​Origin:
An ancient breed, the Italian Greyhound is depicted in drawings and artefacts from over 6000 years ago. This includes being included on Egyptian tombs and art from the Mediterranean.
They were known to be owned by noblemen and people of higher class.
In the 16th century, the breed was brought to Europe where it’s popularity continued to grow. From here they made their way around the world.
 
Purpose:
The Italian Greyhound was bred as a companion dog to be owned by families of wealth and to be used as a sign of stature within the community. They have also been known throughout history to hunt small game however this was never their intended purpose.

Coat care:
One of the easiest breeds to groom, the Italian Greyhound requires very little coat care. They are covered in a very fine, silky fur that repels dirt and smells. You should avoid bathing them unless absolutely necessary as they feel the cold very easily and also have natural oils to keep their coat and skin healthy. Bathing too often only damages these oils and can cause them to smell.

Health & Temperament:
Don’t let their small size deceive you, these little pocket rockets require good daily exercise. They love getting out to explore, run and play. Boundaries and rules are best to be put in place from a young age, to help them grow into a confident and well socialised little dog and to avoid little dog syndrome.
They are very affectionate breed and great as companion dogs.
There are, unfortunately, a number of health conditions the breed is prone too, including epilepsy, progressive retinal atrophy, fractures of the bones and slipped stifle. Until fully grown they can be very fragile due to their tiny frame and can easily break a bone. 

So all of us know the basic premise of a guide dog. This is a dog that we see with a visually impaired or blind person that helps them to get around. We see signs on store windows that say only guide dogs are accepted on the premises and we should all understand and know that when a guide dog is working (in their harness and / or with their jacket on) they are not to be patted (you send your love vibrationally)

But what do you know about Guide Dogs Victoria? In this Therapy Dog Thursday we share with you a little about the main organisation in Victoria that train Guide Dogs and also share with you about their Therapy Dog Program (not necessarily for the vision impaired) and how you can get involved.

Guide Dogs Victoria
Sine 1957 Guide Dogs Victoria has provided a vital service for Victorians with low vision or blindness.
But today they offer so many more community initiatives outside of training and supplying Guide Dogs, including training and education programs for the humans they support. The team at Guide Dogs Victoria work to ensure people with low vision or blindness are active and involved members of the community.
But back to what we are all really interested in – the Dogs!!!!

Did you know that not all puppies that start off training to be guide dogs will be placed with a vision impaired / blind person?
The requirements for a Guide Dog are high and exacting and not all the beautiful puppies that start the training process will be suitable for the role and responsibilities of a guide dog.
What is great about this is that they maybe suitable to be a Therapy or Companion Dog – providing much needed BUT different assistance to someone whose life would not be the same without them.
So when you see a Therapy Dog or meet a Companion Dog you might be meeting a doggo that started their training as a Guide Dog.
The team at Guide Dogs Victoria have 3 types of reclassified dogs – Therapy Dogs (including PTSD dogs), Ambassador Dogs and Companion Dogs. To be clear these dogs will be required to do different tasks to a Guide Dog and as such are not afforded the same benefits as Guide Dogs. And for dogs that are not suitable for any of these programs they then find a forever home with a loving family as a pet – which we all know the immense value of!!!

Want to Get Involved?
So there are a heap of ways that you and your family can help with raising a Guide Dog. Being a part
of raising these special dogs cannot be under estimated and we encourage you to visit the Guide Dogs Victoria website HERE!
Here you can find out about:

•  Puppy Raising – long term (12 months) or short term (be a temporary carer)
•  Volunteering – there are lots of ways you can help either for a single event or ongoing
• Fundraising – you can get involved with a fundraising event that is coming up
• Donating – there are lots of ways to make a tax-deductible donation – just check out their website.
  
  

In our next Therapy Dog Thursdays, we will share with you some of the dogs that are making a difference in the world that came through the Guide Dogs Victoria Programs. Keep your eyes open for those but in the meantime check out the Guide Dogs website and see how you can get involved.
Thanks for reading Therapy Dog Thursday – we hope you love all the wonderful things dogs do to make so many people’s lives better!

​Keep up to date with Guide Dogs Victoria at their Facebook page HERE! 

Your pooch will be performing all their best tricks to earn one of these biscuits as a treat!