092224 - This first weekend in Belton was a huge success for us at Dainty Acres. We showed three of our adults from our 2019 and 2022 litters at the Austin Kennel Club September 20-22, 2024.
Friday Judge Dr Fabian Daza picked Dainty's Cashmere Stetson as his Best of Winners and also sent him to the Toy Group as Best of Breed.
Saturda
092224 - This first weekend in Belton was a huge success for us at Dainty Acres. We showed three of our adults from our 2019 and 2022 litters at the Austin Kennel Club September 20-22, 2024.
Friday Judge Dr Fabian Daza picked Dainty's Cashmere Stetson as his Best of Winners and also sent him to the Toy Group as Best of Breed.
Saturday CH Dainty's Big Red won Best of Breed under Judge Mary Napper and again on Sunday under Judge Kimberly Meredith.
Sunday Dainty's Cashmere Stetson finished his points for his Championship title. He gets to wear the CH infront of his name now! (pending AKC)
#AustinKennelClub
#ToyGroup
#CadenceBankCenterBelton
#CHDaintysBigRed
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#JudgeDrFabianDaza
#JudgeMaryNapper
#JudgeKimberlyMeredith
#JudgeDaleMartenson
#JudgeChristineErickson
#EricSalasWorkshops
083124 - Last weekend Redmond and Boerne competed in the Italian Greyhound Club of America's National Dog Show. In my 30 years of breeding IG's, I've never seen anything like it. Handlers and dogs came from all over the country, even had an entry from Italy. The IGCA did a fantastic job and picked a wonderful facility, Under the Sun
083124 - Last weekend Redmond and Boerne competed in the Italian Greyhound Club of America's National Dog Show. In my 30 years of breeding IG's, I've never seen anything like it. Handlers and dogs came from all over the country, even had an entry from Italy. The IGCA did a fantastic job and picked a wonderful facility, Under the Sun Dog Training Center, in Colorado Springs. Judge James Moses judged 42 Class entries on Saturday, 66 Specials and 16 Vetrans. Boerne and Redmond had their personal bests, I am so proud of them!
We also attended the Judges Education Seminar, where they teach Judges what to look for in the Italian Greyhound. I learned sooo much!!!
072224 - Yesterday was an amazing day for Redmond and I. CH Dainty's Big Red won Grand Champion Select and he did that in a ring full of Champions and Grand Champions. The first 3 days in Houston I was so star struck with all the amazing dogs and handlers. These folks came from all over the country to show here in Texas at the World S
072224 - Yesterday was an amazing day for Redmond and I. CH Dainty's Big Red won Grand Champion Select and he did that in a ring full of Champions and Grand Champions. The first 3 days in Houston I was so star struck with all the amazing dogs and handlers. These folks came from all over the country to show here in Texas at the World Series of Dog Shows. Saturday was our last day to show in Houston, and Redmond pulled off a winning performance and caught Judge Douglas Johnson's eye. I am so proud of my boy, he really enjoyed his ring time every day and did everything I asked and more. He is an amazing dog with an amazing heart. I love this boy so much!
071724 - Gotta love a Friday Dog Show with a Two-f'r! Bexar County Kennel Club and the Alamo Area Toy Dog Club both put on a Fabulous Friday Show in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Dainty's Cashmere Stetson got wonderful appointments from Judge Karen McFarlane as Winners Dog and from Judge Dr Azalea Alvarez as Winners Dog and Best o
071724 - Gotta love a Friday Dog Show with a Two-f'r! Bexar County Kennel Club and the Alamo Area Toy Dog Club both put on a Fabulous Friday Show in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Dainty's Cashmere Stetson got wonderful appointments from Judge Karen McFarlane as Winners Dog and from Judge Dr Azalea Alvarez as Winners Dog and Best of Winners, and checking off a Major to boot!
On Sunday, Dainty's Cashmere Stetson caught Judge Polly Smith's eye and won Winners Dog, chachinging another Championship point! He is so close to finishing!
#BexarCountyKennelClub
#AlamoAreaToyDogClub
#FabulousFridayShow
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#CHDaintysBigRed
#DaintysCashmereBeret
The Correct Italian Greyhound Set of Eyes - by Dana Taylor
08/06/24 - Every morning I have a squirrel that comes to the bird feeder to terrorize the feeder and tease my Italian Greyhounds. Redmond will watch that squirrel in the comfort of his Kennel, and when it finally comes down the trunk, Redmond will blast out the doggie door after it.
