Post by charmingnancy on Mar 24, 2009 14:11:20 GMT -5
Italian Greyhound
Group: 5- Toys
Origin: Italy
Purpose: Small game hunter and Companion
Description:
The Italian Greyhound is an ancient breed whose ancestors are believed to have originated in Egypt. Through selection in Italy, a more refined type was developed and its immense popularity in that country led to the breed acquiring the name “Italian Greyhound.”
Research indicates that the breed was originally used for the pursuit of small game, but as depicted in European art in the Renaissance period, its role seems to have been as much that of a small companion to the nobility. The breed was miniaturized in the 1800s and since that time has been too small for hunting purposes. Although it has retained some of the sporting characteristics, today it is kept as a toy companion.
Appearance- Breed Standards:
The Italian Greyhound is similar in appearance to the Greyhound but very much smaller and more slender in all proportions. Its appearance is one of supreme elegance and grace. The body of the Italian Greyhound fits into a square.
Coat and Colour:
Coat- Very short, close, of fine texture, silky to the touch, glossy like satin. The skin is fine and supple.
Colour- White, cream, fawn, blue, grey, black, red, chocolate, bronze, blue/fawn, red/fawn.
Any shade of these colours, solid or with white markings or white with coloured markings is acceptable. A mask is permissible.
Head: Long and narrow. When viewed from the side, the planes of the skull and muzzle are parallel to each other and of approximately equal length with a slight, gently sloping stop. The general appearance is one of a finely chiseled sculpture. Skull: Long, narrow in width, top almost flat, sides slightly rounded. Muzzle: Long and fine, tapering to the nose but with no suggestion of snippiness; topline flat. Portion beneath the eyes well chiseled. Nose: Dark in colour. The nose in profile is in the same line with the top of the muzzle and projects ahead of the muzzle. A lightly or partially pigmented nose is a serious fault. Mouth: Jaws are strong with no suggestion of snippiness. Teeth are even, complete in number with a scissors bite. Lips are thin and close fitting, well pigmented and dark. An undershot or overshot mouth is a serious fault. Eyes: Rather large, more round than oval shaped; bright and full of expression; dark, ranging in colour from medium-brown to black, in keeping with the colour of the coat. Self-coloured eyes are acceptable in a blue dog, although dark eyes are always preferred for any colour. Eyes should be neither protruding nor deep-set. Pigment of eye rims is dark. Light eyes are a fault. Partly pigmented eye rims are a serious fault. Ears: Rose shaped, small and of fine texture with thin cartilage; set high and well back on skull. The inner base attachment of the ear should terminate perpendicular to the middle of the upper eye rim. In the relaxed position, the ears are carried folded back over the nape of the neck, revealing the auricle, with the skull between the ears appearing slightly rounded. When alerted, the lower half of the ear is raised upwards, and the upper half is folded and carried horizontally above the topline of the skull, giving a flat-skulled appearance between the ears. Erect or prick ears are a serious fault. Button ears are a serious fault.
Neck: Long, slender, gracefully arched. Its length from base of skull to the withers is approximately the same as the length of head. Its top line shows a distinct arch from the crest and joins the withers rather abruptly. The skin is close fitting with no throatiness.
Forequarters: Shoulders: The shoulder blade (scapula) is long, well angulated, well muscled but not overly prominent. Withers: The region of the withers should be well muscled. The point of the withers should be distinct when the dog is viewed in profile but not overly prominent. Upper Arm: The scapula-humeral angle is obtuse; the direction of the angle is parallel to the central plane of the body. Lower Arm: Legs are set well under the shoulders, light boned, straight and vertical as seen from the front or in profile; elbows are turned neither in nor out. The height of the elbows from the ground is slightly more than the distance from elbows to withers. Pasterns: Strong, slightly bent, fine bone.
