Italian Greyhound Articles
Have you ever been Scammed by a Puppy Seller?
Dana Taylor - Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds Blanco Texas 5/6/26
Over the years I have heard story after story after story of people who bought a puppy only to find out it was sick and or died. Many health issues can be managed during the whelping and puppy raising seasons as there are known diseases and parasites that a good breeder routinely vaccinates for. There are parasites, viruses and bacteria that can be deadly and can make the first 2 years of the puppy's life hell on earth. But some health issues are genetic and can be in the puppy's DNA at birth but not appear until later in life.
If you want a healthy Italian Greyhound puppy, you need to find a reputable breeder who is giving your puppy all the appropriate puppy treatments to ward off the parasites, viruses and bacteria for that first 8 weeks or until the puppy is picked up. For example, here in Texas, Parvo is a big problem. Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that attacks from the lymph nodes to the intestines, and destroys the dog from the inside out. it is fatal in most cases, and if one dog has it, they all get it. Knowing the character of the breeder is going to help you decide if your puppy was well taken care of for their first 8 weeks and beyond. Most breeders let puppies go to their new owners at 8 weeks even though the Parvo series of shots isn't complete. Deciding if a breeder is a good breeder or a scammer requires you to do some investigative work. You can ask good questions like, "Can I see the vaccine schedule?" Does the breeder do the vaccines themselves, or do they use an accredited veterinarian? "Who are the puppies parents?" Are the breeding pair AKC registered? Did the breeder do an AKC DNA of parentage test on them? These not only help you determine the quality of health services given to your puppy, but also the character of that breeder. If you get a funny feeling, or re-direct instead of answers, or "I don't know." Then you probably should move on. A good breeder will know these things and have a folder for each puppy with all this information in it and at hand.
Knowing who the puppy's parents are is important in identifying genetic problems. AKC registered dogs have a pedigree that lists all the ancestors of that dog. If you look at the mom's pedigree, and compare it to the dad's pedigree, there should be diversity. Good breeders do their homework and research the pedigrees of the pair they are breeding. Which means, a good breeder will have this handy and should be proud to show you. If you are having trouble getting the pedigrees from a breeder, that is probably a red flag. If you do get the pedigree or the AKC registered name of the parents, you can then do some online searching to see health history and if there is any inbreeding.
You puppy will most likely have over 50 repeating ancestors if you are going back 7 generations. This breed survived over 2 thousand years of war, famine, desert and extinction. To survive, they bred inside their community, maybe an Italian Greyhound and probably a relative. In-breeding is the breeding of two dogs that are related, and Line-breeding is the same thing. You can research the relatives if you have the names of the parents and if the breeder posted the pair. That is also another red flag, if the breeder is not transparent and willing to share their pedigree, that could be a reason for concern. I use a website called Breed Archive, it has a collection of Italian Greyhound ancestors, health history, champion titles and I can see the dam and the stud and all their ancestors on one page. I can pair them up and see the litter pedigree too. I am looking for inbreeding and I want a lower than 4% Coefficient of Inbreeding, that number can be found at the top right corner of the page of the dogs profile. Lower the number, the less inbreeding. Higher the number, higher the inbreeding. Then I can look at the pedigree and see who the ancestors are. I am not all that concerned about the later generations unless there are no dogs pulling up into those fields. The first 6 generations are going to be the fabric of your pup. Cosmetic things like good ears, good head and neck, topline and elegance as well as color are all things you can see with your eyes. But things like genetic diseases, blindness, hip dysplasia, thyroid, poor bone and dental problems are all genetic and get passed on to the puppies from their parents. Breeders call it Line-breeding when they breed back to a dog that is related. It does enhance the good physical qualities the breeder wants, but the risk of enhancing the bad things that you cant see is also there and happening. In-breeding increases the chance of bad DNA markers appearing in a dog. DNA testing can help catch some of these things, but only a few markers exist to be able to test for. Genetics is in it's infancy, and they are finding more markers to add to the test kits. Hopefully one day they will be able to identify all the genetic diseases.
