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Min Pin & Italian Greyhound Mix: Info, Pictures, Facts, & Traits

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

Min Pin & Italian Greyhound Mix

Height: 12–15 inches
Weight: 10–15 pounds
Lifespan: 12–14 years
Colors: Tan, gray, white, chocolate, red, beige, black
Suitable for: Families with older children, seniors looking for a companion
Temperament: Loyal, loving, mild-mannered, playful, active

The Italian Min Pin is a hybrid breed that combines the Italian Greyhound and the Miniature Pinscher. Like other hybrid breeds, it is quite new, but we can take a lot of information and guidance from the parent breeds.

The Italian Greyhound is very mild-mannered, to the point of being shy and somewhat submissive. They tend to be very quiet, can adapt to life in an apartment, and get on with the whole family. They are considered a good breed for first-time owners because of their peaceful nature. The Miniature Pinscher is different. He tends to be the alpha dog, can be rough, and because of his history as a ratter, he can be quite driven and very active. He tends to bark a lot more readily than the Italian Grey.

The alpha dog characteristics of the Miniature Pinscher breed also come to the fore in hybrid breeding, which means that you are likely, although not guaranteed, to end up with a dog that will need extra training for the active Pinscher, but will require additional socializing for the Greyhound.

Divider 1Italian Grey Min Pin Puppies

Energy
Trainability
Health
Lifespan
Sociability

The Italian Grey Min Pin is still a rare breed, and it is relatively unknown. As such, they are not in high demand. This does mean that they can be difficult to locate, but if you do find a reputable breeder, it also means that these dogs are going to be lower priced than some other breeds.

Choosing the right breeder is important. A reputable breeder will have had the puppy’s parents screened for common health problems. They will also keep the parents and puppies in good living conditions, which helps ensure that the puppies will grow up to be healthy and well-adjusted.

Meeting any dog before adopting them is important. You are committing to a life together, so you both need to be happy. You can also take the opportunity to ask the breeder any questions you have. If they are a good breeder, they will answer your questions, and possibly ask a few of their own to be sure that you’re adopting the right breed for you.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Italian Grey Min Pin

1. The Italian Greyhound Is the Smallest Sighthound

While a lot of breeds hunt by scent, sighthounds hunt primarily by using their sight and speed. They can run fast enough to keep up with their prey, and they keep their eyes on whatever they are chasing, as long as they are chasing. The sighthound class includes greyhounds and whippets, but the Italian Greyhound is the smallest of all the sighthounds.

The exact origins of the breed are lost, but it is likely that they were bred to chase small game and some vermin, as well as for their companionship. Today, sighthounds, including the Italian Greyhound, are known for their prey drive. They love to chase anything that runs. While this might not be a problem when they’re chasing a ball or a toy, it can become a problem if they enjoy chasing cats, which will instinctively run away from a charging greyhound.

They might be small, often called miniature, but they have the same drives as other sighthounds so do take care if you let them off the leash.


2. Italian Greyhounds Do Not Need as Much Exercise as You Expect

There is a fairly common misconception about all greyhounds and sighthounds, that they need tons and tons of exercise every single day. As well as relying on their sight, these dogs also use their speed when hunting, compared to other classes of hound that tend to rely on stamina.

The Italian Greyhound can turn an incredible pace, but they cannot maintain it for too long, and their exercise will replicate this. They will enjoy charging around at full speed, but they won’t want to do it for hours on end. They tend to do better when given plenty of short bursts of energetic exercise in a day.


3. The Miniature Pinscher Is Not a Doberman

The Miniature Pinscher is often described as a miniature Doberman, but they are a very different and distinct breed. In fact, they do originate from the Old German Standard Pinscher, and so too does the Doberman, but they are not bred from the Doberman.

While they might not have Doberman heritage, historians agree that it is very likely that they do have Italian Greyhound in their lineage. It is likely that breeders introduced the Italian Grey for their speed and agility, but also to maintain the small stature of the Miniature Pinscher breed. They do share some characteristics with the Doberman, though, such as their strength, although it is obviously scaled-down in comparison to the much larger breed.

Parent Breeds of the Italian Min Pin
Image Credit: Jumpstory

Temperament & Intelligence of the Italian Grey Min Pin 🧠

The Italian Grey Min Pin combines the characteristics of both parent breeds. This means that he can display traits of either or both parents, but the Pinscher tends to be the more dominant force in the hybrid. This means that this mix is a highly energetic dog, can be stubborn and a little challenging to train, and will be more inclined to be vocal than the Italian Greyhound is.

They will need early socialization and plenty of training, and you should always be prepared for a high prey drive because both parent breeds instinctively want to chase smaller animals. Training will help with this, while socialization will ensure that the shy Italian Greyhound doesn’t become socially anxious.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

The Italian Grey Min Pin makes a good family dog, especially for those families with older children. They can mix very well with small children, but this tends to yield the best results when both child and dog are young.

