Italian Cavalier Greyhound
12-15 yrs
8-15 lbs
10-15"
Unknown

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Italian Cavalier Greyhound

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Italian Cavalier Greyhound

8-15 lbs

10-15"

Unknown

Italian Greyhound

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Italian Cavalier Greyhound is a loving, friendly little canine whose parent breeds are the Italian Greyhound and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He does well in all environments and is a great companion for novice owners as he is relatively average maintenance as far as coat care and easy to train due to his kind and eager to please personality. These dogs are currently considered a companion pet; they aren’t working dogs nor are they guard dogs. However, they are very alert and can make great watchdogs. Owners of the Italian Cavalier Greyhound say he is a clever little dog with plenty of affection to give.

                
                Purpose
              
Companion

                Date of Origin
              
2000's

                Ancestry
              
Italian Greyhound and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Health

Average Size

Height: 13-15 inches Weight: 12-16 lbs

Height: 10-15 inches Weight: 8-15 lbs

Major Concerns

Dental Disease
Mitral Valve Dysplasia

Minor Concerns

Cataracts
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Occasional Diagnoses

Episodic Falling
Epilepsy

Occasional Tests

Eye Examination
Dental Examination
Electrocardiogram
General Physical Examination

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Breed History

Thought to have been created through the breeding of the Blenheim Red and White King Charles Spaniel and the Toy Trawler Spaniel (now extinct), the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was originally prized as a retriever, and a tracking and flushing dog. During the reign of King Charles the II, this attractive canine began gaining more popularity as a symbol of aristocracy and was proudly owned by nobility and royalty all over Europe. This lovely breed likely originated in the 1600s and was developed in England, although it was much later before breed standards were established. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1995. The Italian Greyhound is an interesting breed that likely dates back over 2000 years ago. Skeletons thought to be small Greyhounds have been discovered around Greece and Turkey. Like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Italian Greyhound was a favored pet of royalty; in fact, Frederick the Great of Prussia is buried beside his beloved dogs. This breed made its way to North America in the 1800s and joined the American Kennel Club roster in 1886.

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Breed Appearance

The Italian Cavalier Greyhound is small and lean, though is a well built breed that has a long, flat skull, narrow muzzle with a tapered nose, and dark bright eyes that are mainly chocolate brown in color. These little dogs can have either small, semi-flopped ears that may look like an upside down triangle or they can have longer, broad ears with a lot of feathering. The tail is often very thin but strong for a small dog if they take after the Italian Greyhound side, or the tail can be long in length and have a lot of feathering like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel parent. His coat is often silky, shiny and medium in length with sparse feathering around the muzzle, ears, tails, belly and foot pads.

Eye Color Possibilities

Brown

Nose Color Possibilities

Black

Coat Color Possibilities

Red

Black

White

Gray

Brindle

Sable

Blue

Cream

Coat Length

Short Medium Long

Coat Density

Sparse Normal Dense

Coat Texture

Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Breed Maintenance

These hybrids are seasonal shedders and may need to be brushed a few times a week in order to remove loose fur and dirt that may be trapped in the coat. These dogs have very sensitive skin so make sure you use a slicker brush or pin brush to gently pull out loose fur before it tangles. Pay special attention to your hybrid's eyes and clean around that area daily as they can be prone to tear staining. As these dogs have floppy ears, check the ears weekly so that they remain clean and free of debris as infection can develop quite rapidly if they are allowed to get moist or full of dirt. As with all dogs, weekly teeth brushing is essential in order to prevent dental disease. Regular nail trimming every 6 to 12 weeks is a necessity if they are not worn down through physical activity.

Brushes for Italian Cavalier Greyhound

Pin Brush

Slicker Brush

Nail Clipper

Brushing Frequency

Daily Weekly Monthly

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Temperament

The Italian Cavalier Greyhound is considered a friendly loving dog that will have a calm and docile demeanor when interacting with other pets and strangers. These eager to please dogs are easy to train and are often very quick to learn a new command. They are well suited to first time pet owners because of this happy and eager personality. They are gentle, playful and tolerant when around children but as with all pets, socialization at a young age is essential in order to attain a well behaved dog. These dogs can be shy and sensitive and do not take well when shouted at by owners; kind and considerate leadership is exactly what the Italian Cavalier Greyhound needs to thrive within the family. They are not suited to busy owners as they are quite prone to separation anxiety.

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Activity Requirements

A hyper, naughty little dog if he is left to his own devices too often, this hybrid is happy to expend his energy through playing fun games such as fetching balls or through puppy-like behavior such as destroying toys. They are moderate energy dogs and are quite satisfied with daily playtime with owners, time at the dog park and short brisk walks. The Italian Cavalier Greyhound is well suited to either an urban, rural or suburban lifestyle but may not be suited to hot climates. Some of the hybrids of this mixture have the shorter muzzle of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and breathing may be labored if he is exercised in the heat.

Activity Level

                  Low
                  Medium
                  High
                
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
8 miles

Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes

Similar Maintenance Breeds to Italian Cavalier Greyhound

Similarly Sized Breeds to Italian Cavalier Greyhound

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
1 cups
Daily Cost
$0.90 - $1.00
Monthly Cost
$25.00 - $30.00

Written by Loreziel Ortega

Published: 12/06/2017, edited: 02/24/2021

Italian Cavalier Greyhound Owner Experiences

Mine has spots like a Jack Russell type of dog.

3 Years

3 People

House & Yard

Health

Grooming

Friendliness

Energy

Trainability

Pastimes

Again, I believe he could be a Jack Russell

4 years, 8 months ago

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