ITALIAN GREYHOUND JUDGING THE
by Lilian Barber
O ne of the first things you may notice when looking at a class of Italian Greyhounds is that there may be little consistency in size or type. As far back as we have been able to research, consistency has been a problem in the breed. This has made judging the IG a little more difficult. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION The ideal Italian Greyhound should be able to effortlessly accompany his owner on a long country stroll and should physically be able to chase small game. The same IG should also be able to be carried by his owner through a crowd with - out showing an unreasonable amount of fear, barking at ev - erything, or attempting to attack anything that comes near. The Italian Greyhound is noted for his sweet, affectionate personality when he is with people he knows, but he is a true sighthound and can be aloof with strangers. Avoiding eye contact is a normal behavior for him and is not a sign of fear. Although he should respond to a sound or to bait by alerting his ears, he is not by nature a wildly outgoing dog and should not be expected to behave like a puppet on a string. Like many other small dogs, an IG may pull back slightly at the touch of a stranger, especially one with cold hands; but he should allow a normal examination on the table without panic. Description: The Italian Greyhound is very similar to the Greyhound, but much smaller and more slender in all proportions and of ideal elegance and grace. Because the Italian Greyhound Breed Standard begins with this comparison, it is important to understand the Greyhound Standard in order to understand the Italian Greyhound Standard. The Greyhound Standard is includ - ed here as taken from The Greyhound, Form Follows Func- tion, a publication of The Greyhound Club of America. (The words in italics underneath the IG Standard are the Greyhound Standard).
The Ideal Italian Greyhound
The Ideal Greyhound
Head: Narrow and long, tapering to nose, with a slight suggestion of stop. Greyhound: Long and narrow, fairly wide between the ears, scarcely perceptible stop, little or no development of nasal si- nuses, good length of muzzle, which should be powerful with- out coarseness. Teeth very strong and even in front. Skull: Rather long, almost flat. Muzzle: Long and fine. Nose: Dark. It may be black or brown or in keeping with the color of the dog. A light or partly pigmented nose is a fault. Teeth: Scissors bite. A badly undershot or overshot mouth is a fault. Eyes: Dark, bright, intelligent, medium in size. Very light eyes are a fault. Greyhound: Eyes: Dark, bright, intelligent, indicating spirit. Although a proper, elegant head adds to a more Grey - hound-like appearance, unlike many other Toy breeds, the Italian Greyhound is not to be considered a “head breed.” Emphasis should be placed on the complete outline and the overall dog. The skull is narrow and long, tapering to the nose. There is a SLIGHT suggestion of a stop.
T op N otch T oys , S eptember /O ctober 2022 • 39
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