Spinone Italiano
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For more information about the Spinone Italiano Click hereAs one of the best-known Italian dog breeds, the Spinone Italiano dog is a robust dog breed that loves human companionship. In fact, the Spinone Italiano dog breed loves long walks. Docile and gentle, the Spinone Italiano has a sense of humor. As such, it's the perfect family dog.
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In this post, we discuss the history of the Spinone Italiano dog breed, its general appearance, personality, and more.
History of the Spinone Italiano Dog Breed
The Spinone Italiano dog has a long history. In fact, records of the Spinone Italiano dog date back to 500 BC in Italy, specifically Piedmont. During the Renaissance in Italy, the Spinone Italiano dog breed was well known as an excellent hunter. Many artists featured the dog breed in many Renaissance artworks, which date back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
The dog has a long-standing breed history. A lot of historians believe that the Spinone Italiano dog breed is a mixture of Italian setters, French Griffons, and White Mastiffs.
Also known as the Italian Pointer, the breed enjoyed more than 300 years of popularity. Following World War II, the Spinone Italiano dog breed began losing its popularity. The reason for this was the importation of other gundogs and hounds into Italy.
This almost left the breed extinct. A few breeders in Italy began breeding the Spinone Italiano dog breed to reestablish its popularity once again. Today, the dog breed is a well-known hunting companion not only in Italy but France and Scandinavian countries too.
Official Recognition by Kennel Clubs
The Spinone Italiano dog breed is a famous hunter and retriever. In fact, the dog has been a popular hunting dog for centuries not only in Italy but the rest of Europe too. After a few great breeders reconstructed the breed, the hunting dog began gaining its popularity.
This led to its recognition by the American Kennel Club in 2000. Today, it ranks 118th among other breeds registered by the American Kennel Club.
General Appearance
The Spinone Italiano is muscular and vigorous. It weighs 66 pounds to 77 pounds and has a height of 23 inches to 25 inches. Thanks to its powerful build, the dog is resistant to fatigue. Also, it's able to work in almost any terrain. That is why the Spinone Italiano is a great hunting dog.
The dog can cover lots of ground efficiently thanks to its big feet and two-piece topline. It can quickly trot but with a slight gallop. The Spinone Italiano has a harsh single coat and thick skin. This enables the dog to move through the underbrush and even endure the cold weather.
The coat is flat, stiff and dense but not curly. It comes in solid white, orange and white, orange roan with or without orange markings. You also have white with brown markings and brown roan with or without brown markings.
As a versatile hunter, the Spinone Italiano is a good swimmer and an efficient retriever. When it comes to the eyes, they have a soft sweet expression. Some have darker eyes (common with dark-colored dogs) and yellowish-brown for lighter colored dogs.
The neck is strong, thick, and muscular. Well defined from the nape, it blends well with the broad and well-muscled chest. The forequarters are long and powerful but not too prominent while the hindquarters feature string and well-muscled thighs with good breadth.
The muzzle is square, while its nose has large and wide nostrils.
Personality and Training
The Spinone Italiano is a sturdy retriever. Known for its stamina and endurance, the Spinone Italiano is social and can work all day. The Spinone is happy when with the family. In fact, the dog is happy when hiking, running, or taking long walks with the family.
When a Spinone Italiano wants to initiate play, he will bring you toys and other small objects. As a patient and docile dog, he is also robust and a good companion for your kids. What you need to know about the Spinone Italiano is that they are smart but a challenge when it comes to training.
If you train them too harshly or too hard, they will shut down. When it comes to hunting, they are not robot hunters. In fact, they are the opposite. They teach their hunters to trust them while in the field.
Taking Care of Your Spinone Italiano
To get the dead hair out and maintain the coat at the ideal length (one and a half to two and a half inches), you need to hand strip rather than cut the hair. You should also clean the ears and trim the nails once a week.
When it comes to nutrition, we recommend high-quality dog food. Make sure the diet is appropriate for the dog's age. What you need to know is that Spinone Italiano can be picky eaters. If you have any concerns, check with your vet. Don't forget to offer your dog clean and freshwater.
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AKC/SCOA SPINONE ITALIANO
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