Breed library

Italian Spinone

Italian Spinone photograph.
05042363 Spinone braun.jpg - Alephalpha. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:05042363_Spinone_braun.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Breed overview

The Spinone Italiano is an Italian breed of hunting dog, traditionally used for tracking, for pointing and for retrieving game.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: ItalyBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • Rough-haired dogs of pointer type have been present in the Italian peninsula at least since the Renaissance.
  • In a fresco painted by Andrea Mantegna in about 1470 in the Camera degli Sposi of the Ducal Palace of Mantua, in Lombardy, in northern Italy, a dog of this kind is shown lying under the chair of the duke, Ludovico III Gonzaga.
  • Jacques Espée de Sélincourt, in his Le Parfait Chasseur of 1683, says of griffon dogs that "the best come from Italy and from Piedmont".
  • The modern Spinone originated in Piedmont, in north-western Italy, in the nineteenth century and was for some time the most important hunting breed of that region.
  • During the Second World War it was much used by the partisans, both to track enemies and to carry food.

Size and appearance

The Spinone is roughly square in outline when seen from the side - the length of the body is approximately equal to the height at the withers. It is a strong, well-muscled and solidly-built dog suitable for hunting over any kind of ground. It swims well and enters cold or deep water without hesitation. The coat is rough, thick and flat, with little undercoat; it is about 4 to 6 cm long, rather shorter on the head, feet and front of the legs. Hair on the eyebrows and lips is longer and stiffer, thus forming a thick moustache and beard. It may be: solid white; white with orange speckling or markings; white with chestnut brown markings; or brown or orange roan.

  • Body mass reference: Up to 30 kgBreed reference body mass. female, maximum.
  • Body mass reference: 28 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. female, minimum.
  • Body mass reference: Up to 37 kgBreed reference body mass. male, maximum.
  • Body mass reference: 32 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. male, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 65 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: 58 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 70 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 60 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Height category: tall
  • Height category: very_tall
  • Weight category: large

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The origins of the Spinone are unknown. Rough-haired dogs of pointer type have been present in the Italian peninsula at least since the Renaissance. In a fresco painted by Andrea Mantegna in about 1470 in the Camera degli Sposi of the Ducal Palace of Mantua, in Lombardy, in northern Italy, a dog of this kind is shown lying under the chair of the duke, Ludovico III Gonzaga. Jacques Espée de Sélincourt, in his Le Parfait Chasseur of 1683, says of griffon dogs that "the best come from Italy and from Piedmont". The modern Spinone originated in Piedmont, in north-western Italy, in the nineteenth century and was for some time the most important hunting breed of that region. During the Second World War it was much used by the partisans, both to track enemies and to carry food. After the War, breed numbers were much reduced; a breed society, the Famiglia dello Spinone, was formed in 1949, and the breed was reconstituted from about 1950 onwards. The Spinone was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1955. A second breed society, the Club Italiano Spinoni, was established in 1973.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. File:05042363 Spinone braun.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. 05042363 Spinone braun.jpg - Alephalpha. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:05042363_Spinone_braun.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0.
  4. Spinone Italiano - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Spinone Italiano, revision 1369301576. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spinone_Italiano&action=history
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.