Information on AKC Spinone Italiano Puppies
Spinone Italiano Breed Standard
General Appearance
Muscular dog with powerful bone. Vigorous and robust, his purpose as hardworking
gun dog is evident. Naturally sociable, the docile and patient Spinone is resistant
to fatigue and is an experienced hunter on any terrain. His hard textured coat
is weather resistant. His wiry, dense coat and thick skin enable the Spinone to
negotiate underbrush and endure cold water that would severely punish any dog
not so naturally armored. He has a remarkable tendency for an extended and fast
trotting gait. The Spinone is an excellent retriever by nature.
Size, Proportion, Substance:
Height: The height at the withers is 23 to 27 inches for males and 22 to
25 inches for females. Weight: In direct proportion to size and structure
of dog. Proportion: His build tends to fit into a square. The length of
the body, measured from sternum to point of buttocks, is approximately equal to
the height at the withers with tolerance of no more than 1 inch in length compared
to height. Substance: The Spinone is a solidly built dog, robust with powerful
bone.
Head:
Long. The profile of the Spinone is unique to this breed. Expression is of paramount
importance to the breed. It should denote intelligence and gentleness. Skull of
oval shape, with sides gently sloping. With occipital protuberance well developed,
medial-frontal furrow is very pronounced. Muzzle: Square when viewed from
the front. Muzzle length is equal to that of backskull. The planes of the skull
and muzzle are diverging, downfaced. Its width measured at its midpoint is a third
of its length. Stop is barely perceptible. Bridge of the muzzle is preferably
slightly Roman, however, straight is not to be faulted. Lips fitting tightly
to the jawline. Convergence of planes of the skull and muzzle or a dish-faced
muzzle is to be faulted so severely as to eliminate from further competition.
Eyes: Must have a soft sweet expression. Ochre (yellowish brown) in color,
darker eyes with darker colored dogs, lighter eyes with lighter colored dogs.
Large, well opened, set well apart, the eye is almost round, the lids closely
fitting the eye, to protect the eye from gathering debris while the dog is hunting,
loose eye lids must be faulted. Which is neither protruding nor deep set. Eye
rim clearly visible, color will vary with coat color from flesh colored to brown.Disqualification:
Walleye. Nose: Bulbous and spongy in appearance with upper edge rounded.
Nostrils are large and well opened. In profile, the nose protrudes past the forward
line of the lips. (Pigment is flesh colored in white dogs, darker in white and
orange dogs, brown in brown or brown roan dogs.) Disqualification: Any pigment
other than described or incomplete pigment of the nose is to be disqualified.
Teeth: Jaw is powerful. Teeth are positioned in a scissors or level bite.
Disqualification: Overshot or undershot bite. Ears: Practically triangular
shape. Set on a level just below the eye, carried low, with little erectile power.
The leather is fine, covered with short, thick hair mixed with a longer sparser
hair, which becomes thicker along edges. Length, if measured along the head would
extend to tip of nose and no more than 1 inch beyond the tip. The forward edge
is adherent to the cheek, not folded, but turned outward; the tip of the ear is
slightly rounded.
Neck, Topline, Body:
Neck: Strong, thick, and muscular. Clearly defined from the nape, blending
in to the shoulders in a harmonious line. The throat is moderate in skin with
a double dewlap. Chest: Broad, deep, well muscled and well rounded; extending
at least to the elbow. The ribs are well sprung. The distance from ground to the
elbow is equal to 1/2 the height at the withers. Back: The topline consists
of two segments. The first slopes slightly downward in a nearly straight line
from the withers to the 11th thoracic vertebrae, approximately 6 inches behind
the withers. The second rises gradually and continues into a solid and well-arched
loin. The underline is solid and should have minimal tuck up. Croup: Well
muscled, long. The hipbones fall away from the spinal column at an angle of about
30 degrees, producing a lightly rounded, well filled-out croup. Tail: Follows
the line of the croup, thick at the base, carried horizontally or down; flicking
from side to side while moving is preferred. The tail should lack fringes. It
is docked to a length of 5 1/2 to 8 inches. Tail habitually carried above the
level of the back or straight up when working is to be penalized.
