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🧩 Are You a Match for a Kennel-Raised Italian Greyhound?

Thank you for your interest in learning more about adopting a kennel-raised / mill / low-exposure Italian Greyhound.

These dogs are truly special — sensitive, intelligent, and capable of deep bonds — but they require intentional care, structure, and active participation from their adopters. This document is designed to help you fully understand what these dogs need, and whether your home, schedule, and expectations align with that reality.

Please read carefully and thoughtfully.

1. Understanding Kennel-Raised Italian Greyhounds. Kennel-raised Italian Greyhounds have typically lived in highly structured, confined environments with:

Minimal household exposure
Limited movement and exercise
Little variety in surfaces or environments
Minimal opportunity to build muscle, coordination, or confidence

As a result, many arrive:

Physically under-conditioned
Emotionally cautious or shut down
Lacking basic life skills we often take for granted
They are not broken, but they are unfinished — and finishing that work requires time and effort.

2. Home Environment: Calm, Predictable, and Safe, most kennel-raised IGs thrive in homes that are:

✔ Quiet or moderately quiet
✔ Predictable and low-chaos
✔ Smaller households or small-dog households
✔ Free from large or rough-playing dogs

Sudden movement, noise, or chaotic activity can overwhelm these dogs and stall progress. Including a heightened sensitivity to:

Busy or high-traffic homes
Fast-moving children
Loud or unpredictable environments
Large dogs, even those with good intentions
These dogs do best when the environment itself supports calmness.

3. Time at Home vs. Active Participation - being home is important — but presence alone is not enough.

Kennel-raised IGs benefit from:

A consistent daily routine
A caregiver home much of the day
Close supervision during decompression

Critical Clarification
These dogs are not “plug-into-a-therapeutic-environment” dogs.
They do not heal simply by being placed into a calm home and waiting for time to pass.

Progress requires active, intentional daily engagement.

Healing is not measured day-to-day or week-to-week.
It is most accurately measured month-to-month.

4. Socialization, Confidence & Decompression Socialization for kennel-raised dogs looks very different from traditional puppy socialization.

It involves:

Slow, controlled exposure
Building confidence without flooding
Respecting fear responses
Allowing the dog to set the pace
Regression is normal - Progress is not linear.

Specific Patterns many of these dogs demonstrate:

Strong fear-avoidance responses
Shut-down behaviors under stress
Improved progress with limited early visitors
Benefit from calm, confident small-dog role models (ideal, but not required)

*It is important to understand that a growl and/or baring teeth will almost always be an exhibition of Defensive or Fear Based Communication - this is not aggression.  This is their last resort attempt to protect themselves when they feel trapped.  Increase your distance, give the dog space if it is safe to do so.  It is important to immediately assess the surrounding environment and the actions and activities of the environment.  

5. Physical Safety, Injury Prevention & Conditioning - Italian Greyhounds are a fragile toy sighthound breed. Kennel-raised dogs often start with:

Low muscle mass
Reduced bone density
Poor coordination
Pent-up, poorly controlled energy
This combination increases injury risk.

Furniture, slippery floors, stairs, uncontrolled zoomies, and rough play can all result in serious injury if not managed carefully.

Secure Fenced Yard Requirement: This is not negotiable.

A securely fenced yard is required for:

Safe potty trips
Controlled decompression
Structured conditioning
Confidence-building movement
Dog parks, shared green spaces, or leash-only apartment living do not provide the controlled environment these dogs need, particularly during early rehabilitation.

6. Targeted Conditioning & Active Rehabilitation is required,  Improvement does not happen passively.

Kennel-raised Italian Greyhounds require daily, targeted physical and confidence-building work to safely develop muscle, bone strength, coordination, and resilience.

This includes:

Controlled walks
Structured movement exercises
Gradual strength-building
Confidence-building activities
Intentional exposure at the dog’s pace.

As a general expectation, adopters should plan for:

15 minutes per session, 2–3 times per day, focused on structured conditioning and socialization.  The exact duration and intensity must always be adjusted to the individual dog’s tolerance and progressed slowly.

This is active rehabilitation, not free play.

7. House Training & Surface Exposure - many kennel-raised IGs are not reliably housetrained and may be unfamiliar with:

Carpet
Hardwood
Tile
Grass
Concrete
They may struggle to generalize where it is appropriate to potty.

Success requires:

Close supervision
Frequent, scheduled outings
Management tools (crate, pen, gates)
Traction aids (yoga mats, rugs)
Patience with regression

Many dogs began with very limited surface exposure. House training should be expected to be a long process with trial-and-error and backward steps.

8. Expectations, Mindset & Deal-Breakers before moving forward, ask yourself honestly:

Am I comfortable with slow, incremental progress?
Can I remain patient through fear, shutdown, and regression?
Am I willing to do daily, intentional conditioning work?
Do I value long-term transformation over immediate gratification?

If you are seeking a “ready-made” social dog
A dog-park lifestyle
Immediate affection or confidence
These dogs are not a fit 

9. In the Right Home, They Truly Blossom - With time, structure, safety, and active engagement, kennel-raised Italian Greyhounds can become:

Deeply bonded
Quietly affectionate
Incredibly loyal
Emotionally attuned companions
The transformation is slow — and profoundly rewarding.

If reading this makes you feel informed, prepared, and excited, you may be a wonderful match.

