Spinoni are capable retrievers in a variety of conditions, as demonstrated by Capo di Paura Dash 4 Cash JH, owned by Ginny Raho and Liz Bodell.

“They will take advantage of any trainer who relinquishes control to throw in a major dash of their own creativity. They do not respond well at all to harsh training and will turn off and refuse to perform. By harsh training, I don’t necessarily mean that you can’t use an electronic collar on a Spinone. Actually, they respond extremely well to e-collars provided the trainer knows how to use them correctly. One thing you can never do with a Spinone is fail to control your own temper when you are training them because that can lead to major problems.”

While these are relatively large dogs, (the standard says 22 to 27 inches in height and weight ranging from 61 to 85 pounds) they are unusually cautious in their hunting techniques. When they pick up scent, they slow down to the point where they often test the ground with a paw before putting it down in order to make not the slightest sound. If at all possible, they avoid dry branches and leaves so as not to completely reveal their position to the game.

“The true Spinone hunting style is much different than any of the other pointing breeds,” said Bodell. “The breed which would be most similar to the Spinone would be the wirehaired pointing griffon. Spinoni trot with their heads held high, tail flicking side to side and zigzagging into the wind. Only when you first start hunting will they actually gallop if they are working correctly.

“They should gradually slow down when they wind a bird and cautiously freeze up on point. They have amazing noses and can wind a bird a long way away. To be perfectly frank, it is not easy to find Spinoni in this country that hunt in the absolute correct Spinone manner.”

Applegate agreed that the breed most similar in style to the Spinone is the WPG. “Spinoni were developed for an all-day foot hunt in extremely tough hill and mountain terrain so a steady trot or loping gait is characteristic rather than the blazing speed you find with most pointers and GSPs. The style of a Spinone in the field more closely resembles that of a griffon than that of one of the fast, flashy pointing breeds.”

As is the case with many sporting breeds, the Spinone is not free of health problems. A major issue for the breed is cerebellar ataxia (CA), a genetic neurological disease that affects coordination and balance in pups. Those actually suffering from the disease generally die or are euthanized before they are a year old and as a result, never get the opportunity to pass along their genetic flaw. However, their littermates not affected by the disease still may be carriers. (Mendel’s laws say that 25 percent of the offspring from two carriers will get the disease, 50 percent will not have the disease but will carry the flawed gene and if mated will pass it along to half of their offspring and 25 percent will be completely free of the disorder.)

The United Kingdom Animal Health Trust, working in conjunction with the Italian Spinone Club of Great Britain, recently developed a test for CA, and the Spinone Club of America is actively testing all breeding stock to determine the prevalence of CA within the breed. Before buying a puppy, it would be wise to go to the SCOA’s webpage for a list of known carriers and then check the pup’s pedigree for the presence of any of these dogs.