Canis lupus familiaris
Italian Greyhound
Featured photoitalian-greyhound.jpgThe Italian Greyhound is a ancient Mediterranean miniature sighthound — the Greyhound in miniature, royal-court favourite. The Italian Greyhound is one of the oldest miniaturized breeds, with small sighthound types closely matching the modern Italian Greyhound depicted in Mediterranean art from at least 2000 BCE.
Quick facts
- AKC group
- Toy
- Origin country
- Mediterranean (Italy / Greece)
- Origin period
- Antiquity (modern type 17th century)
- Coat type
- Short
- Coat colors
- Any colour or combination — black, blue, fawn, red, sable, cream, white markings or solid
- Average lifespan
- 13-15 years
- Recognition
- AKC 1886 · FCI 1956 · UKC 1948 · Group 10 — Sighthounds (Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds)
Origin
The Italian Greyhound is one of the oldest miniaturized breeds, with small sighthound types closely matching the modern Italian Greyhound depicted in Mediterranean art from at least 2000 BCE — Egyptian tomb paintings, Greek pottery, and Roman mosaics. The breed was developed as a refined miniature version of the standard Greyhound for hunting small game (rabbits) and as a luxury lap-dog for the aristocracy of the Mediterranean basin. The Italian Greyhound became extremely fashionable at Renaissance and 17th-18th-century European courts; documented royal owners include King Charles I of England (kept his on the scaffold at his execution in 1649), Catherine the Great of Russia, Frederick the Great of Prussia, Queen Anne and Queen Victoria of England. The Kennel Club registered the breed in 1873 and the AKC followed in 1886.
Recognition
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1886, the United Kennel Club followed in 1948, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 200) in 1956. The FCI assigns the breed to Group 10 — Sighthounds (Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds).
Standard
The AKC and FCI standards describe a small, slender, fine-boned sighthound of elegant outline — the smallest of the sighthound family, the Greyhound in miniature. The defining features are the long, fine, narrow head, the deep narrow chest, the tucked-up loin, and the long well-muscled hindquarters with the high-stepping, hackney-like gait that is breed-defining. The short, fine, glossy, satin-textured coat lies close to the body. Any colour or combination of colours is acceptable. The breed stands 32-38 cm at the withers and weighs 3-5 kg.
Sources & further reading (3)
- kennel-club-registry — accessed 2026-04-30
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-30
- fci-standard — accessed 2026-04-30
Frequently asked questions
What is the Italian Greyhound's AKC group?
The American Kennel Club places the Italian Greyhound in the Toy Group. The Toy Group gathers small companion breeds historically kept as lap dogs and household companions, including the Pug, Pomeranian, Maltese, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The breed's foundation working role was as a ancient Mediterranean miniature sighthound — the Greyhound in miniature, royal-court favourite.
When was the Italian Greyhound officially recognized?
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1886; the United Kennel Club followed in 1948; the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 200) in 1956.
What is the average lifespan of a Italian Greyhound?
Kennel-club longevity surveys place the Italian Greyhound's average lifespan in the 13-15 years range. The figure here represents the spread reported by the major parent-club studies and the Kennel Club (UK) purebred-dog health surveys.
