What to Feed an Italian Greyhound

Like its larger sighthound cousins, the Italian Greyhound is built lean and carries very little body fat, so a healthy one looks far slimmer than the average small dog. The AKC notes that sighthounds are routinely mistaken for underweight, and Iggy owners get the fattening pressure constantly.

The breed-specific standard is useful here. On a correct Italian Greyhound you should see a slight outline of two or three ribs and a clear waist and tuck, with the ribs easily felt under a thin layer. What you should not see is a prominent, knobbly spine, sharply jutting hip bones, or the majority of the ribcage. That distinction is the one Whippet owners do not have to make as finely: on an Iggy a prominent spine is a red flag for genuinely underweight, not part of the lean look. Aim for a 4 to 5 on the standard body condition scale, check with your hands, and treat real weight loss or muscle wasting as a vet visit.

If there is one thing that sets feeding an Italian Greyhound apart, it is dental care. The breed carries an inherited enamel defect, a recessive change in the enamelin (ENAM) gene confirmed in a 2013 genetic study, that leaves the enamel thin and rough. There is even a DNA test for it. The common belief that this makes Iggy teeth crumble or break is not what the research shows; the study found the basic tooth structure usually holds and fractures and cavities are not the main problem. The real harm is that rough enamel traps plaque, which accelerates periodontal (gum) disease, made worse by a tiny crowded mouth and a dog that does not chew much.

That is why the kibble-cleans-teeth idea is a dangerous myth for this breed. Ordinary kibble shatters on contact and does almost nothing at the gum line, and a tiny mouth often just swallows it. The WSAVA dental guidelines are clear on this. What works is daily brushing with a dog toothpaste, dental products carrying the VOHC seal, and professional cleanings under anesthesia. Start brushing in puppyhood with a finger brush so the dog accepts it, and build the habit early, because for an Iggy it is lifelong.

Very young, very small puppies can suffer hypoglycemia, a dangerous drop in blood sugar, because they have so little energy reserve. It applies to the smallest and youngest Italian Greyhound puppies, though it is worth being honest that the condition is most severe in the truly tiny toy breeds at a few pounds; an Iggy sits at the larger end of toy, so the risk is real but not extreme. Do not overstate it, but do prepare for it.

The signs are weakness, a drunken wobble, trembling, glazed eyes, and in severe cases seizures or collapse. The emergency first aid, per the AKC, is to rub a small amount of corn syrup or honey on the gums, never poured down the throat where a weak puppy could inhale it, and then go straight to the vet. Prevention is simple: feed a young Iggy puppy small, frequent meals, four to six a day when very small, and never let it go a long stretch without food.

Italian Greyhounds have a real reputation for being fussy, sensitive-stomached, and hard to keep weight on. Before you chase the problem with food, rule out medical causes, and for this breed that means dental pain first, since a sore mouth is a common reason an Iggy goes off its food, along with parasites or a thyroid issue.

Once the dog is healthy, the practical fixes are the same as for any picky small dog: choose a quality, calorie-dense food so the dog gets more nutrition from a small, less daunting bowl; feed on a schedule rather than leaving food down; and resist constantly switching foods, which only teaches the dog to hold out for something better. To tempt appetite or add calories, a little plain cooked meat, egg, or a topper helps, kept under about 10 percent of the diet so the balance holds. And accept that some Iggies are simply naturally slender, no matter how well they eat.

Keeping an Italian Greyhound lean is not just about the sighthound look; it protects a genuinely delicate body. Iggies have very fine legs and a known risk of fractures, sometimes from nothing more than jumping off the sofa. Managing the environment matters most there, but carrying extra weight on those slim bones adds load they were never built for, so a lean weight is one sensible part of protecting them.

The same leanness has a medical consequence worth knowing: with so little body fat, Italian Greyhounds, like other sighthounds, handle anesthesia differently, clearing some drugs slowly and chilling easily, as Clinician's Brief describes. Tell any vet your dog is a sighthound before a procedure. Fattening an Iggy to look like a sturdier dog works against the body it is supposed to have.

These are dangerous to any dog, and the harmful dose is smaller for one this tiny, so be strict:

• Xylitol (in sugar-free gum, some peanut butters, and baking), which is rapidly fatal and especially dangerous at this body size
• Chocolate (darker is worse)
• Grapes and raisins (can cause kidney failure, even a few)
• Onions, garlic, leeks, and chives
• Macadamia nuts
• Alcohol and caffeine
• Cooked bones (they splinter)

Because an Italian Greyhound is so small, even a little of these goes a long way. If your dog eats something on this list, call your vet, the nearest emergency clinic, or a pet poison helpline right away.

Every brand worth feeding an Iggy is easy to find:

• Pet specialty chains (Pet Planet, Tail Blazers, Tisol). Carry the small-bite, calorie-dense, nutritionist-backed formulas that suit a picky little dog.
• Pet Valu and PetSmart. Stock the major small-breed puppy and adult formulas.
• Your vet clinic. The best source for dental products and for help if you are genuinely struggling to keep weight on.

A nutrient-dense small-breed formula plus VOHC dental products are the two things to keep stocked, and both are easy to set on a recurring delivery.