How does the Italian Spinone work in the field?
The Italian Spinone is an old, wire-coated HPR that hunts at a steady trot rather than a gallop. Its pace makes it easy to follow on foot.
The Italian Spinone is one of the oldest HPR breeds, alongside the Bracco Italiano, a wire-coated dog that hunts at a distinctive, ground-covering trot rather than a gallop. It quarters methodically, points firmly and retrieves with a soft mouth on land and from water, and its thick skin and harsh coat let it work through thorny cover that would punish a fine-coated dog. Its steady pace makes it easy to follow on foot, which suits walked-up and rough shooting. Most Spinoni in Britain are kept as companions, so if you want a dog to shoot over, look for parents with working test or HPR field trial experience.
What is the Italian Spinone like to live and work with?
Gentle, patient and good-humoured, and usually excellent with children. Expect drool and a wet beard.
Spinoni are gentle, patient and affectionate, with a calm, good-humoured nature that makes them easy to live with. They are usually excellent with children and friendly with people and other dogs. They can be stubborn and are sensitive to harsh handling, responding much better to quiet persuasion. Indoors they are relaxed, though owners should expect drool and a wet beard after drinking. They suit people who want an HPR with a slower, gentler style. Look for parents that are confident, sociable and keen on game, and happy to work with their handler.
Which health tests matter for the Italian Spinone?
Both parents should have hip and elbow scores and a current eye certificate. The key DNA test is cerebellar ataxia, and it is worth learning the signs of bloat.
Ask for both parents' hip scores and elbow grades under the BVA/KC schemes, and a current eye certificate under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme. A DNA test is available for cerebellar ataxia, an inherited neurological disease that affects young Spinoni. It is inherited recessively, so a puppy is not expected to be affected by the tested variant when at least one parent has a reliable clear result, and the breed clubs strongly encourage testing. Spinoni are also deep-chested and at risk of bloat (gastric dilatation and volvulus), which has no test, so learn the warning signs and ask whether it has occurred in the family. Results for Kennel Club registered dogs can be checked on the Kennel Club's Health Test Results Finder. See our checklist for buying a gundog for everything else to ask.
How much training and exercise does the Italian Spinone need?
The full HPR syllabus in short, encouraging sessions. An adult needs an hour or more of exercise a day, not straight after meals.
Training covers the full HPR syllabus: obedience and the stop whistle first, then quartering, pointing, steadiness and retrieving. Spinoni learn best with short, positive sessions and lots of encouragement, and they can switch off if training becomes repetitive or heavy-handed. They mature slowly and are often not finished until well into their third year. An adult needs an hour or more of exercise a day, and hard exercise straight after meals should be avoided because of the risk of bloat. The wiry coat needs a weekly brush and occasional hand-stripping, and the beard needs regular cleaning.
How long does it take to train the Italian Spinone?
For the Italian Spinone, readiness for the intended role matters more than a birthday. Check demonstrated foundations, physical suitability and the support needed for the next stage.
Early learning includes socialisation, recall and gentle manners, with short walks while the frame develops. After comfortable everyday foundations, the puppy learns to quarter at its natural trot, its point is encouraged, and soft retrieves are built with dummies. With reliable foundations, it is steadied on point and to flush and meets game on quiet walked-up days. To see what is available, browse the Italian Spinone puppies for sale. Use the training progression guide to discuss readiness with a reward-based trainer. Ask your vet about physical demands, and plan game, water and gunfire introductions with competent help.