This information isn’t meant to discourage interest — it’s meant to help give you a clearer picture of what life with a kennel-raised Italian Greyhound can look like. Our goal is to create happy, well-matched adoptions that lead to true forever homes.  We will support you through the transition. If this feels like a good fit, please read below for detailed instructions on how to apply. 

 

✔ Yes / No Self-Quiz
A quick check for potential match

Answer Yes or No to each:

My home is generally quiet, predictable, and low-chaos.
I am home much of the day or work from home.
I am comfortable with dogs who are fearful, shut down, or slow to warm up.
I do not have large or rough-playing dogs in my home.
I have a secure, fully fenced yard for safe potty trips, decompression, and conditioning.
I am willing to supervise closely during decompression and conditioning.
I can commit to gradual socialization, not rushing or flooding.
I understand that housetraining may be long, messy, and non-linear.
I have patience for anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and regression.
I do not require immediate affection, cuddles, or social behavior.
I value transformation over instant gratification.

If you answered “Yes” to most or all:
You may be an excellent fit for a kennel-raised IG. 

If you answered “No” to several:
These dogs may not match your lifestyle or household needs.

📘 Recommended Reading
Rescue Your Dog From Fear by Peggy Swagert
We ask prospective adopters to read this book as part of preparing for a kennel-raised dog. While not specific to Italian Greyhounds, it offers valuable insight into fear-based behavior, non-linear progress, and pacing expectations. This reading supports the mindset needed for these dogs and does not replace guidance provided by the rescue.

 

Adoption Process and Application informatin is listed below. Please read carefully - the appropriate contact information, for your area, is outlined below.

 

 

All steps of our Adoption Process must be completed before you can be considered for any dog or scheduled for visits.  Please be aware that we do not hold specific dogs.

Step 1:  Your Application. Applications are processed by where YOU live, not the location of the IG you are interested in. If you live in Texas or Oklahoma, please finish reading these steps.  A link to the application page can be found below.  

For applicants that do not live in Texas or Oklahoma- please find your state's Representative https://www.iggyrescue.com/html/affiliate_map.shtml  to inquire about adopting through your state; we cannot process out of state applications. If you are interested in a dog outside your area, your local coordinator will put you in touch with that IG's Rep once you are fully approved and after local options have been exhausted. PLEASE NOTE- We do not ship and we do not do adoption transports. Out of state adopters must be willing to travel to Texas to meet the IG of interest in his or her foster home.

Step 2:  Reference checks.  We do call your vet and personal references, so please be sure to provide names AND valid phone numbers for your current vet and other vets you may have used on your application. It is also helpful if you alert your personal references AND your veterinarian that we will be calling. Some vet offices will not release information without your verbal consent directly to them, and this can really hold up your processing. We will not move forward without this information so please provide it up front. Please also double check your records to be sure your current pets are up to date on all recommended annual health maintenance.

Step 3:  Phone interview:  Please plan about an hour to talk about the breed, your lifestyle, and anything on your application that needs to be clarified.  Our goal is the right fit for the right FOREVER home.  It’s worth the time invested. Our volunteers primarily communicate via email to get this set up, so please be on the lookout and check your spam folder if you have not heard from us within a week or so. If you have changed your mind and no longer wish to proceed, a response to this communication is kindly appreciated so we can note our records and redirect our volunteer time.

Step 4:  Home Visit.  One of our volunteers will come out to visit with you to schedule the home visit. Please be sure everyone that lives in the home is available for this visit. - you your family, and your current pets - .  We DO NOT come with white gloves on-please don’t spend days preparing for us-we understand that people LIVE in their homes! We will inspect fencing as well as browse the overall environment the dog will live in.  We typically bring an Italian Greyhound along for the visit since this may be a first encounter for many adopters, but this is not always possible. We do not bring the foster dog you are interested in.

Step 5:  MEET DOGS!!!  Once you have been approved, you may begin meeting dogs.  Once we learn what dogs you are particularly interested in we will work with you to decide which ones would be a best match for your lifestyle and desired traits in your new IG. We will then put you in touch with those foster parents and they can tell you about daily life with their particular foster dog. All meetings will be scheduled between the two of you.  Local dogs require TWO visits.  The second visit can be to adopt the dog if the first visit went swimmingly!  Please plan at least an hour for your visit or two hours if you are driving from out-of-town.  Some dogs are more shy and may require more time and even extra visits. If you are considering an IG that is located a couple of hours away in each direction, we will consider a 1 visit adoption.

We know our process seems lengthy but it typically moves pretty quick, so please don’t be discouraged. One of the reasons we have so many IGs in Rescue is because their previous owners did not realize they were not getting a typical ‘rover.’ Remember-this breed is not for everyone. Our process ensures that you have been given as much information as possible to make the right decision AND that we have as much information as possible to help you in doing just that. Italian Greyhounds can live well into their teens, so it is important to find the right fit for a lifetime!  TX & OK residents  igrescuetx.org/application/

PLEASE NOTE- DUE TO TRAGIC YET PREVENTABLE ITALIAN GREYHOUND DROWNING DEATHS, WE ARE NO LONGER PROCESSING ADOPTION APPLICATIONS OR FOSTER APPLICATIONS FOR ANY HOME WITH A DOG DOOR THAT LEADS TO AN AREA WITH AN UNFENCED POOL. If you have plans to permanently secure your pool with a fence or other acceptable barrier, we will be happy to process your application when that is complete. For further details about IGs and pool safety, please click the IG Safety tab on our website.