Dog Breeds > Spinone Italiano

The Spinone Italiano

Also known as the all-purpose hunting dog of Italy, Spinone Italiano has very little historical information. It is known to have a very keen sense of smell; hence it is a very useful dog for searching and retrieving. This is an ancient breed of pointing dogs that is very useful for hunters. It is also called Italian Spinone, Spinone Griffon and sometimes, just Spinone.

Energy Playfulness Intelligence Grooming Popularity

Fascinating Facts

A hunting breed by instinct, the Spinone breed likes to be around his master. He recognizes the presence of his master especially while hunting in packs. It is alright for this breed to be treated like a subordinate.

Spinones are calm and easy-going. This is the reason why they are not very good in dog competitions because they usually take their time in hunting contests. Still, they are nice dogs to have because they are very affectionate and like even other dog breeds for company.

Physical Appearance

Spinone weighs around 60 to 85 pounds when fully grown. They can grow up to 28 inches in height.

It has a rectangular-shaped muzzle. Their color can either be brown, brown roan, orange or white. They are sometimes come in solid color, sometimes in combination of the aforementioned colors. They have thick and wiry fur that distinguishes them from other breeds.

Grooming

This breed has a cat-like characteristic of maintaining himself clean. However, it is still necessary to give him a bath every now and then. Also, it is important to maintain his coat by plucking dead hair instead of cutting them. Brushing once every week is enough to make his coat look good.

Mood

As mentioned earlier, the Spinone breed likes to be treated as a subordinate by humans. However, if he does not detect the leadership of his master, he can get very uncooperative. Also, this breed is not useful for protection. Unless he or his family is threatened directly, he will not attack.

With Children

The Spinone Italiano likes the company of children. He likes to play with them, whether the children are part of his family or not. However, it is important that the children be taught how to show some leadership, because this type of dog likes to be treated as a subordinate. However, children must be warned not to hurt the dog while showing some command over him, for the dog will not see abuse as a way of leadership.

Training & Exercise

Training with motivation is the best program for this breed. It is not very sociable with strangers, but would be responsive with patience in the part of the trainer. He is a very playful dog and likes to run around a lot. Exercise can be done with some hunting training, although the Spinone knows very well the difference between real hunting and practice hunting. Furthermore, training is important to make sure this breed doesn’t get bored.

Health & Life Expectancy

Spinones has an average life span of 12 years. Their usual health problems include bloating and hip dysplasia. They can also get otitis externa and gastric torsion.

Italian Spinone is a very loyal breed. This type does not like to be left alone for a long time. Although it is not a watchdog, a Spinone is nice to have because it is a family-type of dog. This dog is a great companion to have and will make you feel loved at all times.

Dog Breeds by Grouping | Dog Breeds A - F | Dog Breeds G - N | Dog Breeds O - Z