Body: The length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks, should not exceed the height of the withers. The body should be covered with firm, flat, well toned muscles. The tips of the hipbones and a shadow of the rib cage can be visible. Topline: The topline is level, up to the start of the lumbar vertebrae (the 11th vertebra) where the arch of the loin begins in a gentle curve. The curve continues steeply down over the croup. There should be no abrupt break in the curve where it drops over the croup; rather it should be a smooth continuation of the curve, which starts over the loin. A wheel back, a roach back, or a flat topline from the start of the loin to the tailset are serious faults. Chest: Deep and narrow; slight spring of rib. When viewed from the side, the ribs extend well back and the brisket should be at elbow level. When viewed from the front, the chest of a mature dog should be narrow but visible between the front legs. Wide in front, barrel-chested, slab-sided, or shallow in chest are faults. Loin: Short coupled, strong. Croup: Drops smoothly from the horizontal, giving a steep angle to the slope but blending harmoniously with the curve of the loin in a smooth arc, thus giving a low set to the tail and contributing to a curved silhouette. Abdomen: Should show a very definite tuck up at the flanks.
Hindquarters: In a natural stance, the hindquarters should give the impression of a small running hound and should exhibit good muscle tone. When viewed from the rear, the legs should be straight and parallel. Hipbone: The tip of the hipbone can be visible but the dog should not appear emaciated. Upper Thigh: Long, lean, well muscled but not overdeveloped. Lower Thigh: Approximately the same length as the upper thigh, fine-boned; the groove between the bone and the tendon above the hock very sloped with the tendon plainly visible, and the skin of the groove almost transparent. Hocks: Well let down. When viewed from the rear, the hocks and pasterns should turn neither in nor out. When viewed from the side, the front line of the pastern should be on a vertical line from the point of buttocks to the ground. Cow hocks and sickle hocks are serious faults. Stifle Bend: Well bent, showing good angulation. The stifle joint should be plainly visible and there should be considerable angulation between the stifle joint and the pelvis, and between the stifle joint and the hock. The angle formed by the upper and lower thigh is approximately the same as, and balanced with, the angle formed by the shoulder blade and upper arm of the forequarters.
Feet: Hare feet, turning neither in nor out. The nails are preferably dark in colour or in keeping with the colour of the coat. They should not be cut to a short stub but should have sufficient length to give traction when running. Hind feet should be turned neither in nor out. The hind feet have toes more arched to give power to the propulsion exerted by the hind legs but with no suggestion of a cat foot. Cat feet and flat feet are serious faults.
Tail: Long, fine boned, covered with extremely short hair, set low, carried low, and tapering to the tip. The first half is straight and the second half is curved. In a natural stance, the tip of the tail should reach, or extend slightly beyond, the hock. A happy wagging tail is often carried out and slightly up and this should not be penalized. A ringtail, a tail carried up and over the topline, or the bottom half of tail straight as opposed to curved, are faults.
Gait: High stepping and free. The gait of the Italian Greyhound is its most distinctive feature. The foreleg is lifted almost parallel to the ground in a fluid forward-reaching movement with good flexion or bend of the wrist joint. There is a corresponding movement of the rear leg with good propulsion. Movement should be in a straight line with no crossing over in front or rear. Action should never be choppy but should portray an elegant smoothness. Above all, movement should be sound. A hackneyed gait with exaggerated lift, or a shuffling gait with insufficient lift, are serious faults.
Disqualifications: Tan points such as those of the Manchester Terrier. Brindle.
Size:
Height 13-15 inches (33-38 cm). Any deviation from these limits must be considered a serious fault.
Temperament:
It is intelligent, agile and vivacious. It has a very affectionate and sensitive nature and is sometimes reserved with strangers.
Health:
Despite their fragile appearance, Italian greyhounds (IG's) are both sturdier and healthier than they appear to the casual observer. Obviously, due to short hair and little body fat, they are not suited to prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures. Allergies, digestive problems, heart problems, arthritis and back injuries can be found in IG's. Without question, the biggest health problems involve the teeth and gums. Most IG's will develop severe periodontal (gum) disease at a relatively early age, if their teeth do not receive proper care. Retained deciduous (baby) teeth are also fairly common.
