The little Italian Greyhound descends from small-sized greyhounds which already existed in ancient Egypt at the court of the Pharaohs. Passing through Laconie (Greece), where numerous representations on vases and bowls confirm this, the breed arrived in Italy at the outset of the 5th century BC. Its greatest development occured during the era of the Renaissance at the court of the nobles. It is not rare to find the Italian Greyhounds represented in the paintings of the greatest Italian and foreign masters.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Of an elongated shape, its body fits into a square and its forms recall, in miniature, those of the Greyhound and the Sloughi. May be considered as a model of grace and distinction.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Reserved, affectionate, docile.

SKIN : Fine and tight on all parts of the body except for the elbows where it is slightly less tight.

COAT

HAIR : The hair is short and fine all over the body without the slightest trace of fringes.

COLOUR : Self-coloured in black, grey, slate grey and yellow (in Italian = Isabella) in all possible shades. White is tolerated only on the chest and feet.

SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Height at the withers : males and females from 32 to 38 cm.

Weight : Males and females : maximum 5 kg.

For complete FCI Breed Standard #200 / 17. 06. 1998 / GB, visit www.fci.be

According to ancient documents it is assumed that the ancestors of the Chin were presented as a gift from the rulers of Korea (during the Silla Dynasty age 377-935) to the Japanese court in 732. For a successive 100 years, there appears to have been a large number of Chins coming into Japan. Historical records also indicate that envoys sent to China (during the Tung Dynasty age 618-910) and North Korea (during the Po H’ai Dynasty age 698-926) brought back dogs of this breed directly. During the reign of the Shogunate Tsunayoshi Tokugawa (1680-1709) the breed was raised as an indoor toy dog in the Castle of Edo.
In 1613 a Britisher, Captain Searles, brought a Chin to England and in 1853 Commodore Perry from the U.S. brought several to the U.S. of which two were presented to Queen Victoria of England.
Since 1868, the Chin has been favored as a lapdog by ladies of the upper classes, and currently is being widely spread as a companion dog.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Small sized dog with broad face, covered with profuse coat, with elegant and graceful figure.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Clever, mild and lovely.

COAT

HAIR : Silky, straight and long. Whole body except face covered with profuse hair. The ears, neck, thighs and tail have profuse feather.

COLOUR : White with markings of black or red. Markings symmetrically distributed from around eyes over ears as on whole body desirable. Especially white and wide blaze from muzzle to crown desirable.

SIZE : Height at withers : Dogs approximately 25 cm.
Bitches slightly smaller than dogs

For complete FCI Breed Standard #206   / 20.04.1998 / GB, visit www.fci.be