Italian Greyhound History
Hounds similar to Italian Greyhounds are believed to have originated in Egypt around 3,000BC.
It is believed that the Romans brought the hounds to the Mediterranean around 600 BC. Archaeologists have discovered art works and carvings from this period and bones of the small hounds. In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and obliterated the ancient Roman resort town of Pompeii. In the lava flow the remains of a petite hound were discovered. It is thought that the Latin inscription "Cave Canem" or Beware of the Dog, which was found on houses of that period, was not a warning but a reminder not to step on the miniature hound. In 48 BC Queen Cleopatra presented Julius Caesar with Italian Greyhound puppies after he had conquered Egypt. The Middle Ages saw the Italian Greyhound in Southern Europe. Because of its popularity in Italy it became known as the Italian Greyhound and reached its height of popularity in the 17th Century. The hounds appeared in European royal houses and became a decoration of aristocratic salons, often appearing with their titled owners. Catherine the Great of Russia 1729-96 had her favourite Italian Greyhound "Zemira" buried in Peterhof Park and a porcelain figurine of the hound kept in the Grand Hall of the Peterhof Palace. Italian Greyhounds can be seen in the paintings of Ambrogio Giotto 1267-1337, Rogier Van der Weyden 1399-1464, Hans Memling 1440-94, Hieronymus Bosch 1450-1516, Gerard David 1460-1523, Vittore Carpaccio 1472-1526, Sir AnthonyVan Dyck 1599-1641, Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-92, William Blake 1757-1827. Pierre Jukes Menè 1810-77 made several bronze sculptures of Italian Greyhounds. The artist Theodor Kärner 1884-1966 who worked for Rosenthal of Germany created some beautifully detailed figures of Italian Greyhounds in porcelain.
Hounds are dogs that were originally bred to hunt and the Italian Greyhound has a strong instinct to chase and hunt. The breed is the smallest of the family of sighthounds or gazehounds (dogs that hunt by sight). It is thought that they were originally bred to hunt small game as well as being a companion hound.
Italian Greyhounds were first shown in England at the Birmingham Dog Show in 1860. In Australia at the Sydney Royal Show in 1868. The American Kennel Club registered the first Italian Greyhound in 1886. In St Petersburg, Russia there is now an annual holiday held on the 27 July in honour of the Russian Empress Catherine's Italian Greyhound "Zemira".
My History
My husband and I have always owned pure bred dogs, from the two German Shepherds we bought together before we were married, to the collection of dogs we own today.
Our love of German Shorthaired Pointers began in 1986, when I bought a puppy while my husband was away on business. Fortunately, as soon as he saw the beautiful pup, who we called "Juno", he fell in love with her and the breed, just as I had done.
In 1998, I was introduced to Anne Raymond, a breeder of GSP's, who agreed to give me a bitch to get me started with showing and breeding. The bitch's name was Caddie (Valache Cadbriella - she was a lovely dark chocolate colour), and she produced, in four litters, 34 pups. She also fostered a litter of 7 German Shepherds, when their dam bloated immediately after delivering the litter. Sadly, Caddie is no longer with us, having died at the grand old age of 13 years and 8 months. I showed 3 different GSP's over several years, but was not very successful, due partly to the quality of the opposition, and partly to my inexperience.
It was with the thought of creating a dynasty of GSP's that I registered the kennel prefix "Lamarque", which is the name of a beautiful creamy white rose.
However, as luck would have it . . .
Midway through 2004, I bumped into a lady at my local vet's office - she was there
getting a litter of pups vaccinated, I was there donating more money to my vet's new car. I thought her pups were gorgeous, and asked her what they were and where she got them. They were Italian Greyhounds, and she got them from Chris and Dave Scott of Tunamara Kennels, just as I would go on to do. She gave me Chris's phone number and email address, I got in touch, and the rest, as they say, is history ! !
My first two dogs, Tully (Ch Tunamara Juliette) and Aston (Ch Tunamara Aston Martin) gave me the success in the showring that I was never able to achieve with my GSP's. I have gone on to title more dogs of my own and others' prefixes including the boy I imported from New Zealand, and dogs that I now own from Berizza Kennels in NSW.
