a family with one or two older children, but not for a family with many active children.
Because they are so small, they can easily hurt small children who don’t know how to handle them right. They also tend to be more afraid of little kids because they don’t want to get hurt. This can make people act out of fear. Because of this, we don’t recommend them to families with young children.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?
If they meet other pets when they are young, they can get along with them. Most of the time, they don’t have a very strong need to hunt. If you start letting them play with cats when they are young, they will usually learn not to chase them. Since this dog is a mix, it’s hard to say how strong its desire to chase will be. Some people may never like cats.
This dog is sometimes scared of bigger dogs. This often makes the dog bite and act aggressively in other ways. It’s important to get them used to other good dogs when they’re young so they’ll feel comfortable hanging out with other dogs. Usually, they will be fine if they learn that other dogs won’t hurt them.
The Italian Greyhuahua Male vs Female
The difference between males and females of this breed isn’t very big. This mixed breed has so many different types that most males don’t have much in common with each other. Because these dogs are so different, it would be hard to find big differences between the sexes.
Quick Breed Summary Table
| Weight | 8 to 15 lbs |
| Height | 10 to 14 inches tall |
| Size | small |
| Coat Type | short to medium coat |
| colors | white, caramel, black, chocolate, salt and pepper, red, liver, tan, blue, white, pied, merle, spotted, speckled, sable, or brindle |
| Amount of Shedding | they don’t shed a lot |
| Nose | black or brown |
| Ears | Pointy and triangular |
| Temperament | active, stubborn, Sassy, friendly, and may show some aggressiveness. |
| Life Expectancy | 12 to 14 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Intelligence | yes they are smart |
| Kid-Friendly | No |
| New Owner Friendly | Yes |
| Activity level | very active |
| Breed Recognition | None |
Last Word
The Italian Greyhuahua is a rare mix breed. They are very different because they have a lot of genes. Like most hybrids, these dogs are hard to tell what they will be like. They are often shy and unsure around strangers, so they need to learn how to get along with people. They can get along with other pets if they meet them when they are young. Some have strong urges to hunt, which makes them bad for cats. But some people get along well with them.
Because they are very smart, these dogs do need a lot of mental stimulation. Even though they are pretty smart, they aren’t always easy to train.
We mostly suggest this dog to families who have a lot of free time. They care a lot about people and need a lot of attention. They aren’t good for families where everyone works and is gone for most of the day.
Here is a video of a cute black Italian Greyhhuahua. Enjoy!
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