Italian Greyhound Puppy Starter Kit – What to Buy to Prep for Your New Puppy

If you have decided to get an Iggy puppy, you probably can’t wait to bring your little puppy home. 

In the meantime, take your time and get ready! We have put together a list of must-haves for your Italian Greyhound puppy so you will be prepared when your puppy arrives at their forever home. Read on to find out more!

1. Dog Food

First of all, you will need food for your little puppy. We recommend to get puppy formula dog food. But which one?

There are lots of food options available: kibble, canned / wet food or raw. There are pros and cons to all of them and in the end it just comes down to

  • what your puppy tolerates and likes best,
  • your personal preference and
  • how much you are willing to spend on it. 

When your puppy arrives at their new home we recommend feeding the food brand the pup has been started on by the breeder and not to switch over to new food right away.

Why? This way you will be able to avoid tummy problems some puppies sometimes have in the beginning. Moving into their new home is already exciting enough and you don’t want to make everything even more stressful. So ask the breeder what kind they were feeding and buy the same kind.

After a week or two, when the puppy has settled in a bit, you can slowly transition to your brand of choice by adding a little bit more of the new kind each day until it’s completely switched. This slow transition process again is to avoid tummy problems as some Iggies can be very sensitive.

When choosing a dog food brand, we recommend looking for high quality food with clear labelling so you know exactly what’s in it. 

This one would be a good choice* → 

What About Treats and Chews?

For treats we would recommend to get for example dried chicken sticks that you can cut into small little pieces for your puppy.

Chews can be good for your puppy during their teething stage. We always go for natural options like bully sticks because they are easily digested and don’t splinter. But be careful your puppy doesn’t choke on it! Never let your puppy chew unattended and take it away from them when the piece becomes small enough to be swallowed in whole.

2. Feeding Supplies: Food and Water Bowl

No puppy starter kit is complete without feeding supplies. So you will definitely need a food and a water bowl.

350 ml are the perfect size for an Iggy.

The options here are endless. We recommend stainless steel bowls because they are so easy to keep clean and won’t absorb food odors and stains.

Nello’s food and water bowl

We have this one* → 

The good thing here is that the stainless steel bowls can be removed which makes it even easier to clean. The black part has rubber rings on the bottom to prevent slipping and sliding.

3. Dog Bed

Even though Iggies will mostly sleep on the couch or in your bed (if you let them of course), we recommend getting at least one dog bed so they will have their own little space.

Nello loves his bed

When choosing a dog bed for your Iggy puppy keep in mind that Iggies love soft materials. It can never be soft enough for them. 

This one looks like a great choice* → 

How Big Should a Bed Be for an Italian Greyhound?

It’s hard to tell how big the bed for your Italian Greyhound should be. Some dogs like to curl up while others want to be able to fully stretch out. So the following sizes are just recommendations based on “the average Iggy”:

  • Round Bed – For a round bed a diameter of 40 to 45 cm (about 16 to 18 inches) should be good for standard sized Italian Greyhounds.
  • Normal Bed – For a normal bed we chose one with outer dimensions of 70 x 50 cm (27 x 18 inches) and inner dimensions of 50 x 33 cm (18 x 13 inches).

4. Soft Blankets

And because Italian Greyhounds love it soft and warm, you should get at least one soft dog blanket.

Hiding under the blanket

No matter how warm it is, Iggies love being cuddled up in a blanket. 

Check out this cozy blanket* → 

5. Collar with an ID-Tag

When choosing a collar for your Iggy puppy, we would not recommend to go for the super expensive high quality leather one right away as they will grow out of it super fast anyway. Besides, puppies chew on everything and they might get their little shark teeth on that too. Therefore a soft adjustable collar is a good pick for the beginning. 

Once your puppy is fully grown you can opt for something different such as a leather collar. We waited until Nello was 1 year old to get him his first leather collar. The collection has grown quite a bit since then 😉

What Kind of Collar Is Best for Italian Greyhounds?

Because of their long and skinny necks it’s important to choose a collar that is soft and wider than normal ones. Ideally you get one that can be altered in size. 

This could be a good fit* → 

Get an ID-tag as well which has your telephone number on it. Just in case! 

Nello’s first collar

To find out whether a collar or a harness is better, check this post!

6. Leashes: Normal & Long Training Lead

Leashes for Italian Greyhounds should be thin and lightweight with a small hook. We would recommend to get two types of leashes:

7. Toys

Puppies want to play all the time so we would at least get a few toys for them to play with and to keep themselves entertained.

Chew toys are helpful when they start teething. This one is a great option* as you can also hide treats in it which will keep your puppy busy.

The first toy we ever got for Nello was a rope toy like this one*. He loved it and we played lots and lots of tug-of-war with it.

Puppy Starter Kit

8. Nail Clipper

Italian Greyhounds are pretty low maintenance. However, you will have to cut their nails regularly. We use a nail clipper like this one* → 

9. Tooth Brush with Canine Toothpaste

Italian Greyhounds are generally a very healthy breed. They are prone to dental diseases though. To avoid problems, we recommend to brush their teeth at least once a week.

To get them used to it, start brushing their teeth when they are a puppy! You can simply use a soft childrens’ toothbrush but make sure you use canine toothpaste*.

Alternatively, you can also buy this Electric Toothbrush with ultrasound technology*. It’s completely silent (no noise, no vibration, nothing!) and helps you remove plaque effectively. Don’t expect wonders, but it really is a convenient tool that we use regularly in Nello’s teeth cleaning routine.

What you will need to clean your Italian Greyhound’s Teeth

10. Dog Camera 

To teach your dog to be home alone and prevent separation anxiety a dog camera can be very helpful. 

You can watch what your dog is doing, receive push notifications when they are barking and even talk to them over the app.

Check out this one* → 

If you don’t want to spend money on a dog camera you can simply use two phones or tablets and make a video call or use an app like Dog Monitor. We used it before we got a camera but the quality and angle just wasn’t as good.

Conclusion on Italian Greyhound Puppy Starter Kit – The Better You Are Prepared the Easier It Will Be 

With these items you will be well prepared for an easy start into your new life with your little Italian Greyhound puppy. Of course you don’t have to get the exact same items, they are just examples of what you could get and what we bought for Nello.

*This link is an affiliate link. This means if you click on it and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we love and believe will be of value to you. Thanks for your support!