Italian Greyhound: A Complete and Reliable Handbook (Complete Handbook) [Hardcover]

Dean Keppler (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: TFH Publications (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793807891
• ISBN-13: 978-0793807895
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #755,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars careless representation, October 18, 2004

By 

Jessica Goodman Lee - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Italian Greyhound: A Complete and Reliable Handbook (Complete Handbook) (Hardcover)

As a veterinary hospital manager and owner of a 5 yr old IG, I am always looking for new material on the breed. I adore my IG, but she definitely has some "issues" that separate her from other breeds. This book does not mention the horrific difficulty owners have trying to potty train their IGs; this is by far the major reason that they are surrendered! The book says that they can be trained to go outdoors in the cold....I say "good luck!" This book says that they aren't fragile, but IGs are known to break their long, thin legs without doing anything out of the ordinary - mine has broken the same leg twice just jumping off the bed (which she does multiple times per day). The book mentions they have special dental needs, which is true, but it does not indicate just how costly this can be. IGs may be sweet, but they are also prone to neurosis. The fact that the book does not mention any of the above issues is irresponsible in my book;this is not an easy breed to own and it is important not to mislead readers BEFORE they go out and get a pup.
I was even more upset that not once did this book discuss spay/neuter of your pup, nor did it mention rescue organizations as an option for adopting an IG. Almost every state has an IG rescue group (for all of the dogs given up due to behavioral issues, potty training, etc). As far as spay/neuter, I know several male IGs that were neutered later in life and have to wear a sock velcroed around their middle because they mark everything in sight. It is careless to write a book that does not discuss sterilization at a young age - if nothing else than for health reasons such as mammary and prostate cancer.
As wonderful as they are, I consider IGs to be "special needs" dogs - not once is this portrayed in the book.

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good; not too bad, April 6, 2003

By 

"blackarrow017" (Hogwarts, location not disclosed for muggle protection) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Italian Greyhound: A Complete and Reliable Handbook (Complete Handbook) (Hardcover)

I bought this book after I had decided I was interested in Italian Greyhounds. It was pretty good, has lots of information if you plan on purchasing an Italian Greyhound puppy, however, there are a few statements made in this book that I disagreed with.

One statement was on the fact that you should buy an Italian Greyhound puppy instead of an adult because "you can train it the way you want to." He did not bring up the topic of the Italian Greyhound Club of America rescue.

The author seemed rather one-sided and wrote only on how he did things, not other possiblities. For instance--crate training. He did not mention that Italian Greyhounds can be litter box trained as well, or even go into that subject.

The book was whoppingly based on his experience, while I appreciate that, what works for one owner does not work for another, and I was looking for more research, which I did not find.

Also, there were no "further resources" for further information on Italian Greyhounds, such as the Italian Greyhound Post, IGCA, or other resources.

It is still a pretty good book if you are interested in the basic information of the breed, such as breeding and show standards, and there are some nice pictures, but I don't think it's worth the cover price.

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intro to the IG, January 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Italian Greyhound: A Complete and Reliable Handbook (Complete Handbook) (Hardcover)

This is the first book that I have read soley dedecated to the Italian Greyhound (IG). The book had lots of photos. The book was very informative into the personality of the IG. I also enjoyed the info on the care of the IG. If your considering a IG or you have one this is a very informative book for you to have.