Raising dogs, especially taking care of the italian greyhound, is a specialty of people across the globe. Experts say dogs were originally domesticated sometime between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that all dogs evolved from the wolf. Since those days, we have selectively bred more than four hundred breeds, varying in size from four-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose three-ft stature earns them the distinction of tallest dog. But the most preferred pooches are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The italian greyhound is also a popular pick among canine owners. Some owners are oblivious, however, of some of the most common italian greyhound care tips.
Typical cost of care for the italian greyhound
The yearly budget for rearing the italian greyhound—which includes everything from food, veterinary care, toys and license—can vary between four hundred twenty and seven hundred eighty dollars. This is not even counting capital expenses for sterilization operations, dog collar and a leash, dog carrier and a crate. Tip: Make sure you have procured all of the necessary supplies before bringing your italian greyhound home.
General italian greyhound Care
How To Feed the italian greyhound
- italian greyhound puppies between 8 and 12 weeks old need four meals in a 24 hour period.
- italian greyhound pups 3 to 6 months old should be fed 3 meals in a 24 hour period.
- Feed pups 6 months to 1 year old two times daily.
- By the time the italian greyhound hits his first birthday, one feeding in a 24 hour period is typically all that’s required.
- Many times adult italian greyhounds might do better with 2 smaller meals. It’s your responsibility to adapt to your italian greyhound’s eating tendencies.
Top-quality dry dogfood ensures a well-rounded diet to full-grown italian greyhounds and may be mixed with water, broth, or canned food. Your italian greyhound may also have a taste for fruits and vegetables, cooked eggs, and cottage cheese, but these shouldn’t add up to more than 10 pct of her daily food. italian greyhound puppies need to be given a high-quality, brand-name puppy food. Please cut down on “people food”, though, because it can cause vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and teeth problems, and may lead to very finicky food choices as well as obesity. Give fresh, potable water always, and make certain to wash water and food bowls regularly.
italian greyhound Care Tips: Your italian greyhound needs exercise daily
italian greyhounds must have some daily physical activity in order to stay fit, stimulate their brains, and stay healthy. Daily exercise also really helps italian greyhounds fight boredom, which has the potential to lead to naughty behavior. A little fun and games would quell many of your italian greyhound’s desires to chew, dig, chase, retrieve and herd. Exercise needs can vary based on your italian greyhound’s level of health and his age—but 10 minutes in the backyard and just a couple of walks around the block every day probably is not enough. If your italian greyhound is a six to 18 month adolescent, her requirements will probably be a little greater.
Grooming tips for italian greyhounds
You can help reduce shedding and keep your italian greyhound clean with frequent brushing. Check for ticks and fleas daily during the summer or other warm weather. Sometimes italian greyhounds don’t need a bath more than a few times per year. Prior to bathing, comb or cut out any mats from the italian greyhound’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or dirt will stick to the soap residue.
Handling Your italian greyhound
Puppies are clearly the easiest to manage. When carrying the italian greyhound pup, take one of your hands and put it beneath the dog’s chest, either with the forearm or other hand supporting the back legs and rear. Don’t ever try to grab or lift your pup by the forelegs, nape or tail. If you have to lift a bigger, adult italian greyhound, lift from the underside, bracing her chest with one of your arms and rear end with your other.
How to House your italian greyhound
italian greyhounds need a comfortable peaceful place to be able to relax away from all the breezes and away from the ground. You might want to buy a dog bed, or make one out of a wooden box. Place a clean sheet, blanket, comforter, or pillow in the bed as cushioning. Wash your italian greyhound’s bedding often. If your italian greyhound will be spending a lot of time outdoors, make sure he has shade and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a warm, dry, covered shelter in winter.
italian greyhound Licensing and Identification
Your town has licensing regulations to follow. Make certain you connect the license to your italian greyhound’s collar. This, together with an identification tattoo, can help you recover your italian greyhound if she happens to go missing.
italian greyhound Temperament Info
Training italian greyhounds
A well-mannered, companion italian greyhound can truly be a joy to own. But left untrained, your italian greyhound can possibly be troublesome. Teaching your italian greyhound the minimums—”Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, and “Leave it”—bolsters your relationship both with your pooch as well as your friends. If you’re the owner of a pup, start teaching him or her the appropriate responses quickly! Use a snack as recognition and incentive. Pups should join obedience classes when they are sufficiently immunized. Call the local humane society or SPCA for obedience courses. Always keep your italian greyhound on a leash when, even while a pup. Be certain your dog will come to you at all times whenever you call him. An aggressive or disobedient italian greyhound can’t play with others.
Your italian greyhound’s Health
italian greyhounds should visit the veterinarian for a complete assessment, shots and a heartworm blood screening each and every year, and immediately when he is ill or hurt.