We use UC Davis to test for genetic markers related to eye and dental disease. I also use qualified OFA certified veterinarians to perform exams and bloodwork to help me test for hips, heart, knees, thyroid and even eyes. When you buy a puppy from us here at Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds, we have spent the time and money to test for genetic problems. Good or bad, that data is on the AKC, BreedArchive and OFA websites. Breeders use these websites but you can use them too to make sure your puppy is well bred and has the best chance to live a long and healthy life.
BreedArchive https://italiangreyhound.breedarchive.com/home/index is my go to for researching pedigrees. I can get a count of a dogs ancestors and track how many repeat in the pedigree. This is good for deciding diversity in a bloodline. It is also good for determining the diversity of a breed pair before they even have a litter. I like to use the "Testmating" feature to pair up the two parents to show me both parents pedigrees at the same time. I can see which ancestors repeat, as the box turns blue if they do. It is a great visual for my snap study. I like to then go deeper and click on the "Pedigree Analysis" to see how many times any one ancestor repeats, and it goes up to the 10th generation.
When you buy a puppy from a breeder, you are trusting that what they are selling you is healthy and going to live a nice long time. What I am hearing from buyers like you is that there are a lot of scammers out there, and if you are not doing your homework, you are likely going to get scammed too.
Here at Dainty Acres we only breed purebred Italian Greyhounds, and we have been stewarding the responsibility of pairing healthy adults dogs since 1990. Some of our pups are sold to be show dogs, maybe one will be worthy to become a breeding partner, but all our pups are going to be someone's pet. Health is the most important quality for us to pass on to your puppy.
Written by Dana Taylor - Dana has been raising Italian Greyhounds for over 35 years and currently showing and training Italian Greyhounds in the San Antonio area.
"How much is that puppy?"
How much is the Puppy? - by Dana Taylor
06/29/25 - Everyday I am asked about price. More important than price is making sure you are dealing with a reputable breeder who knows the good and bad qualities they are passing on in their pups. Here at Dainty Acres we only breed purebred Italian Greyhounds, and we have been stewarding the responsibility of pairing healthy adults dogs since 1990. Some of our pups are sold to be show dogs, maybe one will be worthy to become a breeding partner, but all our pups are going to be someone's pet. There are prices for show pups and a lower price for pet quality pups. But if you are wanting to know how much you should be paying for a purebred Italian Greyhound, I can say that if you are paying over $3,000 for any dog, you are probably paying too much. When I am looking for a puppy I am first going to look for a reputable breeder, then I want to see the parentage of their breeding pair and I want to know the health history of the breeding pair's ancestry.
Finding a Reputable Breeder: The American Kennel Club here in the United States has a public search for puppies for sale called the AKC Marketplace. You can shop by breed, and breeders post ads for puppies they have for sale complete with registration numbers of the parents, photos and information about their kennel. There are bio's of the breeders, and AKC recognizes excellent breeders with the Breeder of Merit badge. The AKC Breeder of Merit breeder has great insights to the breed because for 5+ years they have been breeding, showing and involved in the breed clubs.
Breeding Pair Parentage: A reputable breeder will give you the names of the parents of the pup you are looking at. The next thing to do is to research the genealogy of the pup's parents. You want to look for any inbreeding of this breeding pair. The breeder will have information about the breeding pair, and you can go to a public site called BreedArchive.com to look up the genealogy. The AKC registration number or the AKC registered name can be used to search. When you are looking at the pedigree, the breeding pair should be diverse in their pedigree, meaning they do not have similar relatives. Breeding dogs that have similar pedigrees is called inbreeding or line breeding. Inbreeding can be a good thing and a bad thing. It was good that preservation breeders during war torn times kept the breed alive by inbreeding a pair. Inbreeding is good if you are trying to double up the possibility to pass on good qualities into a litter. But it is also bad for doubling of the bad qualities that you cant see, like genetic health issues.
