I grew up with German Shepherds & Terriers, & we always prized our dogs for their sharp minds, telepathic ways, & almost uncanny sense of "being human".
Now, I'd like to adopt my first (& possibly second) dog of my own. I prefer sweet, affectionate, fragile-looking little dogs- these qualities in addition to intelligence.
I love the look of IGs, & all of the reading that I've done on them seems to match up with the "type of dog" that would be good with my own personality/ living situation (large apt, 2 cats, & I'd walk the dogs twice a day).
My only concern here is.. intelligence. Of course, all of the websites praise the minds of IGs, b/c they're trying to sell IGs. But I'd like an unbiased appraisal here, preferably from someone who has had enough exposure to IGs & Shepherds/Terriers to be able to compare their intellectual capacities.
Do you think I'd be happy w/ the intellect of IGs?
Any *kind* info will be appreciated. Thanks!
2006-12-28 01:59:55 · 5 answers · asked by Realmstarr 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
You can't compare an Italian greyhound to a German Shepherd or even terriers. Shepherds and terriers are breeds that had jobs originally, while IG's, while being sighthounds, are toys. Toys of all breeds have never had a job per se, they're only lap dogs. Very unfair to try and compare a working type dog to a lap dog. You need to go about training them differently (like all the sight hounds - they're very intelligent, but independent and quickly bored). Why not go to a dog show and meet a few to find out if you like them - they will not be like what you grew up with.
2006-12-28 02:31:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are very intelligent, but can be very hard to train, esp. when it comes to housebreaking. My parents have one and she is great. She learned how to play hide-and-seek, someone would go hide while someone else held onto her and covered her eyes while counting down from 10 to 1. When they take their hands away from her eyes, she looks to see who's gone, then will follow their scent trail to find them, and look everywhere until she discovers where they are. When we realized she was smelling us out, we started switching shoes with people to change it up a bit. She loves playing that game.
Again though, the housebreaking is the only drawback. She is 4 now, and a puppy training pad must remain on the floor at all times(in the same spot) while you are away. They are small and have very fast metabolisms, so even if they are completely housebroken, they can't necessarily hold it. My aunt has always had gsds and I would say the italian greyhound as intelligent as well as being more people oriented, but not necessarily as easy to train. Just remember though, even though they are a toy breed, they are still a sighthound, so don't let the dog off the leash unless it's fenced in or has an electric fence/remote collar on. They can run faster than you, and aren't going to stop until what they are chasing does.
2006-12-28 02:16:25 · answer #2 · answered by Meggz21 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Iggy's are wonderful dogs, and I have 2 of them. They others are right that they are very intelligent, but hard to train. They are very active and cuddly and lots of fun. What exactly are you looking for in a dog. An Iggy will not be a good guard dog, but will bark like a watch dog. They are certainly not just 'toys', they were bred in Egyptian times as bed warmers, as they 'love' to be warm. Depending on where you live, coats and shoes are a definite in cold weather. Also, you need a fenced yard they they cannot dig under, and jump over, which means 5 feet plus in the height, as they are incredible jumpers. If you have a small place, or kids, they are great, but you need to watch those thin limbs as breaks can occur. They are hardier than they look, very playful and have great personalities. They are, without a doubt, intelligent, and so much more.
2006-12-28 05:48:26 · answer #3 · answered by btdt65 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sighhounds are very smart, and IGs are a Sighthound, no matter what group they are in. They are also not highly trainable as SHs were bred to hunt on their own without direction from us. They will have their own agenda which may or may not be the same as yours. You also should have a sense of humor because they will 'hunt' in your kitchen and not listen to you unless they think it benefits them. IGs are also very BUSY!
As walking lady said, they will not be like the dogs you have had.
2006-12-28 03:41:10 · answer #4 · answered by whpptwmn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Louie My IG was very hard to house train. However, let me say this, he is so intelligent and quick at learning! Love my Dog. He has his own facebook Louie s Logic
2016-05-12 13:51:12 · answer #5 · answered by shannon k 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