What is the Breed Function of the Italian Greyhound Eyes?
The Italian Greyhound, for the last 5,000 years has hunted small prey inside the palace as well as outside. They were bred to hunt, entertain and be an adaptable companion for royalty. Their tiny size puts them in the Toy Group here in the US, but they are actually a Sighthound. The design of the eye is specialized to hunting small prey. The shape, color, location and lid need to be set to best help the dog see movement afar and during the chase in challenging light settings.
What is the Correct Form of the Italian Greyhound Eye?
The AKC has a manual for every pure bred dog, complete with a clear list of parts including a description of the eyes. The AKC Breed Standard explains the eyes of an Italian Greyhound as, "...dark, bright, intelligent, medium in size." The Italian Greyhound Club of America offers a more detailed guide, and they say, "A pleasing expression ... appears loving and intelligent" and then goes into detail on what is not correct. For example, very light eyes, blue and yellow eyes are not correct.
What is my Responsibility as a Breeder?
The color and form of the eye is esthetically important but the function of the eye is even more important if the dog is to see. If the eyes are correct but they can't see, then the function is compromised and they can't do their job. There are some genetic eye diseases that Italian Greyhounds are prone to. In the show ring, there is no way for a Judge to know if they are placing a dog that has or is a carrier of a genetic eye disease. Genetic testing is a great way for a breeder to identify if their dog carries any genetic diseases.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an eye disease that a dog inherits from their parents and it causes early blindness. Other diseases like Cataracts and Glaucoma are also common in Italian Greyhounds. Routine veterinary exams and genetic testing can help an owner and breeder find out if there are any problems lurking. My responsibility as a breeder is to pick healthy partners for my breeding program and pick health industry professionals who understand these diseases and the tests that best identify them. All my pups will one day be someone's pet, a few will make it to the show ring, but only a special pup will be selected for our Dainty Acres breeding program.
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By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
The Correct Italian Greyhound Ear Set - by Dana Taylor
7/27/24 - I was listening to a ringside conversation the other day, and some IG folks were talking about the things they do to their puppy's ears to ensure the perfect ear set. Someone mentioned pinching and creasing to break the cartilage. It got me thinking about a couple things, like: "What is the perfect ear set?" Then I got thinking, "If ears need to be damaged to be correct, how can future breeding pairs pass on correct ears?"
I know what the AKC tells me about ears, as they are mentioned in the IG Breed Standard. As a breeder of Italian Greyhounds, I want to pick breeding pairs that have the correct ear set, but I also want correct function of those ears. To find that out, I asked myself the most important question, "What is the correct function of a sight hound's ears?"
What is the Correct Function of a Sight Hound's Ears?
Ears are an important part of the sight hound, and the Italian Greyhound is a special hunter, who for 5,000 years did his hunting indoors as well as outdoors. His ears need to prick up to hone the audio of his prey, but also collapsible to fold back for aerodynamics and protection from brush. He can, duck, turn, and spin all while running full speed. Those ears need to direct him and tuck out of the way. The set, thickness of the leather, size, shape and location of the fold all matter for the form to match the function of the ear.
What Does a Correct Set of Italian Greyhound Ears Look Like?
The American Kennel Club says ears should be, "small, fine in texture; thrown back and folded except when alerted, then carried folded at right angles to the head."
The ICGCA Judging Education Seminar goes into detail on what is not correct, "Erect or button ears severely penalized... Feel for glue or scarring on the ears. Heavy ear leather may not fold properly into a correct rose ear. Erect and button ears still are a problem in the breed and are considered a Severe Fault."
Showing, winning and collecting points will help my dog to rise to the top based on the structure narrative in my breed standard and the IGCA Judging notes. But is his breed function or breed character quality enough to breed?
What is my Responsibility as a Breeder? My first responsibility is to preserve the breed in an ethical and humane way. Pinching cartilage isn't necessary, it takes time to mature a dog, time is free and that is my choice. For sure, all my pups will be someone's pet, a few of my pups may show. But only a special pup will be picked to be a breeding partner and a Dainty Acres legacy.