Research Genetic Health Risks: BreedArchive.com is also a great place to see health history of the pups parents and grand parents. You also get to see the dogs in your pups ancestry that have reached Champion status. BreedArchive allows you to publicly search up to 10 generations of that dogs parentage. Another public site that I like is Canine Health Information Center or OFA, https://ofa.org/chic-programs/browse-by-breed/?breed=IT where the public can search to see if the breeding pair has registered any genetic testing. OFA has a CHIC certification that can be reached if the dog passes bred specific tests. Italian Greyhounds are susceptible to thyroid disease, patella problems, hip dysplasia and eye diseases. It makes so much sense to test the breeding partners for these breed prone diseases so you and your pet can have the longest, happiest and best life ever!
Today it is easier than ever to find purebred, healthy and happy puppies. Breeders can sell you a poorly bred dog or a well bred dog. You can pay upwards of $10,000 for hip dysplasia surgery or spend your dog's best years in blindness. Those costs cant even be realized let alone monetized.
The Cost of the Pup: So don't judge the price of the puppy until you have done your research on your puppy's breeder and health history. Good breeders are selecting good breed partners for you and your pup's future. Great breeders are doing their homework to produce champions and to rule out breed pairings that can pass on genetic problems. Truly amazing breeders are putting their champions and their health records on the public sites like BreedArchive, OFA and BetterBred for all the world to see.
So take some time and look for those good, great and amazing breeders. And take some time to browse the genealogy sites that the amazing breeders have posted their dog's test results on. It is our goal here at Dainty Acres to leave a lasting legacy and the proof of it for many generations, and give you and your pup every advantage to live a long, happy and healthy life.
Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel @ItalianGreyhounds
By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
"The 7 Drives of the Italian Greyhound"
January 2025 Researching Canine Drives - by Dana Taylor
I was studying drives last night, and found lots of interesting information in my broad "Canine Drives" search. But when I dug specifically for "Italian Greyhound Drives", I found very little. The articles I found did mention the Prey Drive but not any other Drives. I'm on the record here to say my dogs have a Prey Drive, Food Drive, a Pack Drive, a Hunting Drive and some that I made up as a result of observing Italian Greyhounds for 35 years.
I have observed 7 instinctual Italian Greyhound drives that are characteristic to this breed.
1. Prey Drive - strongest of all the IG Drives. My sighthounds can see small prey, and the movement will trigger expression and flight. I can use this trigger in my training for show ring expression and play.
I use flirt poles, wiggling toys, sounds and movement to get expression and energy from my dogs.
2. Food Drive - stronger than most other drives. I use yummy treats to steer my dog's head and reward a behavior.
3. Pack Drive - strong - IGs will howl to bring their pack back in. They always howl when my husband and I leave. Their pack includes us. IGs are more interested in their human than any other dog. Unless they are a breeding pair, and then all that matters are those two. The howl is my emergency recall in the event one of my dogs gets lost. This ancient drive allows dogs to know the sound of each pack member, and a dog can hear a howl 10 miles away.
4. Velcro Drive - The Italian Greyhound wants to be as close to their human as possible. Partly for warmth but mostly because they are extremely co-dependent. The IG experiences anxiety when their human leaves the house, or goes into another room. Their drive to hunt down and find their human is so strong, that they will get lost doing it. They are hard to recover because they will not come to strangers, and helpful humans end up pushing them further and further away. An IG will houdini out of an enclosure to find their human. They are a velcro dog, and an accessory to their humans fashion style. IGs are not good at being left alone, that is why crate training is so important.
5. Hunting Drive- Boerne stalks and eats grasshoppers and birds. IGs are not safe off leash because they will chase small prey and as a sight hound, they can see it. If they are off the leash, they will chase. For the IG, hunting includes digging for buried bugs and chasing things that move.
6. Heat Drive - The only thing that can draw my dog off my lap is a sunny window, and there my dog will lay for hours in a coma.
7. Reproductive Drive - This Drive is very strong when a breeding pair is in season, and it can last 2 weeks.
AKC and the Italian Greyhound Club of America has a written blue print of what an IG should look like and what their temperament should be.
