Italian Greyhuahua is an energetic, small-sized, and unique dog breed that results from a cross between the Italian Greyhound and the Chihuahua. It also goes by the names Greyhuahua and Italian Chihuahua. It is quite a special breed that doesn’t grow bigger than 14 inches and weighs around 10-15 pounds.
These dogs are highly intelligent but stubborn at the same time and will require early training and socialization to fit in with big families. They are protective of their families and are pretty wary around strangers. They have many unique personality traits that make them such interesting dogs.
Italian Greyhuahua History
The Italian Greyhuahua hasn’t been around that long, and not much is known about it. However, the same cannot be said about its parents. The Chihuahua is known as the smallest dog in the world and is named after the city of Chihuahua in Mexico, where it is from. It was used in burial rituals in Mexico and used to be sacrificed to guide the souls of their loved ones. This is because these dogs were believed to be spirit guides!
As the name indicates, the Italian Greyhound is from Italy, and it was bred thousands of years ago and are believed to be brought to Europe around 2000 years ago by the Phoenicians. Back then, the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans played a huge part in preventing these dogs from becoming extinct when they noticed a decline in their number. Later on, they were brought to the US in the 19th century.
Italian Greyhuahua Characteristics
The Italian Greyhuahuas are quite dependent on their owners and listen to them eagerly. They are very loyal, loving, devoted, and protective and enjoy quiet, peaceful households. They are huge admirers of nature and will quietly sit down and admire the beautiful scenery. In addition, they like spending time with their families and need lots of attention.
It has a short to medium coat, which depends on the coat of the Chihuahua parent, and it comes in many colours such as brindle, pied, sable, white, black, grey, brown, red, cream, fawn, blue, and silver. That’s a lot of colours! In addition, it has big, brown, round eyes and a black or brown nose.
How Big Do Italian Greyhuahua Get
The height of a male Italian Greyhuahua is 11-14 inches, and it weighs between 10-15 pounds. On the other hand, a female Italian Greyhuahua grows 10-13 inches tall and weighs around 8-13 pounds. Their height is 10.5-11.5 inches at six months old, and their weight is between 4.5-6.5 pounds, and at twelve months old, they’re 11.5-12.5 inches tall and weigh around 9-11 pounds.
How Long Does an Italian Greyhuahua Live
The usual lifespan of an Italian Greyhuahua is 13-16 years. It is a pretty healthy dog in general, and we can add more digits to this figure by taking good care of our dog, ensuring that it has a good diet, enough physical and mental exercise, and lots of love.
How Much Does an Italian Greyhuahua Cost
An Italian Greyhuahua has unique, expensive parents ranging between $1500-$3000, so we can expect their offspring to be around the same budget because it’s rare and has all the unique qualities of its parents. However, annual expenses may vary and include a collar, flea prevention, rubber toys, chew toys, etc.
Italian Greyhuahua Temperament/Personality
The Italian Greyhuahua needs special help when it comes to potty-training it. This is a difficult domain! But with a positive attitude and consistency, it’ll be thoroughly potty-trained real soon. It is advised to have some potty pads and to take them outside as soon as we feel that they are about to go. They can be snappy in the presence of small children; therefore, supervision is recommended.
They are pretty intelligent but independent-minded at the same time, so training them can be quite challenging. We should make sure that physical punishment is not used and that they don’t feel scared. We should make them feel comfortable and use a positive attitude as they respond to that eagerly.
Caring For Italian Greyhuahua
Ensuring that our Italian Greyhuahuas are given enough attention and mental puzzles is a wonderful first step in taking care of them. We should keep in mind that if these dogs don’t have much to do, they’ll get bored and irritated and may develop unhealthy habits such as barking excessively or becoming destructive. In addition, we should give them good food, lots of love, and take them to parks for walks.
Italian Greyhuahua Nutrition
Italian Greyhuahuas are small-sized dogs that require only 1 cup of good quality dog food divided into 2-3 meals every day. We should ensure that they get enough physical activity to utilize that energy properly. After consulting a veterinarian, we can also give certain raw foods to our dogs to fulfil their energy requirements and bring diversity into their diet.
