Italian Greyhound

General Appearance

The Italian Greyhound is very similar to the Greyhound, but much smaller and more slender in all proportions and of ideal elegance and grace.


Size, Proportion, Substance

Size Height at withers, ideally 13 inches to 15 inches.


Head

Narrow and long, tapering to nose, with a slight suggestion of stop. 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. Ears Small, fine in texture; thrown back and folded except when alerted, then carried folded at right angles to the head. Erect or button ears severely penalized.

Neck, Topline, Body

Long, slender and gracefully arched. Body Of medium length, short coupled; high at withers, back curved and drooping at hindquarters, the highest point of curve at start of loin, creating a definite tuck-up at flanks. Shoulders Long and sloping. Chest Deep and narrow.


Forequarters

Long, straight, set well under shoulder; strong pasterns, fine bone.

Hindquarters

Long, well-muscled thigh; hind legs parallel when viewed from behind, hocks well let down, well-bent stifle. Feet Harefoot with well-arched toes. Removal of dewclaws optional. Tail Slender and tapering to a curved end, long enough to reach the hock; set low, carried low. Ring tail a serious fault, gay tail a fault.

Coat

Skin fine and supple, hair short, glossy like satin and soft to the touch.

Color

Any color and markings are acceptable except that a dog with brindle markings and a dog with the tan markings normally found on black-and-tan dogs of other breeds must be disqualified.

Gait

High stepping and free, front and hind legs to move forward in a straight line.

DISQUALIFICATIONS (DISQUALIFICATIONS )

A dog with brindle markings. A dog with the tan markings normally found on black-and-tan dogs of other breeds.




From:http://www.vet.ku.ac.th