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By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
Press Release July 23, 2024 Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds - Today was a really big day for us at Dainty Acres and the other winners in Saturday's Beaumont Kennel Club show. In the ring we had 4 Class Dog's, 7 Class B's and 10 Specials we presented to Judge Douglas Johnson today. Every one of the entries in Houston this week were beaut
Press Release July 23, 2024 Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds - Today was a really big day for us at Dainty Acres and the other winners in Saturday's Beaumont Kennel Club show. In the ring we had 4 Class Dog's, 7 Class B's and 10 Specials we presented to Judge Douglas Johnson today. Every one of the entries in Houston this week were beautiful and worthy of the win.
Breed went to FIORÉ VIVA PHOENIX RISING AT GRISGRIS as well as her win as Winners B and Best of Winners. Opposite Sex went to GCH INFINITI MORDECAI'S LET'S GET IT ON, Select Dog went to CH DAINTY'S BIG RED and Select B went to CH ALURA GOODY TWO SHOES AT TAPDOGS as well as her win as BOBOH. And Winners Dog went to TUNCAP'S DOUBLE ENTRY.
Photo by Melinda Julien
Press Release July 12, 2024 Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds - Congratulations to the Italian Greyhound Winners at the Alamo Area Toy Dog Club that was held this year at the Harry Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio.
Judge Dr Azalea Alvarez picked her Winners as follows:
Breed and Group 2 went to GCH Infiniti Mordecai's Let's Get it On, handle
Press Release July 12, 2024 Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds - Congratulations to the Italian Greyhound Winners at the Alamo Area Toy Dog Club that was held this year at the Harry Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio.
Judge Dr Azalea Alvarez picked her Winners as follows:
Breed and Group 2 went to GCH Infiniti Mordecai's Let's Get it On, handled by Kimberly Frennier, and Best of Winners went to Dainty's Cashmere Stetson handled by Kevin Taylor.
OS went to Infiniti in the Name of Love, SEL went to CH Nautica Wildhart Meadowlark and CH Dusk's Every Rose has its Thorns.
BOBOH went to CH Dusk's Every Rose has its Thorns on the end of Laura Vaught.
Photo by Ringside Hounds
Press Release: San Antonio Texas, July 12, 2024 Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds - A great morning to witness some great dogs in San Antonio winning at the Bexar County Kennel Club under Judge Karen McFarlane.
Dainty's Cashmere Stetson won the point for Winners Dog, Infiniti in the Name of Love won Winners B and Best of Winners. Best of B
Press Release: San Antonio Texas, July 12, 2024 Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds - A great morning to witness some great dogs in San Antonio winning at the Bexar County Kennel Club under Judge Karen McFarlane.
Dainty's Cashmere Stetson won the point for Winners Dog, Infiniti in the Name of Love won Winners B and Best of Winners. Best of Breed and a 2nd place win in the Toy Group went to GCH Infiniti Mordecai's Let's Get It On handled by Kimberly Frennier.
The pair of Breed Select's went to CH SPUR Creek's Golden Rea of Sunshine and Dainty's Big Red, handled by Alexis Jankowski and Dana Taylor.
Shawna Swanson and her CH Nautica Wildhart Meadowlark took the Best of Breed Owner Handler and Opposite Sex.
Photo by Ringside Hounds
1/29/24 - Training and showing dogs is all fun and games until the girl dog goes into season. As a preservation breeder, I typically have a mix of 3 or 4 intact male and female dogs in training at any given time. It is peace and tranquility, until one of my girls goes into season.
Girl Dog's Heat Cycle: Just like a human estrus cycle, the dog heat cycle is a reproductive cycle. The human ovulation is preceded by a menstrual cycle, and so is the female dog heat cycle. But unlike a human, a female dog generally only goes into heat twice a year. The dog heat cycle lasts about 18 days, the first 6 days are bloody and the final 12 days require quarantine, lots of of supervised potty breaks and safe kenneled spaces so the pack can coexist safely. Living with intact boys and girls under one roof increase the risks of inner pack aggression and of an oopsy litter. When the girl is in heat, the boys will scale heaven and earth to find her. And if you have multiple boys, they will fight like hell for her.
The Boys during the Heat Cycle: The intact male dog will quit eating, spar, run the yard, jump fences, destroy doors, destroy fences, leap through windows, his brain will glaze over and he will mark everything inside and out. As her hormones signal her body to change, the boys body will also secrete hormones for change. The hormones come out via the glands and even the hair folicles. Hormones are dog perfume, and they help him get aggressive and focused on breeding. Dihydrotestosterone is the male hormone that comes from the hair folicles and causes the most change in behavior for the boys and the girls. It has a very strong odor and works to attract and warn other dogs of his presence. Smelling his own smell will literally drive him crazy. Thank God it only lasts 18 days.