Even the Italian Greyhound is prone to moments of hyperactivity, so you should supervise the time your dog spends with really young children to ensure that there are no accidental bumps or collisions. Young children who do not know how to act around dogs yet also tend to grab at ears and other extremities. This can lead to pain for your dog and may even lead to snapping.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets? 🐶 😽

The Italian Grey Min Pin will get along with other dogs, although the Miniature Pinscher will want to be the alpha dog in any relationship. Ensure any initial meeting is calm and friendly and, if possible, get both dogs as puppies at the same time. If they grow up together, they will form a better understanding than if they are introduced later in life.

Your dog will have a high prey drive, and this can cause a problem if you have cats, but especially if you have smaller animals like rats or ferrets. Your dog will want to investigate the animals, at the very least, and they will want to give chase if they run away. Even if this chasing is unaggressive, it can lead to anxiety for the smaller animal.

Divider 4Things to Know When Owning an Italian Grey Min Pin:

The Italian Grey Min Pin not only adopts social traits from his parent breeds but also physical ones as well. The parents are slim and have a narrow head, and your dog will have the same body.

Their ears prick up when listening, but will fold down if they’re ignoring you, which is always a good way to determine whether they are paying attention during training. They can make great family pets, but there are some factors that you need to be aware of before taking one of these beautiful small dogs into your home.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Although these dogs can be very energetic, they only have moderate dietary requirements because they are a small breed. Feed approximately one cup of good quality dry food each day, and don’t forget that if you give them treats, this should be taken off their daily food allowance.

Puppies need more protein, and if you use your Italian Grey Min Pin as a working dog, for catching rats, or for any other working purpose, they will have higher protein requirements than other breeds. Protein is used for building and maintaining muscle. As your dog ages, their protein requirements lessen, and you can feed a specialist senior dog food to ensure that you’re getting the right balance.

Exercise 🐕

The Italian Greyhound requires less exercise than most people think because it is all about quick bursts of high speed. In contrast, the Miniature Pinscher has very high energy requirements, and it is likely that you will get a dog with a lot of stamina. They will need a good outlet to run their energy off, and this means that you should expect to provide an hour and a half of intense exercise a day. This can include walks or runs, and if you have a yard, you can also incorporate training and exercise at home to help tire them out.

Both breeds and the subsequent hybrid breed, perform well in agility and other active exercise classes. Consider signing them up for these classes, because they exercise the mind as well as the body, which is also important with intelligent dog breeds.

Training 🦮

Training is important with any dog breed, but especially with hounds and those with a high prey drive, and for those that want to dominate. The Italian Greyhound is not a dominant dog but does have a high prey drive. The Miniature Pinscher has both. As such, training is vital. It will help ensure that you have good recall, should your dog get away and chase after a neighbor’s cat.

Training will also keep your dog mentally stimulated, and it can be used to provide physical exercise too. Fortunately, the Italian Grey Min Pin is a loving and attentive dog that wants to please their master, and this makes them easier to train.

Grooming ✂️

The breed has short and straight hair that is easy to maintain even for a first-time dog owner. Brush him every week to remove loose hair, because this can become matted and knotted if left unattended. Beyond this, your dog should not require any special grooming to ensure he continues to look his best and feels comfortable.

You should check your dog’s ears for signs of mites and any buildup of wax or gunk. Check them weekly and clean them with a damp cloth, if required. You should avoid bathing your dog because it strips away the natural oils that are present in their coat. Bathe only when absolutely necessary.

You will need to pay attention to the length of your dog’s claws. You will know when claws have got too long and need trimming because you will be able to hear them when walking on hard surfaces. Get the clippers out and keep the claws short to prevent injury to your dog and family.

Health and Conditions ❤️

The Italian Grey Min Pin has a life expectancy of between 12 and 14 years, and they are considered a generally healthy dog. However, looking at both parent breeds, you should keep an eye out for signs of the following conditions and ailments:

Minor Conditions
  • Skin diseases
  • Congenital eye defects
  • Periodontal disease
Serious Conditions
  • Epilepsy
  • Mitral valve disease

Male vs Female

The male Italian Grey Min Pin is likely to grow a little larger than the female, but both will remain very small, and there are no real differences in terms of behavior or attitude.

Divider 3

Final Thoughts on the Italian Grey Min Pin

The Italian Grey Min Pin is a hybrid that crosses the sweet and sometimes shy Italian Greyhound, with the more raucous but loving and attentive Miniature Pinscher. The resulting breed is an active and lively dog with plenty of character. The combination of breeds means that your dog will require early and ongoing socialization, as well as plenty of training so that you can enjoy a well-behaved and well-adjusted dog.

The breed requires little in the way of maintenance, thanks to the short hair, and they are generally considered to be healthy dogs with plenty of energy and love.

This type of breed is best suited to families, preferably with older children, and they will also make an excellent companion for seniors. They take well to agility and enjoy long walks, but they will also be very happy to get home and spend time on the chair with their owner. They are considered a reasonable dog for first-time owners, although their training requirements can make them a bit of a challenge.

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Featured Image Credit: Miniature Pinscher (Pixabay), Italian Greyhound (Pixabay)

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