Are Italian Greyhounds Good Dogs? What Science Says

Last Updated: Nov 22, 2022

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Introduction to the Temperament of the Italian Greyhound

The are many descriptions of the temperament of the Italian Greyhound out there. However, most of these descriptions are difficult to verify or prove. They are based on mere speculations.

In this article, we will provide a factual description of the temperament of the Italian Greyhound based on solid scientific research. This will give you a better understanding of what you can expect from the Italian Greyhound breed.

We obtained our description of the temperament of Italian Greyhound by analyzing raw scientific data from The Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) database.

The C-BARQ dog temperament standard was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. It is considered the gold standard for measuring the behavior of dogs.

Over the years, the C-BARQ study has collected data on the temperament of thousands of dogs of different breeds including the Italian Greyhound.

The C-BARQ study obtains its data by asking dog owners to score the behavior of their dogs on different behavior patterns.

The idea behind the C-BARQ study is that if it collects thousands of scores from thousands of dog owners on different aspects of dog behavior, a clear pattern will emerge on the temperament of different dog breeds.

The C-BARQ questionnaire measures 14 behavior aspects of dogs:

  1. Aggression towards stranger
  2. Aggression towards its owner
  3. Aggression towards other dogs
  4. How well they get along with other dogs
  5. Fear of strangers
  6. Fear of new things (new objects, unfamiliar loud sounds, etc)
  7. Fear of other dogs
  8. Separation anxiety
  9. Clinginess
  10. Trainability/ Stubbornness
  11. Prey drive
  12. Excitability
  13. Touch sensitivity
  14. Energy level

In this article, we will discuss the score of the Italian Greyhound for each of these 14 characteristics. This will let you know the real temperament of the Italian Greyhound.

The summary table below shows the score of the Italian Greyhound for the different behavioral characteristics.

High percentage scores close to 100 are bad. Low percentage scores close to 0 are good.

Behavior Score
Excitability 9.1 percent
Stranger Directed Fear 80.9 percent
Nonsocial Fear 65.9 percent
Dog Directed Fear 61.7 percent
Dog Rivalry 6.8 percent
Separation Related Behavior 45.9 percent
Attachment Attention Seeking 40.0 percent
Stubbornness 39.4 percent
Stranger Directed Aggression 32.4 percent
Prey Drive 29.9 percent
Energy Level 23.6 percent
Dog Directed Aggression 23.5 percent
Touch Sensitivity 21.4 percent
Owner Directed Aggression 2.6 percent

Note that with proper training, you can better your Italian Greyhound`s temperament. To learn how to properly train your Italian Greyhound, I highly recommend that you go through Dr. Ian Dunbar`s online dog training classes, which you can find here.

I learned most of the things that I know about training dogs by reading Dr. Dunbar`s books and watching his training videos. Dr. Dunbar`s dog training methods are for people expecting to own a puppy soon, new dog owners, and experienced dog owners.

Another helpful online dog training class that I recommend is this one. The class will teach you how to properly train your Italian Greyhound.

See also our complete ranking of dog breeds from the `best` to the `worst` based on temperament.

Are Italian Greyhounds Aggressive Towards Strangers?

Dog breeds that are aggressive to strangers show hostile responses to strangers approaching or invading the dog`s or the dog owner`s personal space, territory, or home range.

Stranger-aggressive dog breeds are quick to show aggression to unfamiliar people.

Typical signs of moderate aggression in dogs include barking, growling, and baring of teeth. More serious display of aggression generally includes snapping, lunging, biting, or attempting to bite.

Italian Greyhounds are somewhat aggressive towards strangers.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks average for aggression towards strangers.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 58 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards strangers.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a stranger-directed-aggression score of 32.4 %.

Other dog breeds that are somewhat aggressive towards strangers just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Stranger-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Stranger-Directed-Aggression Score
55 Akita 33.6 %
56 Mastiff (English) 33.1 %
57 Beagle 32.4 %
58 Italian Greyhound 32.4 %
59 Treeing Walker Coonhound 32.3 %
60 American Staffordshire Terrier 32.3 %
61 Australian Kelpie 32.0 %

The dog breeds that are most aggressive towards strangers are the:

  1. American Eskimo Dog
  2. Dachshund
  3. Miniature Pinscher
  4. Dachshund (Miniature)
  5. Miniature Schnauzer

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards strangers are the:

  1. Siberian Husky
  2. Greyhound
  3. Irish Wolfhound
  4. Samoyed
  5. Black and Tan Coonhound

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the most stranger-aggressive breed to the least stranger-aggressive breed.