Hacks for Successful Abstinence: Since the hormones are causing the behavior change in the pack, it makes sense to try to wash off the hormones. Clean cloths, clean dogs, clean house, clean yard and clean kennel. It may sound like a lot of extra work, but if you plan for it, you won't be spending endless nights with crooning love birds or an oopsy litter. Here is my list of hacks that help me survive this season:
Dog Pants: Boys wear belly bands and the girls have a diaper that allows access for her tail. I have a bunch of each, and I prefer the cloth ones as they stay on better. I have a bucket of commercial grade vinegar mix hanging outside to soak the boys pants. The girls pants I soak in hydrogen peroxide. And I wash on a heavy and hot cycle in the washing machine.
Daily Laundry: The obvious messes need to be cleaned up, but what can't be seen is causing problems too. The hormones get on cloths, furniture and bedding as well as the dogs. Daily washing will help!
Separate Bedrooms: These love crazy kids will not rest until her heat cycle is over. So I found that sleeping in separate rooms really helps. If they are in the same room they can smell and see each other and it goes from bad to worse fast. The separate rooms give them sound barriers, separate air space and I can use Vicks to throw him off the scent for a peaceful night's sleep. This is a life saver for those who like to sleep at night.
Daily Dog Baths: In the afternoon I wash the boys and use the Eric Salas coat wash and conditioner recipe of citric acid and apple cider vinegar. This washes off the hormones from the hair follicles and the coat conditioner helps mask the hormone smell.
Special Feeding: My boys always loose their appetite when a girl is in season. I noticed that washing the boy dog also helps with his appetite. After baths, I feed the boys. If my boy isn't eating, I will hand feed him. A full tummy will help the savage beast sleep all night!
Vicks Vapor Rub: Before bed, I dab a small amount of Vicks Vapor Rub under his jaw so he can't lick it off. It calms his brain and masks his olfactory receptors for a good night's sleep.
Outdoor Turnout: I rotate the boys and girls through outdoor turnout about every 2 hours. I start my turnouts with the girls first. She will have to go frequently to keep her happy and comfortable. The boys are easy, they run around looking for girls that aren't there. During this crazy season it is best to be out there with them to make sure they don't get hurt or mixed up.
Indoor Kennel Area: When a girl is in season, it is not safe to leave her unattended outside. The neighborhood furbabies will come find her, and my boys will claw their way to her. That can be dangerous for the dogs and cause damage to your property. I have kennels I made out of dog run panels. A top, bottom and sides all made out of dog run panels. It is Fort Knox and if I have to leave the house, I have a safe place I can park him.
Dog Crate: All my dogs are crate trained, so if I have to leave, I can use crates in separate rooms to safely park my pups away from each other. That works well for us, but sometimes I end up with a dog that isn't crate trained. My indoor kennel is like a giant crate, so even if a dog isn't crate trained, I can use my indoor kennel and make it like home for them with their bed and blanky. If this sounds like a lot of work, well, it is. I am raising prissy, snooty, clingy little clean freaks that will one day be someone else's companion dog. Breeding purebred Italian Greyhound dogs is a huge responsibility. Knowing what you are getting into is half the battle if you are planning on breeding. The key word here is "planning".
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By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
1/07/24 - What a great finish to a great weekend at the Nolan River Kennel Club in Glen Rose Texas! Boerne and Bexar did an amazing job, they did everything I asked them to do, and both dogs had the best ring experience yet! No points for us, but Judge Carolyn Herbel had great dogs to pick from and today Winners Dog was INTEGRA WHISPERUN HONEY IN THE ROCK and Winners Girl was WHISPERUN THE LAND OF BEULAH. And the Breed win went to GCH CH INFINITI JEDI I AM.
