Giulio And His Hounds

Italian Greyhounds may be the only dogs originally bred exclusively to serve as pets.

These sweet little European dogs that weigh 10 pounds or less were almost wiped out during both World Wars. But, in order to save this special breed, dogs were sent to the United States and Canada. Consequently, the Italian Greyhound breed was revived and replenished in Europe after the wars.

A love affair with these dogs began when Giulio Guizzi, founder and CEO of Pulex, a window cleaning equipment company located in Brescia, Italy, visited his daughter, Arabella, in America about 10 years ago.

Since Arabella is Italian, an American dog breeder had given her two of these Italian Greyhounds. Giulio had never seen the breed in Italy, but he went back home and learned all about them. Now, he and his wife own three of them.

One of the dogs is especially notable.

According to Giulio, their female dog (named Alexandra Beignet) is an Italian champion. Based on the honors she has won in Italy, she is qualified to become an international champion.

Giulio doesn’t raise the dogs, however, just to have them compete in dog shows.

“I breed the dogs because of the story behind them. When I have these dogs between my hands, I am holding thousands of years of history because it was the same dog King Tutankhamun once held in his hands,” he said.

While Giulio’s dogs have historical significance and championship status, they are important to him for other reasons.

“I relax with the dogs at night, and I stroll with the dogs first thing in the morning and last thing at night,” he said.

Some authorities suggest that the Italian Greyhound breed has been around for 6,000 years, based on a dog similar to an Italian Greyhound that was found in an Egyptian tomb. Others believe that the breed is 2,000 years old. Research indicates that the dog was bred to be a good lap dog.

As Giulio says: “My dogs are special dogs who have spent all of their time with humanity. They are not wild dogs.”

Giulio is passionate about his Greyhounds, and so were the European kings and queens who once owned Italian Greyhounds.

“Frederick the Great had 52 of them,” said Giulio. “He is buried with his dogs.” It is said that Frederick even carried one of his Greyhounds into battle with him.

Mary Queen of Scots, King Charles I, Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria all favored the breed.

Giulio told me that the great Renaissance painters painted the dog accompanied by nobility because the dog is so “well designed.”

However, I think the dogs have been memorialized in artwork because people love them so much.

One popular story is about an African king, who, in the 19th century, offered 200 cattle in exchange for one Italian Greyhound.

These little characters are said to be gentle, affectionate and imaginative. This breed is often naughty — and they know it. Sounds like my kind of dog.

Gretchen Roufs, an 18-year janitorial supply industry veteran, owns Auxiliary Marketing Services of San Antonio. To suggest someone you think should be featured in “freetime,” contact her at Gretchen@auxiliarymarketing.com.