At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
rough, wiry coat
A stiff, dense and fairly flat coat of about 4 to 6 cm with little or no undercoat, shorter on the head. Bushy eyebrows, a moustache and a beard give the breed its wise, almost human expression. Strong bones and a sturdy, square-ish frame.123
Personality what they are like
An easygoing, friendly and patient gundog that gets on well with people. It can be a little stubborn at times, but its gentle, dependable nature makes it a well-loved family dog.143
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High. The Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day; it moves at a steady, ground-covering trot built for endurance rather than speed.3
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Brushing more than once a week keeps the rough, shedding coat tidy.31
Home where they are happiest
A roomy house with a garden suits it best; it can live in town or country as long as it gets plenty of outdoor time.3
Food basics what goes in the bowl
A balanced diet for a large, active sporting dog, matched to its workload.3
Company who they like around
A people-loving breed that does best as part of a busy family.43
The story where it all began
Rough-haired pointing dogs have lived in Italy since at least the Renaissance, and one appears in a 15th-century fresco by Andrea Mantegna. Numbers fell after the Second World War, and breed societies founded in 1949 and 1973 rebuilt it. Today it is a popular gundog and show dog in many countries.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
A dog resembling the Spinone appears in a 15th-century fresco by Andrea Mantegna.1
- 2
During the Second World War Italian partisans used Spinoni for tracking and for carrying supplies.2
- 3
Orange and white made up more than half of new Italian registrations between 2010 and 2018.2
- 4
Its coat has almost no undercoat, which is unusual for a wire-coated gundog.1
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 165, Group 7, Section 1.3 Continental Pointing Dogs, griffon type; standard dated 17.12.2015. Definitively accepted in 1955 per Wikipedia.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Gundog group as 'Italian Spinone'; not a vulnerable native breed.3
- AKC
- Sporting Group breed.4
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Spinone Italiano. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard No. 165, Spinone Italiano fci.beused for origin, recognition, size, coat, colours, temperament, history
- Wikipedia: Spinone Italiano en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, lifespan study, history, fun facts
- The Royal Kennel Club: Italian Spinone royalkennelclub.comused for exercise, grooming, lifespan, home
- AKC: Spinone Italiano akc.orgused for temperament, group
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.