Breed Focus: The Italian Spinone

An old breed but a relative newcomer to Britain, the Italian Spinone is a gentle giant among gundogs. This 'friendly immigrant' is also becoming increasingly popular as a family companion, as breeds expert Andrew Brace explains.

A relatively new addition to the breeds recognized by the British Kennel Club, the Italian Spinone with his gruff but kindly look is a versatile sporting gundog, well up to competing with the other hunt, point and retrieve breeds.

However, the breed's faithful, patient and intelligent character is such that he is proving increasingly popular purely as a companion. The Spinone is a medium to large dog, square in build, strongly boned and very well muscled. He is intrepid and untiring, very hardy, and performs the roles of the hunt, point, retrieve breeds very well.

His thick, leathery skin supports a tough, somewhat wiry, coat which comes in white with orange markings, or brown roan. The distinctive head has a kind but earnest expression, while his outline varies from the norm in that his topline slopes downwards slightly then upwards from withers to loin.

History
The Italian Spinone is a relatively old breed developed in Italy. He is closely related to the Bracco Italiano, which differs in coat type as well as build, but to the uninitiated eye the two breeds are remarkably similar. It is often claimed by the Italians that the Spinone is the ancestor of the Wire-haired Pointing Griffon, the German Wire-haired Pointer and the Pudelpointer, yet the French assert with equal enthusiasm that the Spinone is a descendant of various French pointing breeds. It can safely be said, however, that the Spinone is the oldest of the modern-day hunting Griffons.

It is believed that the Spinone's style of hunting has been referred to as long ago as the second century AD, and paintings from the 19th century clearly show dogs that are instantly identifiable as Spinone-like. A work by Quadrone, dated 1887, depicts a dog at work that is in every way typical of the Spinone we see today. Other less obvious examples have been cited as appearing in Italian works of art from as far back as the 15th century and painters such as Mantegna, Vecellio and Tiepolo all depicted the breed or its forebears in their work.

This breed was developed mainly in the Piedmont area of Italy, large numbers of orange and white hunting dogs being indigenous to the Alba region, as an all-purpose gundog. And while it is claimed that ancient historians mentioned the Italian Spinone more than 2,000 years ago, it is doubtful that this would have been specifically by name.

Many theories abound as to the breeds that contributed to the Spinone's creation, and each fancier has his favourite. A bristle-haired Italian pointing dog has been referred to as early as 500 BC and it is evident that coarse-haired hunting dogs seemed to flourish wherever the Celts settled, notably along the main river routes in central Europe. It has been said that Greek traders, and others from the Adriatic coast, brought coarse-coated setters to Italy during the height of the Roman Empire. These may well have been the ancestors of the modern Italian Spinone.

As is the case with the development of most of our pedigree breeds, several component types were brought together to create a dog which was designed to carry out a specific job.

The name of the breed appears to be linked to the word for an Italian thorn bush, the pino, which was thick and seemingly impenetrable and consequently a favourite hiding place for small game. Only dogs with great stamina, very thick skins and coarse coats could locate such game in this kind of undergrowth, and the Italian Spinone was developed as the perfect breed for doing so.

The Italian Spinone has an extremely good scenting ability emanating from wide nostrils in a large nose which appears spongy. Interestingly, the pigment of the nose, eyelids, lips and pads tends to be a fleshy red color in the white-based dogs, but denser in the orange-marked and brown dogs.

During the Second World War the breed is said to have been used by the Italians to track German patrols by scenting their boot polish, as apparently the Germans preferred a certain kind of polish and the sensitive nose of the Italian Spinone could differentiate between that used by the Germans and the locals!

The breed is capable of moving quietly and purposefully through thick cover while tracking, and this again made them invaluable to the Italian partisans; usually the Italian Spinone would search mountainsides and woods for soldiers who had dug themselves in. Towards the second half of the Twentieth century the breed was in decline as Italian hunters had begun to experiment with various Setters, Pointers and Spaniels, many of them of British extraction. A Dr Ceresoli sought to establish the state of the breed, and slowly a breeding programme was established to reaffirm the Spinone as one of Italy's national treasures. Within a relatively short time the Italian aficionados had managed to bring the breed to an admirable level of consistency.

Instinctively the Italian Spinone will point, flush and retrieve both on land and in water and his thick skin and close, thick and rough coat enable him to work in all weathers, terrains and temperatures. The breed tends to hunt close, quietly checking back with the hunter at regular intervals. Developed to be very people-orientated, the Italian Spinone consequently adapts well as a companion. His inherent desire to please the hunter translates easily to a pet-owner situation.

The breed, relatively speaking, has not been established in Britain for long, but its popularity was such that The Kennel Club awarded challenge certificate status to the breed in 1994. Interestingly, the breed first appeared in The Kennel Club's prestigious stud book in 1987 when a UK-bred Italian Spinone, Gaesten Bianco di Custoza of Gamehawk, had great field trial successes.

The breed's first show champion was Gallowdyke Wreckless Eric of Sundeala who has only recently died. Shortly after his success the first bitch to become titled was Sh Ch Caldocani Feliciana. Both these first show champions were sired by a dog named Kevardhu Fyn. His sire was a direct import, Febo 3 Del Monte Amiata at Stowlodge, while his dam was bred from two imports from the Del Benaco kennel in Italy.

Today, far from being a 'poor relation' in the Gundog group, the Spinone competes on equal terms with all the longer-established Gundog breeds, and already the breed has scored the top position in the Gundog group at championship level. At Crufts 2003 there were no fewer than 119 Italian Spinones entered, which says much for the relatively rapid rise to popularity of this friendly immigrant.

