What’s a Spinone Italiano?

A Spinone Italiano is Italy’s all-purpose gun . The Spinone is said to be the oldest of the dog breeds of Europe, having its origins in Northern Italy. It is a versatile of large size with a distinctive rustic look of powerful build and ample bone. Everything about the dog should express strength and endurance while balancing its gentleness, great learning capacity and willingness to please.

The Spinone is a joyful, easy-going and intelligent companion. They are almost always upbeat and happy, and are satisfied to be treated simply as a member of the family. The Spinone is a natural clown and is willing to go to extremes for a laugh when not actively engaged in work.

Spinoni (plural) are gentle souls that love children - their own family and others. They get along well with other animals but especially enjoy the company of another dog. They are very attached to their families and want to be with them at all times. There is almost no limit to their willingness to be involved in whatever you are doing - whether it's a walk outside or just sitting back eating popcorn and watching television. They are extremely people-oriented and require maximal human interaction.

Their activity level is low-to-medium indoors and medium-to-high outdoors. A good breed to jog with, the Spinone Italiano is not a "racy" type dog, moving more slowly and methodically than many other breeds. As such, he can do well with a small yard combined with daily walks and play. They do love to swim, though!

A Spinone is not a protection breed. He is either unlikely to attack under any circumstance or would only do so if he or his family is directly threatened. A Spinone is quite willing to sound the alarm but will then leave the actual force to a higher authority - YOU! Because they are sensitive, motivational training works best for this breed as this gentle creature's feelings can easily be hurt when handled incorrectly.

The Spinone is a large dog, weighing 65-80 lbs. Even as adults, Spinoni have disproportionately large, puppy-like feet. Their coats are wiry, with longer hair on the brows, cheeks and muzzle. They have an expression that shows intelligence and understanding. The beard and mustache give the Spinone a look of a ‘good natured grouch’ with human-like eyes completing the breed’s unique ‘sweet expression’. Many of them are ‘carriers’ and are often seen with a toy or stuffie in their mouths.

Acceptable colors include variations on solid white, orange and white, white with brown markings, and brown , which is similar to a German Wirehair . The tail is customarily docked at approximately 1/2 it’s length.