You don’t need to be a dog lover to find yourself immediately falling in love with an Italian Spinone, after all, just one look at his adorable eyes and cute furry muzzle will make even the most stoic individual want to bend down and give him a hug!
Then when…
You combine this good looks with the fact that these guys are true clowns that are a joy to be around, it’s easy to see why so many folks today are huge fans of this breed.
But…
Will a Italian Spinone be right for you? That’s the real question and one that we hope to help you answer for yourself in the following article where we’re going to discuss what it might be like to own one of these awesome creatures.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Italian Spinone Breed Fast Facts
Country of Origin: Italy
Original Purpose: Pointing and retrieving
Height: 22.5 to 27.5 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 61 to 85 pounds
Dog Breed Classification: Sporting group
Life Span: 10 to 12 years
Origin of the Spinone Italiano
Like most dog breeds that have been around for a while, there is often a lot of confusion about their origins. And in the case of the Spinoni Italiano this is exactly what we find.
So…
Is the Spinoni Italian from the same lineage as the other “Setter Dogs”? Or is he a descendant of an ancient dog called Segugio, which existed in Italy during the Middle Ages? Or is he perhaps the result of crossing the Griffon dog with a Russian dog breeds that were around several hundred years ago? We’re not totally sure, so we’ll let you be the one to decide.
What is known…
For sure that that the breed didn’t become really well known until about 300 years ago when his popularity as top notch hunting dog was finally appreciated and embraced throughout Italy’s Piedmont region, thus the name Spinoni Italiano!
Now in addition…
To being great hunting dogs able to point, set and retrieve, these dogs also proved that they were quite adept at tracking down German patrols during World War II further distinguishing themselves as a quality dog breed.
Unfortunately…
Post World War II, like many other domesticated dog breeds on the European continent, their numbers where significantly depleted, so much so that the breed almost went completely extinct!
Fortunately…
During the early 1950’s breeders recognized that there was a problem and took active measures to cross breed the remaining Italian Spinoni dogs that were left so that the breed could be saved. And while it may have taken a while, ultimately they were successful, so much so that nearly 30 years later, the breed was finally able to “break out” and become popular world wide leading to it becoming “officially” recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2000.
Physical Characteristics of the Spinone Italiano
The Spinone Italiano is a large dog large enough that he can reach a height of 27.5 inches. But more than just being large, he is also stoutly built with a large, muscular and squarish body.
And while this…
May sound intimidating at first, be assured that with his big, floppy ears unique wiry coat and “goofy” expression, few if any will be nervous around this guy. Especially with his quite “stylish” bushy mustache, beard and thick eyebrows which try the best to hide their eyes but fortunately, they fail miserably which is why one of the first things you’ll notice about this dog is his eyes which immediately gives him away as a “softie”.
Comparison Dog Breeds
The Spinone Italiano Dog may be compared to other dog breeds such as the Bull Terrier, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Flat-Coated Retriever, Bracco Italiano, Short Wire-Haired Pointer, Portuguese Podengo, Cocker Spaniel, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Fox Terrier, Lagotto Romagnolo, Basset Griffon Vendeen, Shepherd Dog, and Water Spaniel.
Temperament and Personality of the Italian Spinone
The Italian Spinone is a very calm and relaxed dog with a laid-back personality. And if you haven’t guess so far, these guys are very amiable dogs that will be happy to make friends with just about anyone.
These guys also…
Tend to wag their tails all the time and always looks happy and satisfied. He is certainly not one of those dogs that whine all the time. He is not the moody type.
We should also point out that….
He is a quick learner too and is easy to train. He learns new tricks fast. But since he is so smart, he is also quick to learn bad habits. Which is why if you do decide to adopt an Italiano Spinone puppy or rescue dog, you’ll want to be sure and start his or her obedience training right away.
Training which should…
Include mental stimulation as he is an active dog with a sharp mind. He needs to be occupied with something interesting all the time; else he gets bored and could resort to destructive behavior because of that.
He is a very loyal dog…
The Italian Spinone is one of the most loyal breeds out there. He is very intelligent and responds to your signals even if you don’t say anything loud. He knows instinctively what you want him to do.
Loyal to a fault…
Making him very good with kids and is protective of them. Kids love him as well. However, because he is such a large dog, we tend to believe that these guys are better suited to a house with children aged 6 and above. He certainly makes for a perfect playmate for your child.
Spinone Italiano Health Issues
The Spinone Italiano has a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years. He is a reasonably healthy breed, but there are certain conditions to which he is very vulnerable to.
The Spinoni Italiani are susceptible to health problems such as:
- Addison’s disease,
- Eclampsia,
- Cerebellar ataxia,
- Elbow dysplasia,
- Hip dysplasia,
And while…
Many of these conditions may not be life threatening, they can certainly become quite expensive to deal with particularly if they become recurring issues.
This is why…
We here at IndulgeYourPet also recommend that any new pet owner take a moment and see what it might cost for you to purchase a pet insurance policy for your new animal.
Now will a pet insurance policy be right for everyone?
No, probably not. But until you fully understand what these policies “will” and “won’t” cover and how much these pet insurance policies cost, how will you know if one might be right for you?
For more information on who we feel currently offers the “best” pet insurance policies out there, we would encourage you to check out our Best Pet Insurance Policies article