Temperament & Character
The Italian Spinone is very easy to train as he is highly intelligent and makes a willing student. He thrives on close contact with his human family and is anxious to please, naturally yielding to benevolent authority and in no way is the kind of breed to challenge and argue with his owners.

Somewhat submissive by nature, he is rather sensitive and does not take kindly to harsh handling or training methods. Firmness with fairness are called for when training a Spinone, and given these essentials the breed will respond willingly.

The breed is naturally docile and affectionate, and not given to unnecessary noise or hyperactivity. A relatively big dog, he sometimes seems unaware of his sheer bulk when playing with other dogs and small children; in many ways he can be described as a gentle giant. Given a lack of direction, the Italian Spinone may appear stubborn, but given clear instruction he will happily accommodate. The breed seems to have a natural rapport with children, and the Spinone's appealing looks - the almost human expression and profuse whiskers and beard, rather reminiscent of a kindly grandfather or old uncle - make him popular with youngsters.

As a pup the Italian Spinone is often restless, which is typical of most working gundog breeds, and this is why from an early age he should be taught discipline and routine, and have the opportunity to exercise his brain as well as brawn. However, as a teenager there is a calmness and tranquility about the Spinone which is seldom seen in other breeds and it is rare that one develops into being a 'hooligan', given average training.

The Italian Spinone is affectionate as a puppy and soon learns to trust his family implicitly. He is naturally reserved with strangers, but shouldn't be aggressive or nervous. He needs assurance so that he grows up to trust strangers, as without such encouragement the adult may be shy when fully mature.

The Italian Spinone is not the kind of breed to be locked up with a toy or a bone and left to amuse himself. He needs to interact with his family, be that human or canine. The breed is naturally optimistic and has a very friendly attitude to the world at large. His endless patience helps him to get along well with children - provided, of course, they are taught to respect him.

The Italian Spinone is not naturally noisy and certainly not a compulsive barker, although he can howl along with strange noises and has quite an individual voice when doing so! Italian Spinones are not bred to be guard dogs and owners would be mistaken to think that they are the ultimate protector. They will, however, alert owners to visitors and will tend to stick by their owners until given assurance as to whether the incomer is friend or foe.

Special Needs
It is vital to socialize the Italian Spinone, especially between the ages of three and nine months, as without this he could become shy. During the growing period the Spinone puppy should be exposed to as many different situations as possible - meeting new people, new animals, and travelling to new places. Given a balanced upbringing he will develop into a mild-mannered and confident young adult.

Although the Italian Spinone has many virtues, he is not the dog for everyone. For those who require a busy, active and fast gundog, he may be considered a bit laid-back, and anyone wanting a physically large 'doggy' dog that is really a couch-potato will find he requires some exercise.

Although highly intelligent and easily trained, this is not the ideal breed for completing agility courses in record time. The breed will not thrive alone in a kennel situation, and needs company to flourish; all these factors should be taken into account when considering the breed.

For the Italian Spinone to really blossom he should have plenty of stimulation of both mind and body, and many owners find the breed ideal as they can both work at their own pace. This is not the kind of dog to be trained to the level of speed of a Border Collie, but he will happily work steadily in whatever discipline is chosen.

The Italian Spinone needs considerable exercise as an adult, and as well as free galloping he will enjoy going for miles alongside a jogging owner or a cyclist. Exercise should be carefully monitored until the Spinone is around nine months of age as growing bones in a bulky frame can sometimes be damaged through over-exercise. Until this age, sedate road-walking and short free gallops are all that is necessary.

The Italian Spinone requires little grooming; to be kept at its best his coat benefits from a thorough brushing at least twice a week with a wire slicker-brush. This will not only help the coat but will stimulate the thick skin and help in maintaining general fitness. Attention should be paid to the hair around the feet, and any excess hair may be trimmed with scissors from between the pads. Nails are normally worn down through average exercise on hard surfaces, but as some dogs' nail growth is more rapid than others it is advisable to get puppies accustomed to having their nails filed.

Ears should be inspected weekly for excess wax and then cleaned with ear drops or just olive oil and cotton wool. Knuckle bones should be given weekly for gnawing on as this will help reduce tartar on teeth, but when giving any dog a bone, do so when it is alone.

As stray food particles can build up on the beard, it is best to wash and brush through the profuse facial hair after mealtimes, ideally dusting through with a grooming powder. This helps to prevent odour and infection. If this is done on a daily basis, eyes should be inspected at the same time and any matter bathed away with warm water and dried.

Health & Welfare
Usually a relatively healthy breed, in 1998 a hereditary condition called cerebellar ataxia (CA) was identified in the Italian Spinone. There is no treatment for the condition, which affects young dogs and is fatal. Research is continuing and it would seem that carriers have to appear on both sides of a dog's pedigree for the Spinone to be affected by the condition, which is basically caused by a simple recessive gene.

Puppies that suffer from the condition rarely live beyond their first birthday and consequently it is unlikely that they will have reproduced. However they may well have siblings that show no signs of CA but can still be carriers. This is what concerns breeders. The early symptoms of CA usually occur at around four to six months of age and can easily be mistaken for puppy clumsiness - when puppies are at the 'all arms and legs' stage. The puppy is unsteady and staggering around as if drunk.

Often there will be a weakness in the hindquarters where the back legs are dragged and puppies will sit more than is usual. Gradually the condition becomes so severe that there is no alternative but to have the puppy put to sleep. Obviously this is heartbreaking, so prospective buyers should speak to the breeders about the likelihood of the condition occurring. Carriers have been identified, and breeding programmes are being planned accordingly.

The breed does have incidences of hip dysplasia but no more so than in any other average large breed.