How to Groom an Italian Greyhuahua
The coat of the Italian Greyhuahua is dependent on which parent is more dominant in it. If it is long, we will have to brush it almost every other day, and if it is short, we’ll be fine with grooming once a week. A medicated, mild shampoo will be needed to avoid skin problems, and their ears should be cleaned regularly to prevent ear infections. Also, it is recommended to trim our dog’s nails with a good clipper once or twice a month.
Italian Greyhuahua Activity Levels
The Italian Greyhuahuas are incredibly active dogs and need a lot of exercises regularly. They should spend at least 60 minutes outdoors and have a walk mileage of 8 miles per week. Because of their small size, they can perform plenty of activities indoors, too, as long as their requirements are met.
Caring for Italian Greyhuahua
Italian Greyhuahuas are lovely, smart, unique, and courageous dogs who, like all other dogs, will require positive reinforcement, a good diet, enough exercise, the right amount of attention and love, and mental challenges to stay happy and fit. They can be quite challenging in training times; therefore, early socialization and training should be done.
Italian Greyhuahua Health
Italian Greyhuahuas have a pretty long lifespan, are generally healthy dogs, and are likely to live a happy, healthy life. However, we should watch out for concerns like Patellar Luxation, Patent Ductus, Molera, Tracheal Collapse, Cataracts, Lens Luxation, and Arteriosus.
Breeds Similar To Italian Greyhuahua
Best Dog Food For Italian Greyhuahua
The best dog food for Italian Greyhuahua is Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food. Designed for healthy digestive and immune health, the Purina Pro recipe comes in four sizes of the food bag. The dry food is high in protein because there are salmon, other ocean fish, canola meal, dried eggs, etc., in the recipe.
- The ingredients enhance the glucosamine level in the body.
- Its 16% of healthy crude fat keeps the skin nourished and takes care of the vision.
- This allergen-free recipe includes taurine, EPA, essential minerals, etc., for the overall growth.
Best Puppy Food For Italian Greyhuahua
The best puppy food for Italian Greyhuahua is Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. The modern diet was crafted in the USA, and the manufacturers have strictly followed the food safety protocol while preparing this puppy meal. Free from indigestion-causing grains, the dry food includes sweet potatoes, smoked salmon, pea protein, blueberries, raspberries, etc.
- This 360 Kcal/cup puppy recipe includes fermentation products and natural extracts.
- Ascorbic acid strengthens the immune system of the body.
- Enriched with vitamin D supplements, the recipe supports a healthy brain, eyes, bones, teeth, etc.
Best Dog Bed For Italian Greyhuahua
The best dog bed for Italian Greyhuahua is Precision Pet Products SnooZZy Round Shearling Bolster Dog Bed. Shaped like a designer bowl, the bed features a deep cushion, and it has rounded edges. The affordable napping zone takes advantage of the insulation layer to keep the bed warm on chilly nights.
- The soft and comfy bed has extra polyfills to ensure a soothing nap.
- The printed bed keeps away fleas, bad-odor, and dirt no matter where it is placed.
- Made with cushioned bolsters, the bed has a dryer safe cover with a zipper system.
Best Dog Crate For Italian Greyhuahua
The best dog crate for Italian Greyhuahua is MidWest Canine Camper Single Door Collapsible Soft-Sided Dog Crate. The white and grey color of this bed grabs ambient light and allows you to spot the crate even in a dark room. The covered pet home has two mesh windows on each side.
- The main front door is also made of nylon mesh, and you can unzip it when needed.
- This weather-resistant dog crate has a steel frame to build the structure.
- Wrapped with water-resistant materials, the crate is also foldable.
Best Dog Harness For Italian Greyhuahua
The best dog harness for Italian Greyhuahua is Mighty Paw Padded Sports Dog Harness. The black straps and reflective stitching makes this harness model a new-age one. Its front piece is T-shaped, and it has a hook in the back to attach a leash.
- This all-purpose harness facilitates walking, training, locking, etc.
- The training kit comes in five sizes up to 22.5 inches of the neck.
- The premium quality harness has padded handles for effortless lifting.
Sources
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