Drug sensitivities, fractures of the radius and ulna (forearm), idiopathic epilepsy, hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), color dilute alopecia (also known as color mutant alopecia, blue Doberman syndrome or blue balding), retained testicles, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), Juvenile cataracts, Luxating patellas (slipped stifles), Legg-Perthe's disease (LPD), a number of autoimmune or immune mediated diseases, Portal systemic shunts (liver shunts), inherited deafness, and Von Willebrand's disease (VWD) are also diagnosed in IG's.
Average Lifespan:
12 – 15 years.
History:
The Italian greyhound, sometimes simply called the IG, is an ancient breed and the smallest of the sight hounds. A dog resembling the modern day IG was found in a 6,000 year old Egyptian tomb. It is not clear exactly how this miniature greyhound came to be, however artwork from Turkey, Greece, and surrounding areas depicts the breed as far back as 2,000 years ago.
Brought to Europe by the Phoenicians, it was one of the first breeds to be developed purely as a companion animal. It was popular with the Egyptians, Greeks, and Roman upper class. The Romans took special interest in the breed and furthered its development. In fact, the remains of a small greyhound were found in the ancient lava flows from Pompeii. These miniaturized greyhounds soon found favor across Europe with aristocrats and nobility alike, particularly in Italy.
In the 17th century, the breed was introduced to England where it gained further popularity. Some famous IG owners included Catherine the Great of Russia, James I of England, Anne of Denmark, and Queen Victoria. Frederick the Great of Prussia is said to have brought his Italian greyhound to war, and in 1991, according to his dying wish, he was buried alongside his beloved pet. An African chieftain is said to have been so enamored by the breed that he offered 200 cattle in exchange for a single dog. Around 1900, the breed’s numbers slowly declined with its popularity. Many breeders were attempting to decrease the size of the dog without regard to its health, which furthered the IG’s decline.
Thankfully, the small number of Italian greyhounds that were brought to America in the late 1800s was of high quality. These dogs helped replenish this graceful breed in Europe. The breed makes an excellent companion pet, but has also been used in conjunction with falcons to hunt. Today the Italian greyhound is experiencing another surge in popularity as a devoted family pet.
Sources:
Italian Greyhound Club of Canada
Italian Greyhound.org
5 Star Dog
Pictures:
Photobucket
Group: 5- Toys
Origin: Italy
Purpose: Small game hunter and Companion
Description:
The Italian Greyhound is an ancient breed whose ancestors are believed to have originated in Egypt. Through selection in Italy, a more refined type was developed and its immense popularity in that country led to the breed acquiring the name “Italian Greyhound.”
Research indicates that the breed was originally used for the pursuit of small game, but as depicted in European art in the Renaissance period, its role seems to have been as much that of a small companion to the nobility. The breed was miniaturized in the 1800s and since that time has been too small for hunting purposes. Although it has retained some of the sporting characteristics, today it is kept as a toy companion.
Appearance- Breed Standards:
The Italian Greyhound is similar in appearance to the Greyhound but very much smaller and more slender in all proportions. Its appearance is one of supreme elegance and grace. The body of the Italian Greyhound fits into a square.
Coat and Colour:
Coat- Very short, close, of fine texture, silky to the touch, glossy like satin. The skin is fine and supple.
Colour- White, cream, fawn, blue, grey, black, red, chocolate, bronze, blue/fawn, red/fawn.
Any shade of these colours, solid or with white markings or white with coloured markings is acceptable. A mask is permissible.
