It’s 7:12 AM.
You’re standing outside in your bathrobe, armed with a leash in one hand and an umbrella in the other.
And your elegant little Italian Greyhound?
Frozen. Trembling. Tail tucked so hard it may have re-entered the womb.
Rain is falling. Your coffee is getting cold. Your dog is not peeing.
Welcome to the Italian Greyhound vs. Rain Showdown, a daily drama starring your patience and their paper-thin skin.
🚫 First, You’re Not Alone (and No, They’re Not Just Being Dramatic)
Italian Greyhounds hate the rain.
Not dislike. Not mildly inconvenienced.
We’re talking full existential crisis over a single raindrop on their delicate haunches.
And it’s not their fault. These dogs were not built for weather:
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No undercoat
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Skin like velvet and about as durable
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Long, spindly legs = instant cold shivers
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Sensitive paws
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A high sense of personal dignity (seriously)
What feels like a refreshing drizzle to you is The End Times to them.
🌧️ The Rain Refusal Checklist: What’s Actually Happening
If your Italian Greyhound plants themselves like a stubborn statue at the door or worse—bolts back inside mid-pee—here’s what’s probably going on:
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Cold Sensitivity – Thin coat = freezing instantly
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Raindrop Trauma – They don’t like the feeling of water hitting their back
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Wet Grass = Foot Tragedy
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Bathroom Aversion – Can’t concentrate when their whole body is shaking
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No Past Exposure – Rescues or older dogs may not have been introduced to rain gently
☔ So What Can You Actually Do?
This isn’t about “toughening them up.” It’s about understanding how their weird little bodies and brains work—and working with that.
Here’s what worked for me (and hundreds of soggy IG owners in the trenches):
🧥 1. Get a Waterproof Jacket With Full Belly Coverage
"Oh no, I don’t want to dress up my dog."
Trust me, you will.
Look for:
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Waterproof (not just cute) material
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Tummy coverage (rain splashes from below too)
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Leg straps to keep it in place
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Optional: hood or neck cover for max drama protection
💡 Bonus: Warm lining for cold climates = rain + chill combo solved.
🧼 2. Use Dog Booties or Paw Wax (Yes, Really)
Wet paws = instant shutdown for some IGs.
Try:
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Rubber boots like Pawz (cheap, grippy, and disposable-ish)
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Dog booties with velcro if they tolerate it
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Paw balm/wax (like Musher’s Secret) as a barrier
They may look like they're tap dancing at first—but give it a few tries.
🧸 3. Create a Covered Potty Spot Outside
If you have a backyard, set up:
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A small tarp or canopy over a pee pad or turf patch
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Something familiar that smells like them
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Protected from both above and splash zones
If you live in an apartment, find a dry corner and bring the potty pad routine outside during rainy days.
🕐 4. Keep It Short and Positive
They won’t linger. Don’t expect them to.
Take them out, cheerfully say your potty cue, wait 2 minutes max.
If no results, go inside. Try again in 15.
Don’t scold, don’t shame. This is physical, not attitude.
🌦️ 5. Indoor Potty Backup = Sanity
If rain is a constant where you live, get:
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A grass turf indoor potty station
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Training pads and an indoor potty cue
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Dog litter box (yes, they exist)
It’s not “spoiling them”—it’s adapting to a breed that’s just different.
😶🌫️ 6. Don’t Force. Don’t Flood.
Dragging your Italian Greyhound into a downpour without protection is like making someone shower fully clothed in January.
That trust? It breaks fast.
Be patient. Keep the vibe calm. Try again later.
Progress with IGs is rarely linear.
✨ Final Word: Your Dog Isn’t Broken. They’re Just…Italian.
Italian Greyhounds aren’t defective for hating rain.
They’re sensitive, selective, stubborn, and often smarter than we give them credit for.
They remember unpleasant things. They want comfort. And they need us to advocate for their tiny, naked bodies in a world that’s just too damp sometimes.
But here’s what you’ll learn:
Once they feel protected? Once they trust that rain doesn't mean pain or discomfort?
They’ll pee.
They’ll dash.
They’ll even zoom through puddles someday—maybe.
Until then, you’ll be the weird neighbor in a bathrobe whispering, “Just go potty, please,” to a trembling creature in a fleece-lined trench coat.
And you’ll love them all the more for it.
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