The Italian Greyhound once enjoyed the status of a royal dog in Spanish and Italian courthouses but today, it is mainly used as a house pet or a hunting companion.
Want to know the exact Italian Greyhound cost? Looking for Italian Greyhound puppies for sale? Don’t know how to budget for an Italian Greyhound puppy? Then this guide will answer all your questions.
How Much Does an Italian Greyhound Puppy Cost?
A potential dog owner can expect to pay between $1000 and $3000 for a purebred Italian Greyhound puppy from a reputed breeder.
Pet-quality Italian Greyhound puppies can cost between $600-$1200 whereas show-quality Greyhounds will cost higher. The price also depends on the Italian Greyhound size.
The average monthly cost of owning an Italian Greyhound puppy can fall between $40 and $300. In your dog’s first year, you’d have additional expenses such as spaying/neutering, dog training, and vaccination costs.
Therefore, you can expect to pay between $1050 and $4500 for your Italian Greyhound in the first year. Thereafter, the cost drops a bit – expect to pay between $900 and $2500 for your Italian Greyhound puppy mainly for food, vet bills, pet insurance, etc.
Italian Greyhound’s life expectancy is between 12-15 years. So, you can expect to budget for an amount between $10,000 and $37,500 over its lifetime.
Italian Greyhounds Price and Initial Costs
The first cost to consider when you set out to buy or adopt an Italian Greyhound is the puppy price or the Italian Greyhound adoption fees.
As mentioned before, a Greyhound puppy could set you back by $1000 to $3000 depending on the breeder. A reputable breeder conducts genetic tests and other health checks to ensure a healthy litter. This costs money and therefore Italian Greyhound puppies purchased from a reputed breeder will cost more than puppies in pet shops or from backyard breeders.
You can also adopt an adult Italian Greyhound – most American Kennel Club rescue shelters charge a small adoption fee for rehoming pets. This fee isn’t more than $500 and it sometimes covers the dog’s spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and deworming too.
Cost of Basic Supplies
Your little puppy will not need much other than your love and attention but having certain supplies can help you make it more comfortable.
- Bowls for food and water – $10 and $30
- Crate and bed – $50 to $400
- Leash, collar, harness – $20 to $50
- Dental chews and toys – $10 to $40
- Grooming items – brush/shampoo/clippers – $20 to $50
Italian Greyhound Cost of Dog Training
Italian Greyhounds’ cost of upkeep should also include dog training costs. There are different types of dog training so you can expect to pay different amounts for the same.
- Individual training sessions – $30-$80 per class
- Private professional training at home with an expert trainer – $45 to $120 per hour
- 6-week training at PetCo – $149 but a special discounted price of $80 is also available from time to time.
- 6-week dog training at PetSmart – $120
- Service dog training – 8 sessions for $250
- Board and train – $500-$1250 per week.
Medical Expenses for Italian Greyhound
In your puppy’s first year, you will need to take it to the vet for spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and other routine checkups. Over your pet’s lifetime, it will need booster shots for certain vaccines.
Some of these are mandated by the state and others are recommended for certain areas where the disease is prevalent. You also need to spend on parasite prevention. This includes flea/tick/lice prevention and internal parasite prevention like roundworms, hookworms, etc.
- Vaccination – $45 to $200
- Spaying/neutering $100 to $500
- Additional vet visits – $100 to $200
- Blood tests – $100 to $200
- Flea-tick prevention – $45 to $200 per year
- Deworming – $8 to $55 every 3 months
- Emergency vet bills/hospitalization -$1000 to $4000
You can save money on many of these medical costs by purchasing pet insurance. Pet insurance premium on average is $30-$50 per month. Study the plan benefits thoroughly before buying.
Food Costs for Italian Greyhounds
Food costs can vary widely depending on the kind of food you buy for your Italian Greyhound. Your Italian greyhound size and dog’s age will also decide how much food you need to buy.
You can choose from pocket-friendly dry dog food (kibble) or wet or canned food. Some dog owners also choose BARF or a raw diet. You also can have specially prepared dog food delivered daily to your doorstep. This service naturally costs more.
- Dry dog food – Monthly between $40 and $60 or annually $500 to $800
- Canned food – $150 to $300 monthly.
- Raw food – $100-$250 a month
- Treats – $10 to $50 a month.
Other Costs of Owning Italian Greyhounds
As a dog owner, it is also important to budget for some other costs you might incur over your Greyhound’s lifetime.
- Emergency vet bills – No one likes to think of these. However, your dog could swallow something toxic or get hit by a vehicle. Pet insurance could cover these costs but set aside at least $500 for such emergencies.
- Pet boarding/travel/pet sitter costs – If you travel for work or vacation, then you need to board your Italian Greyhound at the pet hostel. Charges are $30-$65 per night. Pet sitters can also charge between $45-$75 per day. Traveling by air with your Italian Greyhound can cost $125 to $250 for a one-way trip.
- Dog walker – A dog walker is important to keep your Italian Greyhound active – especially if you are too busy to walk your pet. Most charge between $10 and $40 for a short walk.
- Grooming – The Italian Greyhound’s coat does not need too much grooming. You can manage basic grooming at home to save money. However, if you do opt to take your dog for professional grooming, then expect to pay between $30-$65 for basic grooming like bath, ear cleaning, nail trimming, etc.
- Apartment/rental deposit fees – Landlords could charge between $200-$300 as deposit fees for potential damage by pets to the property.
Summary of Italian Greyhound Price
If you’re thinking of bringing home an Italian Greyhound, then it is important to first ensure you can afford it.
Expect to pay between $1000 and $3000 for a purebred Italian Greyhound from a reputed breeder. The average monthly cost of owning an Italian Greyhound can fall between $40 and $300.
The first-year cost of owning this dog breed can fall between $1050 and $4500. Thereafter, the cost drops a bit so you can expect to pay between $900 and $2500 each year on food, vet bills, pet insurance, etc. Since the average lifespan of an Italian Greyhound is between 12-15 years, the lifetime cost of owning one can fall between $10,000 and $37,500.