Temperament of the Italian Greyhound

Are Italian Greyhounds Aggressive Towards their Owners?

Due to human effort over the course of many centuries, the dog has become a very domestic animal. Dogs have learned to live well with humans. As a result, dogs respect and love their owners. Nevertheless, some dog breeds are less respectful to their owners than some other dog breeds.

Owner-aggressive dog breeds show threatening or hostile responses to their owner or other members of the household when challenged, manhandled, stared at, stepped over, or when approached while in possession of food, objects, or toys.

A dog that is owner-aggressive shows its aggression by barking, growling, and baring of teeth. In extreme cases, these dogs can snap, lunge, bite, or attempt to bite their owners.

Italian Greyhounds are not aggressive towards their owners.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very low for aggression towards its owner.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 120 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards their owners.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has an owner-directed-aggression score of 2.6 %.

Other dog breeds that are not owner-aggressive just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Owner-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Owner-Directed-Aggression Score
117 Bouvier des Flandres 4.9 %
118 Irish Setter 4.6 %
119 Scottish Terrier 3.9 %
120 Italian Greyhound 2.6 %
121 Rhodesian Ridgeback 0.9 %
122 Irish Water Spaniel 0.9 %
123 Pointer 0.3 %

The dog breeds that show the most aggression towards their owners are the:

  1. Pekingese
  2. Basenji
  3. Australian Silky Terrier
  4. Lhasa Apso
  5. Alaskan Husky

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards their owners are the:

  1. Chinook
  2. Pointer
  3. Irish Water Spaniel
  4. Rhodesian Ridgeback
  5. Italian Greyhound

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most aggressive to their owners to the ones that are least aggressive to their owners.

Are Italian Greyhounds Aggressive Towards other Dogs?

Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs will direct aggressive threats or actions toward unknown or unfamiliar dogs.

A dog-aggressive dog will threaten or show hostile responses when approached by unfamiliar dogs

A dog that is dog-aggressive shows its aggression by barking, growling, and baring of teeth. In extreme cases, these dogs can snap, lunge, bite, or attempt to bite other dogs.

Italian Greyhounds are not aggressive towards other dogs.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very low for aggression towards other dogs.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 106 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards other dogs.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a dog-directed aggression score of 23.5 %.

Other dog breeds that are not dog-aggressive just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Dog-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Dog-Directed-Aggression Score
103 Golden Retriever 26.7 %
104 Chinook 26.3 %
105 Brittany 25.7 %
106 Italian Greyhound 23.5 %
107 Basset Hound 21.6 %
108 Pug 21.4 %
109 English Setter 20.8 %

The dog breeds that show the most aggression towards other dogs are the:

  1. American Eskimo Dog
  2. Parson Russell Terrier
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Pit Bull mix
  5. Dachshund

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards other dogs are the:

  1. Pointer
  2. Black and Tan Coonhound
  3. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  4. Irish Wolfhound
  5. Keeshond

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most aggressive to other dogs to the ones that are least aggressive to other dogs.

Personality of the Italian Greyhound

Are Italian Greyhounds Afraid of Strangers?

Some dogs breeds tend to be fearful of strangers.

Dogs that are fearful of strangers will avoid strangers. These dogs will crouch, cringe, or tremble when approached by strangers.

Extreme fear in dogs is characterized by serious attempts to escape or hide from the feared stranger.

Italian Greyhounds are very much fearful of strangers.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very high for fear of strangers.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 4 out of 124 dog breeds for fear of strangers.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a stranger-directed-fear score of 80.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much stranger-fearful just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Stranger-Directed-Fear Rank Breed Stranger-Directed-Fear Score
1 Dachshund (Miniature) 100.0 %
2 Chinese Crested 94.1 %
3 American Eskimo Dog 82.5 %
4 Italian Greyhound 80.9 %
5 Chihuahua 80.6 %
6 Miniature Pinscher 75.6 %
7 Dingo 68.9 %

The dog breeds that show the most fear of strangers are the:

  1. Dachshund (Miniature)
  2. Chinese Crested
  3. American Eskimo Dog
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Chihuahua

The dog breeds that are least fearful of strangers are the:

  1. Old English Sheepdog
  2. Irish Wolfhound
  3. Norwegian Elkhound
  4. Siberian Husky
  5. Giant Schnauzer

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of strangers to the ones that are least fearful to strangers.

Are Italian Greyhounds Afraid of Other Dogs?

Some dogs breeds tend to show fear when an unfamiliar dog approaches them.

A dog that is fearful of other dogs will try to avoid meeting other dogs.