Head: Long and narrow. When viewed from the side, the planes of the skull and muzzle are parallel to each other and of approximately equal length with a slight, gently sloping stop. The general appearance is one of a finely chiseled sculpture. Skull: Long, narrow in width, top almost flat, sides slightly rounded. Muzzle: Long and fine, tapering to the nose but with no suggestion of snippiness; topline flat. Portion beneath the eyes well chiseled. Nose: Dark in colour. The nose in profile is in the same line with the top of the muzzle and projects ahead of the muzzle. A lightly or partially pigmented nose is a serious fault. Mouth: Jaws are strong with no suggestion of snippiness. Teeth are even, complete in number with a scissors bite. Lips are thin and close fitting, well pigmented and dark. An undershot or overshot mouth is a serious fault. Eyes: Rather large, more round than oval shaped; bright and full of expression; dark, ranging in colour from medium-brown to black, in keeping with the colour of the coat. Self-coloured eyes are acceptable in a blue dog, although dark eyes are always preferred for any colour. Eyes should be neither protruding nor deep-set. Pigment of eye rims is dark. Light eyes are a fault. Partly pigmented eye rims are a serious fault. Ears: Rose shaped, small and of fine texture with thin cartilage; set high and well back on skull. The inner base attachment of the ear should terminate perpendicular to the middle of the upper eye rim. In the relaxed position, the ears are carried folded back over the nape of the neck, revealing the auricle, with the skull between the ears appearing slightly rounded. When alerted, the lower half of the ear is raised upwards, and the upper half is folded and carried horizontally above the topline of the skull, giving a flat-skulled appearance between the ears. Erect or prick ears are a serious fault. Button ears are a serious fault.
Neck: Long, slender, gracefully arched. Its length from base of skull to the withers is approximately the same as the length of head. Its top line shows a distinct arch from the crest and joins the withers rather abruptly. The skin is close fitting with no throatiness.
Forequarters: Shoulders: The shoulder blade (scapula) is long, well angulated, well muscled but not overly prominent. Withers: The region of the withers should be well muscled. The point of the withers should be distinct when the dog is viewed in profile but not overly prominent. Upper Arm: The scapula-humeral angle is obtuse; the direction of the angle is parallel to the central plane of the body. Lower Arm: Legs are set well under the shoulders, light boned, straight and vertical as seen from the front or in profile; elbows are turned neither in nor out. The height of the elbows from the ground is slightly more than the distance from elbows to withers. Pasterns: Strong, slightly bent, fine bone.
Body: The length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks, should not exceed the height of the withers. The body should be covered with firm, flat, well toned muscles. The tips of the hipbones and a shadow of the rib cage can be visible. Topline: The topline is level, up to the start of the lumbar vertebrae (the 11th vertebra) where the arch of the loin begins in a gentle curve. The curve continues steeply down over the croup. There should be no abrupt break in the curve where it drops over the croup; rather it should be a smooth continuation of the curve, which starts over the loin. A wheel back, a roach back, or a flat topline from the start of the loin to the tailset are serious faults. Chest: Deep and narrow; slight spring of rib. When viewed from the side, the ribs extend well back and the brisket should be at elbow level. When viewed from the front, the chest of a mature dog should be narrow but visible between the front legs. Wide in front, barrel-chested, slab-sided, or shallow in chest are faults. Loin: Short coupled, strong. Croup: Drops smoothly from the horizontal, giving a steep angle to the slope but blending harmoniously with the curve of the loin in a smooth arc, thus giving a low set to the tail and contributing to a curved silhouette. Abdomen: Should show a very definite tuck up at the flanks.
Hindquarters: In a natural stance, the hindquarters should give the impression of a small running hound and should exhibit good muscle tone. When viewed from the rear, the legs should be straight and parallel. Hipbone: The tip of the hipbone can be visible but the dog should not appear emaciated. Upper Thigh: Long, lean, well muscled but not overdeveloped. Lower Thigh: Approximately the same length as the upper thigh, fine-boned; the groove between the bone and the tendon above the hock very sloped with the tendon plainly visible, and the skin of the groove almost transparent. Hocks: Well let down. When viewed from the rear, the hocks and pasterns should turn neither in nor out. When viewed from the side, the front line of the pastern should be on a vertical line from the point of buttocks to the ground. Cow hocks and sickle hocks are serious faults. Stifle Bend: Well bent, showing good angulation. The stifle joint should be plainly visible and there should be considerable angulation between the stifle joint and the pelvis, and between the stifle joint and the hock. The angle formed by the upper and lower thigh is approximately the same as, and balanced with, the angle formed by the shoulder blade and upper arm of the forequarters.
Feet: Hare feet, turning neither in nor out. The nails are preferably dark in colour or in keeping with the colour of the coat. They should not be cut to a short stub but should have sufficient length to give traction when running. Hind feet should be turned neither in nor out. The hind feet have toes more arched to give power to the propulsion exerted by the hind legs but with no suggestion of a cat foot. Cat feet and flat feet are serious faults.