The Italian Greyhound breed standard says that they should exhibit "a pleasing expression". Then there is a lot of interpretation in there but I can tell you what they are not: they are not aggressive at all. In a conflict they opt to run not fight. So the drives that you will NOT find in an IG are: Fight, Protective, Herding, Guard, Territorial nor the Defense Drive. This breed is not aggressive and shouldn't show any of these qualities. The Italian Greyhound breed standard also says, "Good expression appears loving and intelligent." They do not possess a mean bone in their body, They are submissive to their human and aloof to strangers. The Italian Greyhound is a co-dependent leach that is adaptable to any lifestyle as long as they can wear their human.
Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel @ItalianGreyhounds
By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
PRESS RELEASES AND MEDIA 2024
Travis County KC in Belton
Austin County and Cen-Tex KCs in Belton
Bell Co and Travis Co KCs in Belton
November 4, 2024:
Dainty's Cashmere Beret had a fabulous finish to her 2024 show year. 2025 she will be back and laser focused on a major to finish her championship!
Thank you Judges for the wins!
Winners B and Best of Winners: Judge Manuel Queijeiro
Winners B: Judge James Moses
Winners B and Best of Opposite: Judge Angela Pickett
And
November 4, 2024:
Dainty's Cashmere Beret had a fabulous finish to her 2024 show year. 2025 she will be back and laser focused on a major to finish her championship!
Thank you Judges for the wins!
Winners B and Best of Winners: Judge Manuel Queijeiro
Winners B: Judge James Moses
Winners B and Best of Opposite: Judge Angela Pickett
And thank you to Austin Kennel Club, Bell County Kennel Club, Cen-Tex Kennel Club, Travis County Kennel Club and Onofrio friends that put on such a fabulous series of shows!
#TravisCountyKennelClub
#DaintysCashmereBeret
#JudgeKellyReimschissel
#JudgeJohnRamirez
#JudgeManuelQueijeiro
#JudgeJamesMoses
#JudgeAngelaPickett
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#EricSalasWorkshops
Bell Co and Travis Co KCs in Belton
Austin County and Cen-Tex KCs in Belton
Bell Co and Travis Co KCs in Belton
October 29, 2024:
This last weekend the pups finished the Bell County and the Travis County Kennel Club's series for October. Redmond moved up to #9 in the Texas Italian Greyhound ranking!!!
Thank you to the Judges for the wins this month!
Best of Breed: Judge Kelly Reimschissel
Best of Opposite: Judge John Ramirez
Grand Champion Select
October 29, 2024:
This last weekend the pups finished the Bell County and the Travis County Kennel Club's series for October. Redmond moved up to #9 in the Texas Italian Greyhound ranking!!!
Thank you to the Judges for the wins this month!
Best of Breed: Judge Kelly Reimschissel
Best of Opposite: Judge John Ramirez
Grand Champion Select: Judge Manuel Queijeiro
Grand Champion Select: Judge James Moses
And thank you to the Bell County and the Travis County Kennel Clubs for putting on a great series of shows!
#TravisCountyClub
#BellCountyClub
#GCHDaintysBigRed
#JudgeKellyReimschissel
#JudgeJohnRamirez
#JudgeManuelQueijeiro
#JudgeJamesMoses
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#EricSalasWorkshops
Austin County and Cen-Tex KCs in Belton
Austin County and Cen-Tex KCs in Belton
Austin County and Cen-Tex KCs in Belton
September 30, 2024:
GCH Dainty's Big Red ranked #16 in Texas!
September Redmond finished the Austin and the Cen-Tex Kennel Clubs series in Belton (September 2024), ranked #16 in the Texas Italian Greyhounds.
His career chasing GCH points started in July and this red dog has been on fire ever since!
Thank you to:
Austin KC: Judge Kimberly
September 30, 2024:
GCH Dainty's Big Red ranked #16 in Texas!
September Redmond finished the Austin and the Cen-Tex Kennel Clubs series in Belton (September 2024), ranked #16 in the Texas Italian Greyhounds.
His career chasing GCH points started in July and this red dog has been on fire ever since!