Italian Greyhounds are very much fearful of other dogs.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very high for fear of other dogs.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 13 out of 124 dog breeds for fear of other dogs.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a dog-directed-fear score of 61.7 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much other-dog-fearful just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Dog-Directed-Fear Rank Breed Dog-Directed-Fear Score
10 Parson Russell Terrier 66.5 %
11 Pit Bull mix 66.2 %
12 Dachshund 62.1 %
13 Italian Greyhound 61.7 %
14 Fox Terrier (Smooth) 60.7 %
15 Tibetan Terrier 60.3 %
16 Shih Tzu 60.0 %

The dog breeds that are most fearful of other dogs are the:

  1. Dachshund (Miniature)
  2. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Chihuahua
  5. Lhasa Apso

The dog breeds that are least fearful of other dogs are the:

  1. Giant Schnauzer
  2. Ibizan Hound
  3. Eurasier
  4. Kuvasz
  5. Borzoi

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of other dogs to the ones that are least fearful of other dogs.

Is the Italian Greyhound a good pet

Do Italian Greyhounds Have Non-Social Fears?

Dogs that are fearful of sudden or loud noises, traffic, and unfamiliar objects and situations are said to exhibit nonsocial fear.

Italian Greyhounds are very much fearful of unfamiliar sounds, situations, and objects.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very high for non-social fear.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 5 out of 124 dog breeds for being fearful of unfamiliar things and situations.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a nonsocial-fear score of 65.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much nonsocial-fearful just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Nonsocial-Fear Rank Breed Nonsocial-Fear Score
1 Australian Silky Terrier 100.0 %
2 Dingo 76.8 %
3 Fox Terrier (Smooth) 68.0 %
4 English Bulldog 66.7 %
5 Italian Greyhound 65.9 %
6 Chihuahua 65.0 %
7 Parson Russell Terrier 64.0 %
8 Fox Terrier (Toy) 63.9 %

The dog breeds that are most fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:

  1. Australian Silky Terrier
  2. Dingo
  3. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  4. English Bulldog
  5. Italian Greyhound

The dog breeds that are least fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:

  1. Giant Schnauzer
  2. Siberian Husky
  3. Irish Setter
  4. Kuvasz
  5. Borzoi

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of unfamiliar situations to the ones least fearful of unfamiliar situations.

Do Italian Greyhounds Get Along Well With Other Dogs?

Some dog breeds display high dog rivalry. These dog breeds will threaten or act hostile to other familiar dogs in the same household.

These dog breeds will compete with other dogs. Also, these dog breeds do not get along well with other dogs.

Italian Greyhounds are not competitive when dealing with other dogs.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very low on dog rivalry.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 121 out of 124 dog breeds for displaying dog rivalry when dealing with familiar dogs.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a dog-rivalry score of 6.8 %.

Other dog breeds that are not competition-driven just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Dog-Rivalry Rank Breed Dog-Rivalry Score
118 Border Terrier 13.8 %
119 Bernese Mountain Dog 12.4 %
120 Scottish Terrier 8.2 %
121 Italian Greyhound 6.8 %
122 Norwegian Elkhound 5.9 %
123 Saint Bernard 5.9 %
124 Chinook 0.0 %

The dog breeds that do not get along well with other dogs are the:

  1. Miniature Pinscher
  2. Parson Russell Terrier
  3. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  4. French Bulldog
  5. Treeing Walker Coonhound

The dog breeds that get along well with other dogs are the:

  1. Chinook
  2. Saint Bernard
  3. Norwegian Elkhound
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Scottish Terrier

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how well they get along with other dog breeds.

The Italian Greyhound. Is it aggressive?

Are Italian Greyhounds Easy to Train?

Dogs have high trainability have the willingness to listen to their owner. These dogs are not stubborn. These dogs obey simple commands, and they learn very quickly.

Highly trainable dogs excel at fetching objects. They also respond positively to correction and ignore distraction.

Italian Greyhounds are a little bit easy to train.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks low for trainability.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 76 out of 124 dog breeds for easiness to train.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the trainability of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a trainability score of 60.6 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit easy to train just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Trainability Rank Breed Trainability Score
73 English Setter 61.3 %
74 Jack Russell Terrier 60.9 %
75 Alaskan Malamute 60.6 %
76 Italian Greyhound 60.6 %
77 Samoyed 60.4 %
78 Redbone Coonhound 60.0 %
79 Cardigan Welsh Corgi 59.8 %

The dog breeds that are most easy to train are the:

  1. Belgian Tervuren
  2. Belgian Malinois
  3. Border Collie
  4. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
  5. Irish Water Spaniel

The dog breeds that are difficult to train are the:

  1. Dingo
  2. Treeing Walker Coonhound
  3. Basenji
  4. Afghan Hound
  5. Pekingese

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are easiest to train to the ones that are most difficult to train.