Forequarters:
Shoulders: Powerful and long, withers not too prominent; forming an angle
with the upper arm of approximately angle 105. With well-developed muscles, the
points of the shoulder blades are not close together. The ideal distance between
the shoulder blades is approximately two inches or more. Angulation of shoulder
is in balance with angulation in the rear. Forelegs: The forelegs are straight
when viewed from the front angle with strong bone and well-developed muscles;
elbows set under the withers and close to the body. Pasterns are long, lean and
flexible following the vertical line of the forearm. In profile, they are slightly
slanted. Feet: Large compact, rounded with well-arched toes, which are
close together, covered with short, dense hair, including between the toes. Pads
are lean and hard with strong nails curving toward the ground, well pigmented,
but never black. Dewclaws may be removed.
Hindquarters:
Thighs are strong and well muscled, stifles show good function angulation, lower
thigh to be well developed and muscled with good breadth. The hock, with proportion
of 1/3 the distance from the hip joint to foot being ideal, is strong, lean and
perpendicular to the ground. Fault: Cowhocks. Feet: Slightly more oval
than the forefoot with the same characteristics. Dewclaws may be removed.
Skin:
The skin must be very thick, closely fitting the body. The skin is thinner on
the head, throat, groin, under the legs and in the folds of the elbows is soft
to the touch. Pigmentation is dependent upon the color or markings of the coat.
Disqualification: Any black pigmentation.
Coat:
A Spinone must have a correct coat to be of correct type. The ideal coat length
is 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches on the body, with a tolerance of 1/2 inch over or under
the ideal length. Head, ears, muzzle and front sides of legs and feet are covered
by shorter hair. The hair on the backsides of the legs forms a rough brush, but
there are never any fringes. The eyes and lips are framed by stiff hair forming
eyebrows, mustache and tufted beard, which combine to save fore face from laceration
by briar and bush. The coat is dense, stiff and flat or slightly crimped, but
not curly, with an absence of undercoat. The Spinone is exhibited in a natural
state. The appearance of the Spinone may not be altered. The dog must present
the natural appearance of a functional field dog. Dogs with a long, soft or silky
coat, the presence of undercoat, or any deviation of the coat is defined in this
as well as excessive grooming, i.e., scissoring, clipping, or setting of pattern
shall be severely penalized as to eliminate them from further competition.
Color:
The accepted colors are: Solid white, white and orange; orange roan with or without
orange markings; white with brown markings, brown roan with or without brown markings.
The most desired color of brown is chestnut brown, "monks habit", however, varying
colors of brown are acceptable. Disqualification: Any black in the coat, tan,
tri-color, in any combination, or any color other than accepted colors.
Gait: The Spinone is first and foremost a functional working gun dog. Its
purpose as a versatile hunting dog must be given the utmost consideration. Easy
and loose trot geared for endurance. Maximum ground is covered with least amount
of effort, which his purpose as a versatile working gun dog demands. Profile of
the topline kept throughout the trotting gait, light body roll in mature bitches
is characteristic of the breed. While hunting, an extended fast trot with intermittent
paces of a gallop allows the Spinone to cover ground quickly and thoroughly. Any
characteristics that interfere with the accomplishment of the function of the
Spinone shall be considered as a serious fault.
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points constitutes a fault which
when judging must be penalized according to its seriousness and extension.
Disqualification
Wall Eye
Any pigment other than described or incomplete pigment of the nose.
Overshot or undershot bite.
Any black pigmentation.
Any black in the coat; tan, tri-color markings in any combination, or any color
other than accepted colors.
Approved: February 11, 2000
Effective: September 28, 2000