Thank you to:
Austin KC: Judge Kimberly Anne Meredith
Austin KC: Judge Mary Napper
Austin KC: Judge Dr Fabian Daza
CEN-TEX KC: Judge Donnelle Richards
Thank you for seeing this boy in the ring and giving him 4 out of 5 wins in Breed and GCH Select. We are over the moon proud and grateful!!!
#AustinKennelClub
#CenTexKennelClub
#GCHDaintysBigRed
#JudgeDrFabianDaza
#JudgeMaryNapper
#JudgeKimberlyMeredith
#JudgeDonnelleRichards
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#EricSalasWorkshops
Austin Kennel Club in Belton
Houston World Series of Dog Shows
Austin County and Cen-Tex KCs in Belton
September 22, 2024:
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.
September 22, 2024:
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
IGCA National 2024
Houston World Series of Dog Shows
Houston World Series of Dog Shows
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!!!
Houston World Series of Dog Shows
Houston World Series of Dog Shows
Houston World Series of Dog Shows
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!
Bexar County KC and Alamo Area Toy Dog Club
Bexar County KC and Alamo Area Toy Dog Club
Bexar County KC and Alamo Area Toy Dog Club
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
Question the Breeder
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 patrons 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 like a rocket.
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.
Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel @ItalianGreyhounds
By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
Question the Breeder
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.
Please SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel @ItalianGreyhounds
By Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
Press releases and Media 2024
Beaumont Kennel Club and Judge Douglas Johnson
Bexar County Kennel Club Italian Greyhound Breed and Judge Karen McFarlane.
Alamo Area Toy Dog Club and Judge Dr Azaela Alvarez
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
Alamo Area Toy Dog Club and Judge Dr Azaela Alvarez
Bexar County Kennel Club Italian Greyhound Breed and Judge Karen McFarlane.
Alamo Area Toy Dog Club and Judge Dr Azaela Alvarez
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
Bexar County Kennel Club Italian Greyhound Breed and Judge Karen McFarlane.
Bexar County Kennel Club Italian Greyhound Breed and Judge Karen McFarlane.
Bexar County Kennel Club Italian Greyhound Breed and Judge Karen McFarlane.
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
Words of wisdom from a dog breeder: "Love is in the Air" Hacks for Successful Abstinence
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:
- Pants for the boys and girls
- Daily laundry
- Separate bedrooms for sleeping
- Afternoon- Dog Baths
- Evening- Special Feeding
- Before bed- Vicks Vapor
- Outdoor Fenced Turnout area
- Indoor panel Kennel
- Crate Trained
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
Personal Best for The Dainty Kids. Thank you Judge Carolyn Herbel and Nolan River Kennel Club
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
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Written and photo by Dana Taylor, owner, handler and small hobby breeder of Italian Greyhounds at her Dainty Acres Kennel in Spring Branch Texas
Dainty's Cashmere Stetson is Winners Dog under Judge Nena Dee in Glen Rose 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
What do AKC Judges Know about my Italian Greyhound?
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:
- The Judges Education Seminar
- Standard "at a glance" Diagram
- Illustrated Breed Standard
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
Dainty's Cashmere Stetson and Dainty's Cashmere Beret both go reserve winners under Judge Raymond Filburn in Belton Texas
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
Dainty's Cashmere Stetson wins Bred-By Exhibitor Best of Breed at the Toy Club of Greater Houston
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
Dainty's Cashmere Beret takes Winners Bitch at the World Series of Dog Shows in Houston
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
Dainty's Cashmere Beret takes Winners Bitch at San Antonio
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
Dainty's Cashmere Stetson wins Bexar County Kennel Club Best of Winners
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
Press Releases 2023
Greater Kerrville and the Kerrville Kennel Clubs 2023
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
Sneak Peak Summer 2023 Collection
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
What is the RAT Test?
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
Is Bigger Really Better – What is the Ideal height for an Italian Greyhound?
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
Spring Collection of Toy Breed Leashes and Martingales
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
Willie and Lucy Reunited 3/11/2023
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
#AmaylasMachiatto
#Sweethearts
Greater Kerrville Kennel Club 3/10/2023
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
Kerrville 3/9/2023
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