Learn more about how intelligent the Italian Greyhound is and how the intelligence of the Italian Greyhound affects its trainability in this article on how smart the Italian Greyhound is.

Do Italian Greyhounds Get Along Well with Cats? Do They Get Along Well with Other Pets?

Dog breeds that have high chase-drive will run after (chase) cats, birds, and/or other small animals, given the opportunity.

Italian Greyhounds are not into chasing after other smaller pets like cats, squirrels, chickens, and birds.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very low for small-pet-chasing.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 102 out of 124 dog breeds for chasing after smaller pets.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a chasing score of 29.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are not into chasing after smaller pets just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Chasing Rank Breed Chasing Score
99 Labrador Retriever 30.5 %
100 Bichon Frise 30.4 %
101 Papillon 29.9 %
102 Italian Greyhound 29.9 %
103 Pointer 29.6 %
104 Lagotto Romagnolo 28.7 %
105 Eurasier 28.5 %

The dog breeds that like chasing after cats and other smaller pets are the:

  1. Basenji
  2. Dingo
  3. Ibizan Hound
  4. Parson Russell Terrier
  5. Borzoi

The dog breeds that will not chase after cats and other smaller pets are the:

  1. Pug
  2. Bulldog
  3. Shih Tzu
  4. Bernese Mountain Dog
  5. Great Pyrenees

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their prey drive.

Things to know before getting the Italian Greyhound

Do Italian Greyhounds Like Attention? Are they Clingy or Aloof?

Some dog breeds like to stay close to their owners all the time. These dogs like attention, and they like to receive the affection of their owners.

These dogs get jealous when their owners give attention to other dogs or other people instead of them.

Dogs with these traits are described as attachment/attention-seeking.

Italian Greyhounds are a little bit attachment/attention-seeking.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks low for attachment/attention-seeking behavior.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 89 out of 124 dog breeds for attachment/attention-seeking behavior.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has an attachment/attention-seeking score of 40.0 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit attachment/attention-seeking just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Attachment-Attention-Seeking Rank Breed Attachment-Attention-Seeking Score
86 Bouvier des Flandres 41.8 %
87 Anatolian Shepherd 41.2 %
88 Collie 41.1 %
89 Italian Greyhound 40.0 %
90 Keeshond 39.7 %
91 German Shorthaired Pointer 38.6 %
92 Alaskan Husky 37.8 %

The dog breeds that are always seeking the attention of their owners are the:

  1. Poodle (Toy)
  2. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  3. Australian Silky Terrier
  4. Australian Cattle Dog
  5. American Eskimo Dog

The dog breeds that are aloof are the:

  1. Norwegian Elkhound
  2. Borzoi
  3. Kuvasz
  4. English Setter
  5. Chow Chow

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their clinginess.

Do Italian Greyhounds have Separation Anxiety? Do They Like to be Left Alone?

Dog breeds that have separation anxiety do not like to be left alone.

These dog breeds tend to bark and destroy things when separated from their owners.

They become restless or lose their appetite when left alone.

Italian Greyhounds are quite a bit prone to developing separation anxiety.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks high for separation anxiety relative to other dog breeds.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 46 out of 124 dog breeds for separation anxiety.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a separation anxiety score of 45.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit prone to develop separation anxiety just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Separation-Related-Behavior Rank Breed Separation-Related-Behavior Score
43 Shih Tzu 47.5 %
44 English Bulldog 47.1 %
45 Pomeranian 47.0 %
46 Italian Greyhound 45.9 %
47 Standard Schnauzer 43.7 %
48 Poodle (Miniature) 43.5 %
49 Bearded Collie 43.4 %

The dog breeds that are most prone to develop separation anxiety are listed below. These dog breeds do not like to be left alone. These dog breeds are the:

  1. Treeing Walker Coonhound
  2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Miniature Pinscher
  5. Australian Silky Terrier

The dog breeds that are least prone to develop separation anxiety are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Borzoi
  3. Giant Schnauzer
  4. Eurasier
  5. Bernese Mountain Dog

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their tendency to develop separation anxiety.

Temperament Profile of the Italian Greyhound

Are Italian Greyhounds Touch Sensitive? Do They Like to be Groomed?

Dogs that are touch-sensitive are fearful of `painful` procedures such as bathing, grooming, nail clipping, and veterinary examinations.

These dogs do not like going through these `painful` procedures, and they will react to show they do not like the procedure.