#NolandRiverKennelClub
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#DaintysCashmereBeret
#RVLife2024
Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel @ItalianGreyhounds
Written and photo by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
1/06 /24 -It is always a special day when us Italian Greyhound lovers can sleep in on a show day. And Italian Greyhounds love to sleep! Nolan River Kennel Club started us in the afternoon and did a fantastic job gaining entries for this Glen Rose Texas dog show. Judge Nena Dee pinned Dainty's Cashmere Stetson as her Winner's Dog! Bexar was fantastic, all the practice paid off. Boerne was fantastic too, but didn't get the points. But TUNCAP'S LIFO THE PARTY was stunning and got the win from the girls. And the Breed win went to GCH INTEGRA SUN OF A BEACH.
Now it is time for my favorite Italian Greyhounds to take an afternoon nap and sleep off all the great success and the show ring treats.
#NolandRiverKennelClub
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#RVLife2024
Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel @ItalianGreyhounds
Ad by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photos by Malinda Julien Photography
1/14/24 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
Italian Greyhound owners, handlers and breeders have a club that preserves and protects the unique qualities of the pure-bred Italian Greyhound here in the United States. The Italian Greyhound Club of America or IGCA, is a group of members who care about Italian Greyhound health, well-being, genetics, conformation, ethics, rescue, and the teaching of judges.
What is the IGCA teaching judges and what are they emphasizing? Those of us who present dogs in the AKC show ring, we trust that the judge knows what to look for. The IGCA has teaching resources for judges that want to better understand the Italian Greyhound breed. The IGCA is a great resource and the IGCA Judging Materials are written specifically for judges. https://italiangreyhound.org/education/judges-education/
The IGCA Judging Materials includes:
These IGCA resources not only show judges what to look for but it is a resource for anyone who is interested to know more. This is a public website, so anyone can view these resources too.
How does this compare to the AKC Official Standard of the Italian Greyhound? The AKC posts the official breed standard of every pure-bred dog on their website. The "AKC Official Standard of the Italian Greyhound" is a one-page overview of a correct Italian Greyhound. It is good enough to explain to a beginner but not enough for a Judge who needs to know which dog is the best and why. Judges need a good resource to better understand the breed of the dog they are going to judge. Not all Judges own Italian Greyhounds. The IGCA Judges Education Seminar goes into a detailed explanation of conformation with photos, diagrams, explanations, and even lists human mentors they can call for more details. For example, the AKC Official Breed Standard barely mentions the topline of the Italian Greyhound. It says, "high at withers, back curved and drooping at hindquarters....". This wouldn't be enough information for a judge, so for a deeper dive, a judge can go to the IGCA website. The IGCA has resources, and the Judging Materials go into detail on the correct top line of the Italian Greyhound. If a judge still had questions, they could even call an IGCA human mentor.
How can this IGCA resource help me as an IG handler/breeder? If I know what a judge is looking for, then I can help the judge see my dog's best qualities and win because we both agree on the correct conformation. As a preservation breeder, I have an excellent resource to help me understand correct conformation and I can better pick my next show prospect so the AKC Judge can pick my dog as the winner in the show ring. Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Malinda Julien Photography
10/29/23 Great day in the ring with a very experienced judge judging the Italian Greyhounds at the Belton Expo Center in Belton Texas October 29, 2023. Judge Raymond Filburn liked what he saw in both Dainty's Cashmere Stetson and Dainty's Cashmere Beret. He gave us the reserve wins and some nice complements. That means a lot to me, especially from someone who knows the Breed so well. We had some great dogs in the ring but not enough to add up to a major. We had fun and have some things to work on when we get back to the Dainty Acres Training Studio!
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Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Malinda Julien Photography
8/26/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
The Dainty kids had a great morning and Bexar seems to always steals all the oxygen in a room. Today we even took the breath away from Judge Linda Hurlebaus who pinned us with the points towards our championship! Thank you Judge Linda Hurlebaus, we are so honored to be seen as a quality producer of Italian Greyhounds and as the BOB winner in the Bred-by Italian Greyhound class. This win takes us back in the Best in Group ring to compete against all the other Bred-by exhibitors.
Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Malinda Julien Photography
7/20/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
Thank you Judge Elizabeth Muthard for an amazing win today! Dainty's Cashmere Beret won Winner's Girl in a ring of 18 wonderful girls and their handlers. Thank you Houston Kennel Club, Judges, Stewards and the Onofrio folks for running a smooth show. Thank you dog show peeps for showing up and thank you Malinda and Jon for the great photos that I get to share!
Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Melinda Julien photography
7/14/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
Boerne won Winners and Best of Opposite this morning! Both pups were fantastic. Bexar really showed well, he is such a natural at this. Thank you Judge John Booth, this is our first win to him, we are honored! Got some ringside professional shots, will share those when they come in!
