We are often contacted by people who are looking to buy an Italian Greyhound Puppy. The Italian Greyhound Rescue Charity does not sell Italian Greyhounds.

Supply & demand in Italian Greyhounds

The reality is that there are very few knowledgeable breeders of Italian Greyhounds in the UK, and they tend to breed raraely as they do not breed for profit. It’s almost unheard of for a responsible breeder to advertise puppies online because they have no need to.

The demand for Italian Greyhound puppies is mainly satisfied by:

• Show breeders – people involved in showing the breed who are mostly focused on improving the breed and usually have some experiences and knowledge of the breed but be aware that there are a small number of commercial breeders who show their dogs.
• Home breeders – people who own an IG and want to breed a litter from their Italian Greyhound, usually with no mal-intent but with little knowledge or experience of breeding Italian Greyhounds.
• Commercial breeders – breeders who breed Italian Greyhounds for profit, they tend to have varying levels of experience of breeding Italian Greyhounds and a significant number of Rescues that we deal with are bred by this group of breeders.

We recommend that buyers avoid commercial breeders / puppy farmers.

Health and welfare concerns

Our key concern is that an increasing number of Italian Greyhounds that we are re-homing suffer from significant health and temperament issues that are a result of poor breeding practices and a lack of care in the dog’s formative months. In addition, breeders are selling Italian Greyhounds into homes that are not suited or able to provide adequate care for this delightful breed. The two together has created the highest number of Rescues in need of help than we have ever seen before.

Buyer beware

A breeder may sound credible – much loved pet Italian Greyhounds, mum and dad both available at home to view, puppy pack and one month’s insurance comes with the puppy, etc. They may even bamboozle you with stories about fantastic show successes, Crufts qualifiers, multiple show champions in the lines, and five generation pedigrees.  None of this is a guarantee of a responsibly bred, healthy puppy. Make sure you read our page on navigating online puppy adverts and avoiding puppy farmers and unethical breeders.

Researching a breeder or pedigree

Breeders who register their puppies with the Kennel Club can be researched online. See Researching pedigrees & kennel names. We are also happy to help with information on breeders or pedigrees. Please contact us in confidence.