How much is an Italian Greyhound?
This is often a question many of us ask before we find an Italian Greyhound to join our family, but is it the most important question we should be asking?
I am based in the UK where puppy farmers or back yard breeders (BYB) have increased tremendously since Covid-19, but this is also a worldwide issue. To those who are unfamiliar with the term BYB these are people who breed dogs of any breed purely for financial purposes. These BYBs are only focused on making as much money as possible, rather than the dogs’ wellbeing. They often breed multiple different breeds, have many litters available at once and the poor dogs are often nervous, mistreated, overbred and not health checked which results in puppies who can often have health issues and also don’t get the proper socialisation and training in those weeks before you collect your puppy which can lead to difficulties for you in the future.
So now we know a little about BYBs how do we avoid them?
It can be so exciting when you think you have found your new baby to come and join your family but these are some questions that should be asked before you get too attached.
It is always best to ask how many litters the mother has had previously, along with how long ago her last litter was. If the breeder is turning out litters often it is likely you have found a BYB. Make sure the Mom is able to be seen, it’s always promising if the breeder wants you to come and meet the Mom, Dad and puppies before you agree to have one. If the breeder says you can’t view puppies, Mum and Dad before you purchase this is a massive red flag. Ask yourself why this could be, it is likely the breeder has something to hide which they don’t want you seeing before they have your money.
Another thing BYBs will want is a deposit to secure your puppy. A reputable breeder doesn’t usually ask for a deposit as the dogs welfare is most important to them, not the money, so it doesn’t matter to a reputable breeder if a sale falls through - they are most focused on finding the right home for the puppy.
Reputable breeders will vet the puppies’ new prospective owners, you might feel this is inappropriate as of course you have the best intentions for your new puppy but a reputable breeder will make sure you are right for the breed. They are likely to ask you your working schedule, if you have young children or are planning on a family soon, what your garden is like, your hobbies and interests, and if you will be leaving your new puppy alone for long periods of time. Again this isn’t to be cruel to you but just to check you are suitable to own an Italian Greyhound puppy. You may answer that you do work but have provisions in place for your new Italian Greyhound puppy, and the breeder may want to work with you to educate you a little on the needs of Italian Greyhound puppies.
BYBs will often say the puppies will be ready to collect from around 6-8 weeks. For you this may be exciting, you get to meet your little baby earlier and you have been looking forward to meeting them and getting them home for some time, but this is too young for a puppy to leave their mothers. Puppies learn a lot in those early weeks and socialisation is so important, play with littermates and lessons learnt from their mother is so beneficial for life later on and makes for easier, smoother training once you get your puppy. It is best to collect your puppies from around 10-12 weeks of age so the puppies have time to learn these important life skills from their mother and littermates.
So now I know what to avoid how do I find a Reputable Breeder?
Usually a reputable breeder has been involved with the breed for many years, they may show their own Italian Greyhounds or compete in agility etc. A reputable breeder will know their dogs’ pedigree and will often know most of the ancestors and have met them personally. A reputable breeder will know the breed inside-out, will know common health issues and demonstrate what they have done along the years to combat these health issues being bred through. Reputable breeders have litters very occasionally, they often breed when they want another puppy for themselves so they can continue the breeding line and they often have waiting lists for puppies with people they have already vetted and accepted as good potential new owners. As mentioned before they will ask you lots of questions to be sure you are a good match for the breed, Italian Greyhounds are very delicate so it is unlikely a reputable breeder would accept one of their puppies to go and live with a very large boisterous dog, unless you can demonstrate a way in which this has been taken into consideration to reduce risks of leg breaks and other injuries. The breeder will often arrange a home check to come & meet you & your family and invite you to meet the puppies and mother/father when they are born. Their puppies will not leave them before 10 weeks old at the very youngest & will come with the normal KC Reg (UK), Microchip/Worming an extensive puppy pack & a mine of information, diet sheets & printed material on house training/feeding/exercise. They will be there to support/help you 24/7 with any questions or help you may need and they will want you to keep in touch. Normally you will be asked to sign a contract stating that if for any reason you cannot keep the puppy it will be returned to them. The pups registration papers will be endorsed “Not to be bred from” which may be lifted at a later date if you are showing the puppy. They will be members of the Italian Greyhound Club & abide by the Clubs Code of Ethics (UK)
https://theitaliangreyhoundclub.co.uk 
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk
If you are looking for a well-bred pup from a Reputable Breeder in the UK there are several things, you can do:
- Contact The Italian Greyhound Club & speak to the Puppy Coordinator David Willcock. You can then ask if there are any available litters and be prepared to go on a waiting list.
- You can also check out the Kennel Club website to find a Puppy but be aware that this is no guarantee of finding a reputable breeder as commercial Breeders and BYBs can all register their puppies too! BYB don’t register every litter but can register some if they fall within the Kennel Club standards. If you see a litter advertised that you are interested in, find out the registered name of Mother and Father and then check out the breeding with The Italian Greyhound Club. It’s a good start to check if the breeder is a member of The Italian Greyhound Club but you can also find some few reputable breeders who are not currently members.
- Word of mouth can be a great help to find yourself a reputable breeder, arranging a meet up with Iggy owners and asking them their experiences with their breeder can be a good start, just be aware some of these owners may have bought from BYBs so keep in mind the advice given on how to avoid BYBs earlier in this post.
- You can find a general Championship dog show near you to attend where you can meet reputable breeders or try and visit an Italian Greyhound Club Show or even Crufts where you can visit the Italian Greyhound discover dogs stand and meet the breed and the breeders there also. This is a great way of meeting Italian Greyhounds before you get one for yourself where you can see what they are like and hear from the owners what they’re like to live with. When you find a reputable breeder you can then ask to go on a waiting list.
- A number one rule is to steer clear of puppy selling sites such as Pets4homes, Gumtree or people advertising litters on Facebook Groups. These will very likely be Commercial Breeders/Back Yard Breeders.
So back to the question at hand. How much is an Italian Greyhound?
Currently BYBs are selling Italian Greyhounds in the UK for anything up to £4000 GBP and often say that they are a ‘rare colour’ or have ‘Championship bloodlines’ which is how they try to explain why they are this expensive. A reputable breeder will often sell their puppies for a lot less than this, again due to not breeding for profit they will just want a fee which covers some of their costs for raising them. If you follow the advice above you will know when you have found a reputable breeder and you will be giving your new puppy and yourself the best chance at success in yours and their lives ahead.
One last thing, once you find your Italian Greyhound puppy you’ll have so much fun, not a day goes by where our boy Greg doesn’t make us laugh. Be prepared for lots of hard work and then you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful, comical, well behaved and ever so loving companion that you’ll love unconditionally. 