While Italian Greyhounds are small and low-maintenance in the grooming stakes, they’re high maintenance in almost all other respects! 

Here’s a handy list of the essential kit that you will need if you are bringing an Italian Greyhound into your home:

Food & Water

  • Bowls for food and water – preferably raised off the floor
  • A good quality complete food – dry / wet / raw or freeze-dried
  • Feeders such as Lickimats and Kongs are also fun for your dog
  • Dog Treats

Bedding

  • Dog Bed – most Italian Greyhounds love to burrow under blankets and a Snuggle Bed / Burrow Bed is usualy ideal with a sticthed in pocket for them to burrow into and stay warm.
  • Dog Blanket – a smallish one that is easy to transport and move about the house and take with you when out and about
  • Dog Crate (preferably a wire crate or Vari-Kennel style) with a suitable supoprtive mattress inside – an IG should never be confined to a crate but for long periods of time but it cna be helpful to crate train your dogs, especially as crates the safest way to travel your Italian Greyhound in a car

Exercise & Fun

  • Sighthound collar (wide at the front of the neck and narrow at the back) or Italian Greyhound specific harness
  • Dog lead – avoid flexi leads which ca be lethal for dogs that take off at a million miles an hour
  • ID Tag (engraved with your name, address & mobile phone number)
  • GPS Tracker – not an essential but a very nice to have! Don’;’t rely on “Air Tags” – a full service GPS tracker is required if your dog goes AWOL!
  • Poop bags
  • A selection of soft-play toys

IG Wardrobe

  • A warm jumper or onesie for cold weather when outdoors
  • Waterproof raincoat

Please note – IGs are not dolls! They need to be kept warm when outside in cold weather but as a general rule it is much better for them to be naturally naked when indoors – it’s better for their skin and their (natural) coats.

Grooming & Maintenance

  • Canine nail clippers or dremmel
  • Small canine toothbrush or child’s toothbrush
  • Canine toothpaste
  • Gentle canine shampoo

Veterinary Care & Cover

  • Register with a vet – even if there is nothing wrong with your dog
  • Pet Insurance Policy – essential in this current world of ever increasing veterinary costs – check the clauses relating to orthopedic surgery in particular and try to ensure your dog’s veterinary care for at least £6,000 per illness per annum