Tail: Long, fine boned, covered with extremely short hair, set low, carried low, and tapering to the tip. The first half is straight and the second half is curved. In a natural stance, the tip of the tail should reach, or extend slightly beyond, the hock. A happy wagging tail is often carried out and slightly up and this should not be penalized. A ringtail, a tail carried up and over the topline, or the bottom half of tail straight as opposed to curved, are faults.
Gait: High stepping and free. The gait of the Italian Greyhound is its most distinctive feature. The foreleg is lifted almost parallel to the ground in a fluid forward-reaching movement with good flexion or bend of the wrist joint. There is a corresponding movement of the rear leg with good propulsion. Movement should be in a straight line with no crossing over in front or rear. Action should never be choppy but should portray an elegant smoothness. Above all, movement should be sound. A hackneyed gait with exaggerated lift, or a shuffling gait with insufficient lift, are serious faults.
Disqualifications: Tan points such as those of the Manchester Terrier. Brindle.
Size:
Height 13-15 inches (33-38 cm). Any deviation from these limits must be considered a serious fault.
Temperament:
It is intelligent, agile and vivacious. It has a very affectionate and sensitive nature and is sometimes reserved with strangers.
Health:
Despite their fragile appearance, Italian greyhounds (IG's) are both sturdier and healthier than they appear to the casual observer. Obviously, due to short hair and little body fat, they are not suited to prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures. Allergies, digestive problems, heart problems, arthritis and back injuries can be found in IG's. Without question, the biggest health problems involve the teeth and gums. Most IG's will develop severe periodontal (gum) disease at a relatively early age, if their teeth do not receive proper care. Retained deciduous (baby) teeth are also fairly common.
Drug sensitivities, fractures of the radius and ulna (forearm), idiopathic epilepsy, hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), color dilute alopecia (also known as color mutant alopecia, blue Doberman syndrome or blue balding), retained testicles, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), Juvenile cataracts, Luxating patellas (slipped stifles), Legg-Perthe's disease (LPD), a number of autoimmune or immune mediated diseases, Portal systemic shunts (liver shunts), inherited deafness, and Von Willebrand's disease (VWD) are also diagnosed in IG's.
Average Lifespan:
12 – 15 years.
History:
The Italian greyhound, sometimes simply called the IG, is an ancient breed and the smallest of the sight hounds. A dog resembling the modern day IG was found in a 6,000 year old Egyptian tomb. It is not clear exactly how this miniature greyhound came to be, however artwork from Turkey, Greece, and surrounding areas depicts the breed as far back as 2,000 years ago.
Brought to Europe by the Phoenicians, it was one of the first breeds to be developed purely as a companion animal. It was popular with the Egyptians, Greeks, and Roman upper class. The Romans took special interest in the breed and furthered its development. In fact, the remains of a small greyhound were found in the ancient lava flows from Pompeii. These miniaturized greyhounds soon found favor across Europe with aristocrats and nobility alike, particularly in Italy.
In the 17th century, the breed was introduced to England where it gained further popularity. Some famous IG owners included Catherine the Great of Russia, James I of England, Anne of Denmark, and Queen Victoria. Frederick the Great of Prussia is said to have brought his Italian greyhound to war, and in 1991, according to his dying wish, he was buried alongside his beloved pet. An African chieftain is said to have been so enamored by the breed that he offered 200 cattle in exchange for a single dog. Around 1900, the breed’s numbers slowly declined with its popularity. Many breeders were attempting to decrease the size of the dog without regard to its health, which furthered the IG’s decline.
Thankfully, the small number of Italian greyhounds that were brought to America in the late 1800s was of high quality. These dogs helped replenish this graceful breed in Europe. The breed makes an excellent companion pet, but has also been used in conjunction with falcons to hunt. Today the Italian greyhound is experiencing another surge in popularity as a devoted family pet.
Sources:
Italian Greyhound Club of Canada
Italian Greyhound.org
5 Star Dog
Pictures:
Photobucket