Spinone Italiano AKC Breed Standard.
Official Standard of the Spinone Italiano.
General Appearance:. The Spinone has a distinctive profile and soft, almost-human expression.
The breed is constructed for endurance. Muscular, vigorous and with powerful bone, the Spinone
has a robust build that makes him resistant to fatigue and able to work on almost any terrain; big
feet and a two-piece topline give the dog stability on rough ground. The Spinone covers ground
efficiently, combining a purposeful, easy trot with an intermittent gallop. A harsh, single coat
and thick skin enable the Spinone to negotiate underbrush and endure cold water that would
punish any dog not so naturally armored. This versatile pointer is a proficient swimmer and an
excellent retriever by nature. The Spinone is patient, methodical and cooperative in the field, and
has a gentle demeanor.
Size, Proportion, Substance.: The height at the withers is 231⁄2 to 271⁄2 inches for males and 221⁄2
to 251⁄2 inches for females. Weight: In direct proportion to size and structure of a dog in working
condition. Proportion: His build tends to fit into a square. The length of the body, measured
from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks, is equal to or slightly greater than the
height at the withers. Substance: The Spinone is a solidly built dog with powerful bone.
Head.: Long, with muzzle length equal to that of the backskull. The length of the head is equal
to 4/10 of the height at the withers; its width measured at the zygomatic arch is less than half of
its total length. The profile of the Spinone is unusual. The occipital protuberance is well
developed, and the upper longitudinal profiles of the skull and muzzle are divergent, downfaced,
i.e., if extended, the top line of the muzzle emerges in front of or tangential to the occipital
protuberance. A dish-faced muzzle is to be faulted so severely as to eliminate from further
competition. The skull is oval, with sides gently sloping from the sagittal suture in a curve to the
zygomatic arch. Cheeks are lean. The medial-frontal furrow is very pronounced. Muzzle – Stop
is barely perceptible. Bridge of the muzzle is straight or slightly Roman. Square when viewed
from the front. The width of the nasal bridge measured at its midpoint is a third of its length.
The upper lips are rather soft and are rounded in front. The lower profile of the muzzle is created
by the lower line of the upper lip. Eyes – A soft sweet expression is of paramount importance to
the breed. It shall denote intelligence and gentleness. Ochre (a soft golden brown) in color,
darker eyes with darker colored dogs, lighter eyes with lighter colored dogs. The eyes are large,
almost round, well opened, and set well apart on the frontal plane. The lid fits the eye closely.
The eye is neither protruding nor deep set. Eye rim is clearly visible and will vary in color from
flesh colored to brown depending on the color of the dog. Loose eyelids must be faulted.
Disqualification – Walleye (an eye with a whitish iris; a blue eye, fisheye, pearl eye). Nose –
Large, bulbous and spongy in appearance with a rounded upper edge. Nostrils are large and well
opened. In profile, the nose protrudes past the forward line of the lips. Pigment is a rosy flesh
color in white-and-orange dogs, brown in brown-and-white or brown-roan dogs; in solid-white
dogs, it can range from flesh colored to brown. Disqualification – Any pigment other than
described or total depigmentation of the nose. Teeth – Jaw is powerful; at mid-length, the sides
of the mandible are very lightly curved. Teeth are positioned in a scissors or level bite.
Disqualification – Overshot or undershot bite. Ears – Almost triangular in shape with a slightly
rounded tip, they are set on a level with the eye; long, but not more than 2 inches below the line
of the throat; pendulous, carried close to the head and with little erectile power. The leather is
fine, covered with short, thick hair mixed with longer sparser hair, which becomes thicker along
the edges. The forward edge is adherent to the cheek, not curled, but turned back on itself.
Neck, Topline, Body:. Neck – Strong, thick, and muscular, clearly defined from the nape,
blending into the shoulders in a harmonious line. The length of the neck shall not be less than
two-thirds of the length of the head. 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 eleventh thoracic vertebra. The second rises gradually and continues into
a solid and slightly convex loin without rising above the withers. The underline is solid. It is
almost horizontal in the sternal region, then ascends only slightly towards the belly; there is
minimal tuck-up. Croup – Wide, well-muscled, long. The hipbones fall away from the spinal
column at an angle of about 30 to 35 degrees, producing a lightly rounded, well filled-out croup.
Tail – Follows the line of the croup, thick, with no fringes. The tail is carried horizontally or
down, flicking from side to side while trotting. The tail is customarily docked to a length of 6 to
10 inches. The structure and carriage of an undocked tail are consistent with those of a docked
tail.
Forequarters:. Shoulders – The shoulders are strong, well-muscled, long and well laid back;
they are capable of moving freely and form an angle with the upper arm of approximately 105
degrees. The tops of the shoulder blades are not close together. The upper arm is of equal length
to the shoulder blade. Angulation of shoulder is in balance with angulation in the rear. Forelegs:
The forelegs are straight when viewed from the front, with strong, oval bone, well-developed
muscles and well-defined tendons; elbows are 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 – Front feet are 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
present.
Hindquarters.: Thighs are strong and well-muscled, stifles show good functional angulation,
lower thigh to be well developed and muscled with good breadth. The distance from the point of
the hock to the ground is about one-third of the height at the withers, and the rear pastern is
strong, lean and perpendicular to the ground. Feet – The rear foot is slightly more oval than the
forefoot, with the same characteristics. Dewclaws may be present on the inner side of the rear
pastern.
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, where it 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, harsh, single coat to be of correct type. There is no
undercoat. The ideal coat length is 11⁄2 to 21⁄2 inches on the body. The hair is shorter on the head,
ears, and along the top of the muzzle and front sides of legs and feet. 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
long, stiff hair forming eyebrows, mustache and beard. The coat is coarse, dense and rather flat.
The Spinone is exhibited in a natural state, in accordance with his function as a field dog.
Color.: The accepted colors are: Solid white, white and orange; orange roan with or without
orange markings; white with brown markings, and brown roan with or without brown markings.
The most desired color of brown is a chestnut, “monk’s habit” brown, however, other shades of
brown are acceptable. Disqualification – Any black in the coat, tri-color in any combination, tan
points or any color other than accepted colors.
Gait: He has a free, relaxed trot, geared for endurance. This trot, with intermittent gallop, allows
the Spinone to cover maximum ground with the least amount of effort. Profile of the topline is
kept as the dog trots.
Temperamen.t: Sociable, docile, affectionate and patient.
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points constitutes a fault which when judging must be
penalized according to its seriousness and extent. Any characteristic that interferes with the
accomplishment of the function of the Spinone shall be considered a serious fault.
Disqualifications.
Walleye (an eye with a whitish iris; a blue eye, fisheye, pearl eye.)
Any pigment other than described or total depigmentation of the nose.
Overshot or undershot bite.
Any black pigmentation.
Any black in the coat; tri-color markings in any combination, tan points or any color other than
accepted colors.
Approved August 14, 2018.
Effective January 1, 2019.
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