Italian Greyhounds are a little bit touch-sensitive.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks low for touch sensitivity.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 92 out of 124 dog breeds for touch sensitivity.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has a touch-sensitivity score of 21.4 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit touch-sensitive just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Touch-Sensitivity Rank Breed Touch-Sensitivity Score
89 Dingo 21.8 %
90 Rhodesian Ridgeback 21.8 %
91 Bullmastiff 21.6 %
92 Italian Greyhound 21.4 %
93 Bulldog 21.4 %
94 Siberian Husky 21.3 %
95 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier 20.5 %

The dog breeds that are most touch-sensitive are the:

  1. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  2. Miniature Pinscher
  3. Pekingese
  4. Australian Silky Terrier
  5. Chihuahua

The dog breeds that are least touch-sensitive are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Borzoi
  3. Pointer
  4. Gordon Setter
  5. Portuguese Water Dog

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their sensitivity to touch.

Are Italian Greyhounds Hyper? Are they Highly Excitable?

Excitable dog or hyper dog breeds display strong reactions to potentially exciting or arousing events, such as:

  • going for walks
  • car trips
  • sound of the doorbell
  • arrival of visitors, and
  • the owner arriving home

Highly excitable dog breeds have difficulty settling down after arousal.

Italian Greyhounds are not hyper (excitable).

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very low for excitability.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 121 out of 124 dog breeds for excitability.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has an excitability score of 9.1 %.

Other dog breeds that are not excitable just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Excitability Rank Breed Excitability Score
118 Eurasier 15.0 %
119 Collie 14.0 %
120 Anatolian Shepherd 11.7 %
121 Italian Greyhound 9.1 %
122 Great Pyrenees 6.2 %
123 Samoyed 5.9 %
124 Borzoi 0.0 %

The dog breeds that are most hyper (excitable) are the:

  1. Australian Silky Terrier
  2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  3. American Eskimo Dog
  4. Parson Russell Terrier
  5. Miniature Schnauzer

The dog breeds that are least hyper (excitable) are the:

  1. Borzoi
  2. Samoyed
  3. Great Pyrenees
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Anatolian Shepherd

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how hyper they are.

The Italian Greyhound

Are Italian Greyhounds Playful? What is the Energy Level of Italian Greyhounds

Energetic dog breeds are very playful dog breeds. These are the dog breeds that do not get tired easily.

Italian Greyhounds are not energetic.

This is because the Italian Greyhound ranks very low for energy level.

The Italian Greyhound ranks number 117 out of 124 dog breeds for energy level.

This information is based on what 10 Italian Greyhound owners reported on the temperament of their Italian Greyhound in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Italian Greyhound has an energy-level score of 23.6 %.

Other dog breeds that are not energetic just like the Italian Greyhound are listed in the table below

Energy-Level Rank Breed Energy-Level Score
114 Whippet 26.2 %
115 Chow Chow 23.9 %
116 Lhasa Apso 23.7 %
117 Italian Greyhound 23.6 %
118 Eurasier 23.1 %
119 Black and Tan Coonhound 19.7 %
120 Pekingese 18.2 %

The dog breeds that are most playful and most energetic are the:

  1. Belgian Malinois
  2. Belgian Tervuren
  3. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  4. German Shorthaired Pointer
  5. Ibizan Hound

The dog breeds that are laziest are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Anatolian Shepherd
  3. Greyhound
  4. Great Pyrenees
  5. Pekingese

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the most energetic to the least energetic.

Conclusion on Italian Greyhound Temperament

The temperament of your Italian Greyhound comes from a combination of its genetics and what environment your Italian Greyhound is exposed to.

You cannot change your Italian Greyhound`s gene but you can change the things you expose your Italian Greyhound to.

Exposing your Italian Greyhound to dog training sessions early in its life can help you mold the temperament of your Italian Greyhound to what you desire.

Again, with proper training, you can better your Italian Greyhound`s temperament. To learn how to properly train a dog, I highly recommend Dr. Ian Dunbar`s online dog training classes, which you can find here.

I learned most of the things I know about training dogs by reading Dr. Dunbar`s books and watching his training videos. Dr. Dunbar`s dog training methods are for people expecting to own a puppy soon, new dog owners, and experienced dog owners.

Another helpful online dog training class that I recommend is this one. The class will teach you how to properly train your Italian Greyhound.

If you think the Italian Greyhound is the right dog breed for you, see our article on how much Italian Greyhounds cost and Italian Greyhound puppy buying guide.

Also, see our list of reputable Italian Greyhound breeders in the United States and the prices of their Italian Greyhound puppies.