Spinone Italiano
Temperament:
The Spinone Italiano is an old Italian dog breed, which used to be used for hunting. It is considered to be one of the oldest pointing dogs. There are pictures from the 15th century where he can be seen. Nowadays, however, the Spinone Italiano is mainly one thing: a loving, calm family dog.
Characteristics
This dog breed is a very sociable companion, which usually gets along well with children. With a shoulder height of 60-70 cm, it is a slightly larger dog. At the same time, it stands out for its gentle nature. If you do not have much experience with dogs, this breed is a good choice. It is characterized by good nature and obedience.
The Spinone Italiano likes to stay outdoors in wind and weather. Since it was also used for waterfowl hunting, its rough, dense coat is robust and makes it resistant to wetness. This usually appears in different shades of orange, mixed with white or brown.
This dog is happiest when she can be with you. As a hunting dog, he is a popular companion because of his patience and ease of handling. But even if you don't want to go hunting with him, you can have a lot of fun with him. The stable stature generally makes him the perfect companion for outdoor activities. At the same time he is cuddly and strongly attached to people. Also children do not cause him any problems.
Despite its friendly, sensitive nature, this breed naturally requires consistent leadership and training. Although the Spinone Italiano is considered easy to train, sometimes even this dog can prove to be stubborn. As with people, each animal has an individual nature.
Often, however, it is enough for the education if you pronounce a clear "No!". It is more important to work with positive reinforcement. This way you can encourage desired behavior.
You should know that this dog breed needs a lot of attention. The closeness to the human is important here and you have to give him a lot of attention. But employment also plays a big role. As a hunting dog with a good sense of smell, it is originally a working dog. For this, the Spinone Italiano can cope with any terrain and can be everywhere.
But there are also other areas of application for which this dog is suitable. Due to its gentle and relaxed nature, it can be used well as a companion dog. His excellent sense of smell, favored by the shape of his head, also shows in mantrailing. His search is very precise and meticulous.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
Since this is certainly a larger dog breed, you should consider the nutrient distribution. This is different from smaller dogs, because they require more minerals and vitamins. In addition, the Spinone Italiano is prone to flatulence and stomach problems.
Especially in large dogs there is a risk of gastric torsion. This also applies to this breed. Therefore, this risk should be reduced. You can do this by giving smaller meals spread throughout the day.
The diet must be adapted to the size, age and exercise instinct. There are different types of food for this. Barfing is also possible. In general, however, the Spinone Italiano is a very robust dog, which rarely tends to allergies and therefore does not require a special diet.
In the early years, care should be taken not to overfeed the dogs. Since this breed is prone to hip dysplasia, it is important that they do not grow too fast. This, as well as physical overload in young dogs, promotes this condition.
Health & Care
The coat of the Spinone Italiano is wiry, thick and dense and about 4-6 cm long. It has no undercoat. Due to its structure, it quickly appears a little unkempt and you should trim it from time to time and comb it regularly. Grooming between the toes and on the face are also important.
The beard as well as the bushy fur above the eyebrows belong to the appearance of this breed. But sometimes dirt quickly accumulates there. Saliva and food can get caught here. Accordingly, you should also pay attention to regular care here.
In addition, the Spinone Italiano is a strong and robust dog. The coat withstands all weather conditions. Accordingly, the urge to move this breed is high. A few rounds on the leash are not enough, this dog wants to experience something. The contact to his reference persons is important to him.
Therefore, activity is more important than coat care. You should be aware of this if you are considering bringing a Spinone Italiano into your life. Only an active dog is a happy dog. Especially such an intelligent animal, which is suitable for hunting and human rescue, needs demands and tasks.
Suitable accessories
Due to the simplicity and robustness you need little material for the care of this dog. Comb and scissors to work the fur should be purchased. Also, of course, a leash.
Since the Spinone Italiano likes to retrieve well, it is advantageous to have suitable toys at hand. The best is made of material that can not sink in the water. These dogs are not afraid to jump into the water in any weather.
But it should also be ensured that all the utensils that the dog needs. Food and drinking bowls, basket, blanket belong to the basic equipment. Note here the size, these should be adapted to this large dog.
Origin & History
As the name suggests, this is a dog breed whose origin is located in Italy. There he was used as a pointing dog for hunting. Outside Italy, however, this breed was relatively unknown. Even today, the Spinone Italiano is not very widespread.
The term "pointing" is used to describe a phase of the hunt. This can be observed in many hunting dog breeds. That moment when the dog almost freezes in the middle of the search process, that is, fixes on its prey. In hunting, this process serves to indicate to the hunter that a game is near and he can prepare the shot.
The Spinone Italiano probably originated in Piedmont, Italy. He belongs to the oldest pointing dogs. There are pictures from the 15th century in which Spinone are depicted. However, it is difficult to determine the exact origin. Especially by the fact that the breed is already so old.
Some documents go back to the year 500 BC. Here the talk is about rough-haired and robust dogs, which are used for hunting. Since then, evidence that these dogs accompanied people can be found again and again.
The breed standard was finally established in 1897. Characteristic are the coarse appearance of the dogs and the white color. This is attributed to the fact that possibly pointing dogs from Greece were crossed with the white Molosser.
During the Second World War, the Spinone Italiano almost became extinct. At that time, other dog breeds were used by Italian hunters. However, meanwhile, this breed was started to be exported to other countries. In this way, it spread throughout Europe.