#LeaveThePhotographyToTheProfessionals
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#DaintysCashmereBeret
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Melinda Julien photography
7/15/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
Great last day for our pack here at the dog show in San Antonio. Bexar caught the favor of the Judge, and nailed Best of Winners! Thank you Judge Nikki Riggsbee for seeing us and the great placings! Boerne won Winners, and both of our pups get to add up points toward their championship. Great show! Thank you dog show peeps for your kind words and devotion to this breed. See you in Houston!
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#DaintysCashmereBeret
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#DaintysCashmereBeret
#PracticeHeadStraight.
Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Melinda Julien photography
5/18/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
March 9 and 10 were great wins in Kerrville for Dainty's Cashmere Beret. This little girl was a superstar on the table and in the ring, winning BEST of Breed one day and Best of Winners the next. Thank you Greater Kerrville Kennel Club, Judge Ms Lew Olson, Greater Kerrville Kennel Club and Judge Mrs Nancy Liebes for the attention.
Written by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Melia Photography
4/22/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
Here is a sneak peak at my summer collection for 2023. Boerne is modeling this X-Small black leather lace lead with a matching braided martingale. This collection will sport the aqua and gold Czech glass beads, but not available until June 2023. You can find the Spring collection now at Reflection Outpost in Spring Branch or on this website: https://daintyacres.godaddysites.com/leather-show-leads
Don't miss the Spring look with the turquoise Czech glass beads and three different choices of leather. This Spring collection has a fresh "hippie meets western" kind of vibe that will go with everything!
#SneakPeakToyDogLeashCollection
#DaintyAcresSummer2023Collection
Written and photo by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
4/14/23 Press Release Spring Branch Texas -
Every relationship can be evaluated and rated based on the quality of respect, admiration and trust. This must be mutual to get a passing grade. Just like a crack in a windshield can lead to a shattered windshield, a crack in this RAT test can lead to a shattered relationship. If a relationship is failing, ask the question: "Is he respecting me? Admiring me? And trusting me?" How about the other side of that. Am I respecting, admiring and trusting him? If not, you have a relationship crack that can go from bad to worse. #RespectAdmirationTrust
RESPECT
Every human needs to be respected. Every dog needs to be respected too. Without respect you get disconnect between dog and human. Humans tend to take to force and loud commands to try and demand respect. Dogs just shut down. You and your dog will lose with a cracked respect. #SafeLove
ADMIRATION
How about admiration? If I am not admiring my dog, I am not smiling or giving praise. We all want to be appreciated, yelling and barking are not good ways to show appreciation. Appreciation is shown when we praise each other for what we are doing well. You give treats and praise when you appreciate your dogs behavior, and your dog does the trick because it is fun and it makes you happy. That is an example of mutual admiration! #SmileAtYourDog
TRUST
Your dog learns to trust you when you are consistent with your hand and verbal signs. You learn to trust your dog as he responds correctly to your hand and verbal signs. This is true with humans too. We can crack a relationship when we can't trust what someone says. Unlike humans, dogs do not lie. They can't call out a lie, but they can react. So next time you see your dog wagging his tail, he is doing his part to pass the RAT test! #BuildHealthyRelationships
Written and graphic by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
3/24/23 Press Release Spring Branch, Texas -
When a visitor asks me about my dogs, they usually start out by asking if my dog is a Whippet or a miniature Greyhound. They are probably making that guess because of my dogs sleek physique as well as my dog’s size. The Whippet stands 18” – 22”, and the Greyhound is as big as a pony. Then the Italian Greyhound is the smallest of the 3 measuring in at 13 to 15 inches at the withers. The Whippet and the Greyhound are in the Hound Group but the Italian Greyhound is in the Toy Group, because of their size. The AKC Toy Group includes purebred dogs that are small, affectionate, social and adaptable in their environments. The Italian Greyhound fits perfectly into this group because they are all those things, but are we out-growing the group?
