Rhamah Italian Greyhounds

01/26/2024

Come see us this weekend at the Javits Center in NYC for Meet the Breeds! For more info visit https://www.akc.org/sports/akc-meet-the-breeds/

11/01/2023

Annie is an adoptable Dog - Italian Greyhound searching for a forever family near Raleigh, NC. Use Petfinder to find adoptable pets in your area.

10/03/2023

09/22/2023

Rhamah Allegra was WB/BW for a 4 point major this morning!!!! She liked the judge, too, which is a rare thing….

09/12/2023

Pit stop in Missouri … Diva

09/01/2023

THIS IS A PSA

Puppies bite. They bite a lot. They bite hard. Their teeth are sharp. You might bleed. It might seem relentless.

Scaring the pants off them by yelling, pinning, shoving or shouting will not only do precisely zero, it will potentially create a fearful adult dog.

Puppies bite more when;
They are tired
They are hungry
They are bored
They are overstimulated
They are teething

Read that again. They bite MORE when they are the above. They will also bite when they are absolutely fine. They are dogs not dolls.

Be compassionate not scary. They will grow out of it but only if you teach them a good alternative. Trade for toys. Use a pen or a crate. Teach calmness. Reward gentle interactions. Grit your own teeth and ride it out while reinforcing good stuff and proactively managing bad stuff.

Be proactive when you know biting happens like after some play, when excitement goes up, when they are overtired (7-9pm witching hour anyone?) and give them a good chew or help them settle, or channel that energy into some training.

It does get better basically. Don’t panic. Most puppy biting isn’t aggression. Be CONSISTENT and PROACTIVE and expect more than a few bites along the way.

Signed,
Aalto the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (aka the ginger shark)

08/04/2023

UC DAVIS DNA TEST DISCOUNTS FOR ITALIAN GREYHOUNDS, STARTING SEPTEMBER 1!
It's that time of year again! Yes, UC Davis will be offering discounts to the DNA Health Panels offered for Italian Greyhounds during our IGCA National Specialty month (September). There will be no coupon code, but starting September 1 and through September 30, the price discount will be automatically reflected in the shopping cart to the prices below.

Limited time prices: from 9/1/23 to 9/30/23
$40 for one test (FEH, SPRA, or PCAG)
$30 for an additional test
$55 for Canine Genetic Diversity Panel
$90 for the IG Health panel (includes 3 tests: FEH, SPRA, or PCAG).

For more information about each of the DNA tests offered by UC Davis:

Susceptibility to PRA (SPRA)
https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pra-susceptibility-ig

Familial Enamel Hypoplasia (FEH)
https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/feh-ig

Susceptibility to Primary Closed Angle Glaucoma (PCAG)
https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pcag-susceptibility-ig

Canine Genetic Diversity Panel
https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/canine-genetic-diversity/italian-greyhound

Discounted prices will apply at checkout: no coupon code required.

Note: these are not DNA tests to determine purebred status of dogs, they are DNA tests for specific health problems within the Italian Greyhound breed that are utilized by breeders to help reduce incidence of these health problems in future generations.

07/27/2023

Still missing, Kennesaw, GA…

07/19/2023

This looks like a great class for IG owners struggling with indoor elimination issues….

Don't do it! Don't do it! It all happens so fast...you're in the training building or competition venue and everything's going great UNTIL your dog's leg lifts! 😣

Has this happened to you? So embarrassing right? Not to mention it can be an instant disqualification depending on your sport!

Urine-marking is a normal and instinctual behavior but changing that behavior can be very hard after habits have already been formed.

Need help with a chronic leg-lifter or squatter? Check out this week's webinar, Hold It! Working in a No-Pee Zone, with Julie Symons. This webinar will break down common suggestions, go over proactive ways to change their behavior or prevent it in the first place, review how our handling can help or hinder, and test if your dog truly understands when they are in a No-pee zone!

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3RFofBI

06/06/2023

05/19/2023

Bringing home a new puppy can be so rewarding in so many ways. It’s always heartwarming and fulfilling to watch your baby dog grow into an adult, but there can also be bumps in the road through the puppy raising process. Puppies can be a bit mischievous, and playing “keepaway” with stolen item...

05/11/2023

For people getting a puppy….

Madcap University

05/07/2023

Italian Greyhounds sometimes don’t enjoy walking on lead in busy areas. They are typically standoffish with strangers. They may be uncomfortable with dogs that rush straight at them (with good reason) and are definitely at risk of looking like prey to other dogs at the dog park. Think carefully about what your expectations are before choosing an Italian Greyhound (or any other dog).

Can we please stop expecting that EVERY dog wants to go to dog parks, daycares, patio parties and have birthday parties with other dogs! Nobody loves dogs more than me, but I’m here to tell you that dogs aren’t human children. They don’t want to do everything a human child does. Breed can matter when deciding what is fun for your best friend. Your Husky may have the energy to run, your Retriever may want to retrieve and your terrier may want to chase and grab. So yes, raising them with kindness is paramount, but paying attention to their needs is too. I said it.

This mentality that every dog has to be “social” with other people and dogs is keeping my shelter full, my days long and my heart broken, because I see the best dogs passed over, because they wouldn’t do well at a dog park or daycare. Not every dog needs to like your friends. I keep my dog in his room when people come over, because he isn’t comfortable around everyone, and I don’t want to set him up for failure. Love your dog enough to respect her boundaries.

Your dog doesn’t want to meet every dog. The reality show you watched about dog training and dog adoption is fake, I’ve worked in television, it’s edited to create a good story, not necessarily a real story. Let’s stop these narratives on dog ownership that are SOLD to us and based on making money. Dogs aren’t a business they are our best friends. Remember that.

Your dog can be perfectly safe and happy without overstimulating daycare or doggy birthday parties. Those things are fun for some dogs, but not for all. I want to take my dog everywhere, I want to give my dog the things I would want, but for the love of dogs in shelters everywhere, let’s ask dogs what do they REALLY want?

Dogs want more sniffs, waterlogged sticks, a quiet place to decompress, a space to stretch their legs and you to respect their body language and boundaries. They are talking to you…listen.

05/03/2023

03/07/2023

https://madcapuniversity.com/blogs/articles-and-product-reviews/what-if-i-catch-my-puppy-in-the-act?goal=0_b25a3d5b55-5742de847d-118370165&mc_cid=5742de847d&mc_eid=4efa6e7d81

Would you like us to email you occasionally with Madcap University news?

03/06/2023

This week, I had the great privilege of joining an amazing panel of brilliant minds to talk about living with and loving Sensitive Dogs!

Follow the link below to listen in on this discussion with trainers extraordinare Amy Cook, Barbara Lloyd, Dresden Graff and host, Melissa Breau, as we talk about what makes Sensitive Dogs tick, how we can best help them, and a whole lot more!

We get nerdy, but we also stay practical. Enjoy!

https://fenzidogsports.libsyn.com/e302-diamond-in-the-ruff-loving-and-living-with-sensitive-dogs

02/10/2023

Would you like us to email you occasionally with Madcap University news?

02/09/2023

Beware that up to 80 percent of websites advertising dogs for sale online are actually nothing more than puppy scams. Here's how to spot them.