Training gear for Italian Greyhound puppies

Italian Greyhounds are one of the most rewarding breeds to train — but their bone structure genuinely does change what gear is safe to use, especially at 13 weeks when they're still so fragile. The first few months set the patterns for life, and with an IG the right tools aren't just about good habits — they're about not causing an injury that sets everything back. So tell me a bit more: how much does your puppy weigh right now, what are you mainly focusing on — lead walking, recall, crate settling — and have you tried any collar or harness yet, or are you starting from scratch?

Your instinct is exactly right — a collar around the neck for lead training is genuinely risky with an Italian Greyhound, even a lightweight one. Any forward lunge or sudden stop concentrates force on the neck, and at 1.2kg that's a real concern. For loose lead training, you want a harness that distributes pressure across the chest and shoulders, not the throat. The other thing to watch with IGs specifically is weight on the back — some harnesses sit heavily across the spine and that matters when the dog is this small. Can I ask: are you planning to do most of your early training indoors or will you be taking her outside straight away?

Perfect — getting her comfortable wearing it indoors before you add the lead is exactly the right approach, especially for a sensitive breed like this. My recommendation is the Ruffwear Flat Out Harness in the XS size. It's genuinely one of the lightest well-made harnesses available in the UK — the webbing is thin and flat rather than padded and bulky, so it sits on her body without weighing her down or restricting her front leg movement, which is important for a breed built to move freely. The chest contact point is padded but minimal, and crucially it clips at the back, keeping all pressure away from her neck and throat entirely. It's adjustable enough to fit an IG properly — a lot of small dog harnesses are cut for stockier breeds like Chihuahuas and end up sitting wrong on a long-legged, deep-chested IG. You can find it on Amazon UK for around £35–40. Start by just letting her wear it for ten minutes at home with treats, no lead attached, before you ever clip anything on.

Yes, a few things worth knowing. Avoid step-in harnesses — the kind where the dog stands into two loops — because they tend to put contact points directly over the shoulder joint and can interfere with gait in a breed that has such a specific, elegant stride. Also avoid anything with a front-clip D-ring for anti-pull on a puppy this young and this light; redirecting force onto the chest is fine for a Labrador, but on a 1.2kg IG it can torque the front legs awkwardly. And genuinely avoid any collar for lead work at all — a flat collar for ID tags is fine once she's a bit older, but keep it loose and never attach a lead to it. You're thinking about this the right way, and starting with the harness now while she's tiny means lead walking will feel completely normal to her by the time you're outside properly.

Great choice — you're setting her up well. One last tip: when the harness arrives, measure her girth just behind her front legs before you fit it, rather than going by weight alone. IGs at this age can be surprisingly narrow even within the XS range, and a snug-but-not-tight fit is what you're after. Good luck with the training — she's lucky to have someone thinking this carefully about getting it right from the start.