About your italian greyhound’s Dental Health
While many of us might simply dislike our italian greyhound’s foul breath, we must pay attention to what it might be telling us. Halitosis is a sign that your italian greyhound needs a dental screening. Dental plaque , which is caused by bacteria causes a bad stench that can only be freshened with treatment by a professional. Once your italian greyhound has had a professional dental cleaning, his mouth can be maintained in a healthy state by feeding a special diet focused on dental health, eliminating table food, and regular brushing. Your veterinarian can supply you with other tips for minimizing dental problems and bad breath. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your italian greyhound’s teeth. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon pantyhose stretched over your finger. Periodontal disease,which is an infection between the teeth and gums, often affects italian greyhounds. Frequently, tooth loss occurs because of periodontal disease. Disease can also propagate to the rest of your italian greyhound’s body. The vet will most likely brush her teeth at a typical physical.
italian greyhound Halitosis
While bad breath caused by oral disease might not be too serious if caught early, sometimes bad breath may also indicate serious, long-term problems. Diseases of the intestines or liver sometimes also cause stinky breath, and a fruity, even pleasant smell can frequently be indicative of diabetes. Kidney disease is a possible cause if your italian greyhound’s breath smells like ammonia or urine. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your italian greyhound has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Tick and Fleas in italian greyhounds
When it’s warm, it’s important for you to perform regular, daily inspections of your italian greyhound for ticks and fleas. Use a flea comb to find fleas. There are several new methods of flea reduction. Refer to your italian greyhound’s doctor about his or her recommendations.
Heartworm problems in italian greyhounds
This parasite lives in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your italian greyhound by mosquitoes. Several italian greyhounds die each year as a result of heartworm infections. It is wise to make sure your italian greyhound takes a blood test for heartworms every single spring—this is important to detect infestations from the past year. You should also give your italian greyhound a monthly pill in mosquito season to help protect her from heartworms. Your italian greyhound should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. In some warmer climates, veterinarians recommend preventive worm medication be taken continuously.
Poisions and Medicines
Please don’t give your italian greyhound medication that hasn’t been prescribed by her vet. Are you aware that just one ibuprofen caplet can easily cause stomach ulcers in italian greyhounds? Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your italian greyhound. When you have reason to think that your doggie has consumed a toxic substance, call your veterinarian or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for twenty-four-hr. animal poison assistance.
italian greyhounds: Neutering and Spaying
Female italian greyhounds should be spayed—which is the extraction of the uterus and ovaries—and males neutered—removal of the testicles—by 6 months old. You will significantly reduce your female italian greyhound’s breast cancer risk by spaying before adulthood. Spaying also eliminates the chance of an infected uterus, a traumatic condition in older females that demands intensive medical care and surgery. Prostate diseases, testicular cancer, some hernias and certain types of aggressions can be prevented by neutering male italian greyhounds.
italian greyhound Shots
- Your italian greyhound pup should be innoculated with a combo shot (called a “five-in-one”) at 2, 3 and 4 months old, and again once every year. This immunization protects your pup from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. The italian greyhound puppy’s immunization program cannot be completed before four months old.
- If you have the rare italian greyhound who has not been vaccinated and is older than 4 or 5 months, she must have a set of two vaccinations given two to 3 weeks apart, followed by a yearly vaccination.
- italian greyhound puppy vaccination and socialization should go hand in hand. Many vets advise that new owners bring their italian greyhound pups to socialization courses, as early as eight or nine weeks old. At this point, they should have already received their first vaccinations.
Because laws vary so much between different areas, contact your neighborhood vet to get info about rabies innoculation. For example, New York City codes state that pets older than three months be vaccinated for rabies. The first rabies shot must be followed by a subsequent innoculation the next year, and then every three years. There are a variety of vaccines that may or may not be appropriate for your italian greyhound. Your vet can tell you about them. By the way, if your italian greyhound gets ill because he is not immunized, do not give the shot until the dog has made a full recovery.
Worms in italian greyhounds
italian greyhounds are often exposed to worms and possible infestation—especially in rural areas. Microscopic eggs made by roundworms and hookworms are transmitted through an infected dog’s feces. Even the healthiest of italian greyhound puppies carry roundworms or hookworms. Getting an accurate, early detection is the key to effective treatment. This will make certain that the medication is successful against the worms your italian greyhound has. A dewormer that eliminates hookworms, for example, can’t kill tapeworms. Your veterinarian can best define the culprit—and decide the right medicine.
italian greyhound Care Tips: Additional Information
italian greyhound Supply Checklist
- Excellent-quality dog food and snacks designed for italian greyhounds and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water bowl
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Comb and brush for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and ID tag
- Quality leash
- Carrier (for puppies)
- Training crate
- Dog bed or box with sheet or towel
- Doggie or child’s toothbrush
Warnings to be Heeded
The following items should never be fed to italian greyhounds:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Chocolate, tea, coffee, or any other caffeinated foods
- Raisins & grapes
- Moldy or spoiled food of any kind
- Onions, chives and garlic
- Poultry bones
- Salt and salty foods
- Tomato leaves, unripe fruit and stems
- Yeast dough
The “Bottom” Line
Unless you are at home, or in a secured, fenced-in location, keep your italian greyhound on a leash at all times. And please, when your italian greyhound defecates on your neighbor’s grass, remove and dispose of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about italian greyhounds
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