Over the last couple of years, the average height of the AKC registered Italian Greyhound has pushed up to the top of that Breed Standard range. Most of the winning show dogs are measuring over 15 inches, and some reaching as high as 17 inches. Every pure breed of dog registered with AKC has a list of attributes and characteristics that are listed in that breeds “Breed Standard”. Breeders, owners, handlers and Judges refer to the AKC Breed Standard when they are picking dogs for the show ring or their breeding program. The Italian Greyhound Breed Standard says an Italian Greyhound should be between 13" and 15 inches tall. In the Breed Standard for a Whippet, a dog can be disqualified by a Judge if the dog proves to be over the Breed Standard’s limit. For the Italian Greyhound, that is not so. There is no disqualification based on height. The Breed Standard for the Italian Greyhound is vague and only suggests an ideal range of 13” to 15”, which means a dog can measure under or over that “ideal” height. With the average height creeping up, does this put our breed at risk of breaking the barrier to the Toy Group? As larger dogs win in the Conformation show ring, they also get selected to be breed partners, thus perpetuating the increased height of the breed.
So what does this mean for the future of the Italian Greyhound? Throughout history breeders have introduced "smalls" or "height reducers" into their breeding programs to work the size back down. Professional breeders pay attention to size as well as other characteristics in the AKC Breed Standard, because they are in the business to sell AKC registered show and pet dogs. If their bitches started whelping larger pups, they choose small breed partners to work the size back down. Working the size back down sounds easier than it is. It takes time, and to get a show quality “small” and then the smaller dog needs to be recognized as a winner in the ring with the flashier larger dogs. Then these smaller dogs need to be chosen as breed partners.
Breeders have a ton of resources to help them find breed partners. AKC has information on breeding, There are great magazines like Showsight and there are database services like BetterBred and BreedArchive.com to help breeders pick diverse partners and they include fields for height and weight. The challenge is not all breeders include the height, making it hard to find those smalls. As great as technology is, the best way to find a dog is to know some great people. Reaching out to local breeders, attending local AKC Conformation Dog Shows and make your own list of qualified breed partners. The owners and handlers are usually very willing to share information if you ask.
For now, finding a 13-14" Italian Greyhound must be done the old fashion way. You need to watch for those nice smalls, and thank their owner and breeder for working so hard at improving the breed.
Written and photos by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
3/1/23 Press Release Spring Branch, Texas -
Our newest line of Italian Greyhound athletic wear is getting ready to ship to the store here in Texas. Spring is the season for color and getting back outside. Our Leashes and martingale collars are designed for the Toy Breeds accommodating the small necks, short stature and light weight bodies. Small Divas need to look good too! We use braided leather lace for flexibility, strength and weight in the hand. The Toy breed needs a thin leash to look and feel balanced, but strength is still important. Color choices for this line include black, caramel and chocolate with our signature touch of an accent bead. For this spring we are loving the Czech Turquoise Glass Bead. All the designs are made to match, our leashes are 4' long and martingale collar comes in 4 standard sizes S-M-L-XL. Every Diva needs to feel good when she goes out for her morning parade!
Check out our Dainty Acres line at Reflection Outpost in Spring Branch Texas.
Written and photo by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
True love has been reunited! Willie and his child bride Lucy, are back under one roof. Sad for us to home one of the sweetest dogs ever and the matriarch of our kennel. But it was the right thing to do for the pair. Willie was soooo happy and gave us the most wonderful greeting. Blessings on your new journey Willie, Lucy, Duff and Catherine.
#CHInfinitiCashmere
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#Sweethearts
Another wonderful victory for this Dainty Acres Bred baby. Dainty's Cashmere Beret won Best of Winners and took home the winning points 3 days out of the 4! Boerne turns 14 months old today, maturing into her beautiful movement and temperament. She is a smart girl who really wants to please her human. Friday (pictured here) we showed under Judge Lew Olson, she was so kind to the pups on the table, and she paid me a wonderful compliment about my girl! I I enjoyed showing to her and I look forward to showing Boerne again.
#GreaterKerrvilleKennelClub
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
Written and photo by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Melinda Julien photography
Dainty's Cashmere Beret won the Italian Greyhound Toy Best of Breed today at the Kerrville Youth Event Center under Judge Nancy Liebe. In the ring were Infiniti Jedi I Am, Lorca, Jerry Hamlet Kia Dreams and Dainty's Cashmere Baret all trying to earn points to finish their championship ranking. It was exciting to go into the Toy Group and compete against all the winners of the day. No love, but won some wonderful memories with my girl.
Written and photo by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas, photo by Melinda Julien photography
Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds
PO Box 505, Spring Branch, Texas 78070
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