And to think I used to say I didn't like little dogs . . . . . .
email me
It is believed that the Romans brought the hounds to the Mediterranean around 600 BC. Archaeologists have discovered art works and carvings from this period and bones of the small hounds. In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and obliterated the ancient Roman resort town of Pompeii. In the lava flow the remains of a petite hound were discovered. It is thought that the Latin inscription "Cave Canem" or Beware of the Dog, which was found on houses of that period, was not a warning but a reminder not to step on the miniature hound. In 48 BC Queen Cleopatra presented Julius Caesar with Italian Greyhound puppies after he had conquered Egypt. The Middle Ages saw the Italian Greyhound in Southern Europe. Because of its popularity in Italy it became known as the Italian Greyhound and reached its height of popularity in the 17th Century. The hounds appeared in European royal houses and became a decoration of aristocratic salons, often appearing with their titled owners. Catherine the Great of Russia 1729-96 had her favourite Italian Greyhound "Zemira" buried in Peterhof Park and a porcelain figurine of the hound kept in the Grand Hall of the Peterhof Palace. Italian Greyhounds can be seen in the paintings of Ambrogio Giotto 1267-1337, Rogier Van der Weyden 1399-1464, Hans Memling 1440-94, Hieronymus Bosch 1450-1516, Gerard David 1460-1523, Vittore Carpaccio 1472-1526, Sir AnthonyVan Dyck 1599-1641, Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-92, William Blake 1757-1827. Pierre Jukes Menè 1810-77 made several bronze sculptures of Italian Greyhounds. The artist Theodor Kärner 1884-1966 who worked for Rosenthal of Germany created some beautifully detailed figures of Italian Greyhounds in porcelain.
Hounds are dogs that were originally bred to hunt and the Italian Greyhound has a strong instinct to chase and hunt. The breed is the smallest of the family of sighthounds or gazehounds (dogs that hunt by sight). It is thought that they were originally bred to hunt small game as well as being a companion hound.
Italian Greyhounds were first shown in England at the Birmingham Dog Show in 1860. In Australia at the Sydney Royal Show in 1868. The American Kennel Club registered the first Italian Greyhound in 1886. In St Petersburg, Russia there is now an annual holiday held on the 27 July in honour of the Russian Empress Catherine's Italian Greyhound "Zemira".
My History
My husband and I have always owned pure bred dogs, from the two German Shepherds we bought together before we were married, to the collection of dogs we own today.
Our love of German Shorthaired Pointers began in 1986, when I bought a puppy while my husband was away on business. Fortunately, as soon as he saw the beautiful pup, who we called "Juno", he fell in love with her and the breed, just as I had done.
In 1998, I was introduced to Anne Raymond, a breeder of GSP's, who agreed to give me a bitch to get me started with showing and breeding. The bitch's name was Caddie (Valache Cadbriella - she was a lovely dark chocolate colour), and she produced, in four litters, 34 pups. She also fostered a litter of 7 German Shepherds, when their dam bloated immediately after delivering the litter. Sadly, Caddie is no longer with us, having died at the grand old age of 13 years and 8 months. I showed 3 different GSP's over several years, but was not very successful, due partly to the quality of the opposition, and partly to my inexperience.
It was with the thought of creating a dynasty of GSP's that I registered the kennel prefix "Lamarque", which is the name of a beautiful creamy white rose.
However, as luck would have it . . .
Midway through 2004, I bumped into a lady at my local vet's office - she was there
getting a litter of pups vaccinated, I was there donating more money to my vet's new car. I thought her pups were gorgeous, and asked her what they were and where she got them. They were Italian Greyhounds, and she got them from Chris and Dave Scott of Tunamara Kennels, just as I would go on to do. She gave me Chris's phone number and email address, I got in touch, and the rest, as they say, is history ! !
My first two dogs, Tully (Ch Tunamara Juliette) and Aston (Ch Tunamara Aston Martin) gave me the success in the showring that I was never able to achieve with my GSP's. I have gone on to title more dogs of my own and others' prefixes including the boy I imported from New Zealand, and dogs that I now own from Berizza Kennels in NSW.
And to think I used to say I didn't like little dogs . . . . . .
email me
