Finding an Italian Greyhound

You've decided an Italian Greyhound is the dog for you. The next step is finding your puppy. IGs can live more than fifteen years-so choosing one is not something to go about impulsively. Prepare yourself with a list of questions before contacting any prospective breeders; this is a big part of establishing whether or not you're dealing with a responsible breeder. You will, conversely, find that a good breeder will ask questions as well to ensure you meet the requirements and then some.

Contacting the Italian Greyhound Club of America (IGCA)-or the Canadian equivalent (IGCC)-to request a list of breeders is an excellent start for your IG search. Ask for two or three references from any breeder(s) you're seriously considering dealing with. IG owners with puppies from the same person(s) will give a sense of what the breeder is about-which builds trust.

Rescue organizations are also an excellent place to look for IGs-both young and old. IGs can be sent to rescue organizations for a number of reasons; these can range from house breaking problems to unforeseen changes in an owner's life. If you decide to go this route there is a small fee to cover the cost of altering the IG and any necessary medical expenses.

Although the local pet store may seem a logical place to find a puppy, it is anything but a good place to buy an IG-or any other breed of puppy for that matter. Pet stores purchase dogs from puppy brokers who sell dogs for the sole purpose of making profits. Because puppy mills do not screen for health problems, hereditary disorders, such as progressive retinal atrophy and luxating patellae (and many other health concerns), are consequently more frequent in puppies from pet stores.

Reputable breeders track bloodlines, screen for health disorders, and request to be in-the-know about any health problems that may arise with their puppies. If you run into concerns with your dog, a breeder will be happy to provide advice-something a pet store doesn't do. Guarantees against genetic defects are also typically short for pet store IGs (there are often no guarantees whatsoever). In addition, details as elementary as a puppy's dam and sire will likely be unavailable from a pet store operator.

Pet store puppies are often over-priced. An IG WITHOUT papers can be more expensive from a pet store than a puppy WITH papers from an excellent breeder. To leave an adorable IG behind in a pet store can indeed be heartbreaking. However, by taking the puppy home you are supporting puppy mills rather than helping to eliminate the problem. The reality is that a new puppy will replace any puppy that is sold-and it too, likely comes from the same type of puppy mill. Good breeders simply do not send puppies to pet stores! So, before giving in to the adorable face of an IG at the local pet store, think about the conditions the mother of that puppy is likely living under. The greater the demand for pet store IGs, the greater the number of litters that will be produced under those same poor conditions-it's a fact. Yes, there are some puppy mills that are "clean" but health problems remain an issue due to the lack of diligence (if any) they take in screening.

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