Spinone Italiano vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison

Spinone Italiano vs American Bulldog - Breed ComparisonSpinone Italiano is originated from Italy but American Bulldog is originated from United States. Both Spinone Italiano and American Bulldog are of same height. Spinone Italiano may weigh 15 kg / 33 pounds lesser than American Bulldog. Spinone Italiano may live 7 years less than American Bulldog. Both Spinone Italiano and American Bulldog has almost same litter size. Spinone Italiano requires Moderate maintenance. But American Bulldog requires Low maintenance

History

spinone italiano - historyThis Italian breed has an ancient blood line tracing all the back to 500 BC. Originally bred to hunt, he is today a friendly, alert and loyal companion. He is intelligent enough to do any job you give him. The Spinone is thought to be one of the oldest gun dogs ever, but it is not entirely clear that he came from Italy. There are some who think he may have come from somewhere in these European countries – Italy, Greece, France, Celtic Ireland, Spain or Russia. However, most believe the breed came from Italy in the Piedmont area.

The most common thinking is that he is a descendent of the Spanish Pointer and/or the Russian Setter. One other theory is that setters from Greece were brought to the Roman Empire and crossed with a variety of Italian dog to make the coarse haired Spinone we see today. Then the French put in their claim that the breed is a cross of many French pointers.

The theory that counts might just belong to the Italians who believe the ancestor to the Spinone includes the German Wirehaired Pointer, the Pudelpointer and the Wirehaired Pointer. It was not until the 19th century that the name Spinone was officially given to the breed.

Before that it might have been known as a Spinoso and named after a thorn bus in Italy called the Spino. This bush was so thick and sharp that small prey animals learned to hide under it because the predators could not get through it. The Spinone however was able to fight through the briars with its thick, coarse hair and tough skin.

The breed almost became extinct during the second world war as before and after the hunters in Italy had started to use other breeds for hunting. Breeders also began to cross the Spinone with wire hairs like German Wirehaired Pointer, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and the Boulet.

The most popular hunting dog in Italy today is the Bracco Italiano while the Spinone is still used for hunting.

american bulldog - historyFollowing World War II, the American Bulldog was almost extinct.

Thanks to John D. Johnson from Summerville, Georgia the breed is still with us today. He gathered the best dogs he could find throughout the rural South and bred them back into popularity among his family and other rural families. His father bred the American Bulldog before John did and they have bred them longer than any other in any part of the world. His dogs were regularly used for tracking, hunting, guarding, watchdog and weight pulling. At some point Alan Scott joined Johnson breeding other bulldogs to Johnson's and forming the Standard American Bulldog.

The American Bulldog/ is popular today as a family pet and companion as well as a working dog.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Working dog
Origin:
Italy
United States
Height Male:
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
55 - 70 cm
21 - 28 inches
Height Female:
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
52 - 65 cm
20 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
34 - 39 kg
74 - 86 pounds
32 - 54 kg
70 - 120 pounds
Weight Female:
32 - 37 kg
70 - 82 pounds
27 - 45 kg
59 - 100 pounds
Life Span:
8 - 9 Years
14 - 16 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 11
10 - 12
Size:
Large dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Spinone Italian Spinone Italian Griffon Italian Wire-haired Pointer Italian Coarsehaired Pointer
shades of brindle including red brindle, varying degrees of white, red, brown, tan, fawn and piebald.
Colors Available:
white with orange markings, white with brown markings, and brown roan with or without brown markings , orange roan with or without orange markings, solid white
Brindle, mostly white, white with brown or red and piebald.
Coat:
tough, slightly wiry, and close fitting. rough
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Affectionate, Courageous, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

spinone italiano puppy - descriptionThe breed is made up of strong, solid and muscled dogs that have an almost square build. His legs are made to travel any terrain and his head is long with an occipital that is pronounced and unique to the Spinone. They are said to have “human appearing eyes”, with a docked tail in countries allowing it and webbed paws.

Shorter hair covers their feet, head, legs, muzzle and ears. They have longer hair on their eyebrows and it is stiff, with soft hair on the muzzle and cheeks with a beard and mustache. It is a single coated dog though the coat is rough. They should have skin, lips, nose, and pads in colors that coordinate with their coats. For white dog it is a red-orange color, brown in dogs that are roan colored and dark red-orange in the orange and white colored dog.

american bulldog puppy - descriptionThe American Bulldog is a powerful and muscular dog in a sturdy and compact frame. The female is more refined than the heavy boned and stocky male, but both genders are athletic, agile and quick. The have large heads, strong jaws, a muscular neck and with a moderately deep and wide chest.

They have a square head, with muscular cheeks and a clearly defined furrow between his eyes. With broad, square and strong muzzles, they have a reverse scissors, scissors, moderate underbite and an even bite. Ears come in a variety of shapes and sizes and eyes can be any color as well. The nose however should be black and lips black as well. Their legs are strong, heavy boned and straight with well-defined muscles in the hindquarters. Finally ,they have a thick, low set tail that comes to a point at the end.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness – yes they live kids.

2.Special talents – Digging and running.

spinone italiano dog - characteristics3.Adaptability – Young dogs need a lot of attention but they don’t need a lot of space. The young dogs are energetic while the adult dogs are laid-back. They need exercise every day and at least a small back yard.

4.Learning ability – good/stubborn/intelligent.

american bulldog dog - characteristicsThe American Bulldog is characteristically loyal, brave and reliable. It is a friendly, gentle dog that truly loves children. There is not a hostile bone in his body despite his history and reputation for bull baiting. Though he is protective of its family and affectionate with most, he still needs a human companion who is strong willed and a genuine pack leader. Without this he might become aggressive around other dogs and pets. They are immensely self-confident and they do slobber and drool and will become excited and hard to handle without daily exercise of both their body and their minds.

Health Problems

spinone italiano puppies - health problemsThis is an ancient breed with not a lot of documented genetic issues, but it does have one deadly condition.

• Cerebellar ataxia (CA) is inherited and hits the puppies. Because it is a recessive gene both the mother and father must carry it for the puppy to inherit it. This makes it less likely than it would be otherwise. Puppies with the condition do not live more than a year. Since it is a genetic problem there is now a test for it that identifies carriers at a 95% accuracy rate.

• Like many other large breed dogs, they are susceptible to hip dysplasia. This can cause arthritis and/or lameness. There are now hip replacement surgeries available for this condition.

• Bloat is again common in large dogs and you need to watch for it with the Spinone. It can be deadly if not treated immediately. Let your dog rest quietly after eating. Do not let her exercise or play energetically after eating.

american bulldog puppies - health problemsThough generally healthy, the American Bulldog is prone to a few problems.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a serious issue in many breeds of dogs and is especially prevalent with the American Bull Dog. This may seem ironic in such a short legged dog but it is unfortunately very common. It is a genetic disorder that causes the bones in the joint to separate and causes the dog much pain and lameness.

Skin and Ear Issues

Due to skin folds you need to be care and watch for irritation and infection in the folds. They are also prone to ear infections.

Obesity

The American Bulldog is prone to overeating and all the health issues that presents. With short legs and a genetic predisposition to arthritis and hip dysplasia, obesity is a real health risk for your bulldog.

Caring The Pet

spinone italiano dogs - caring1Feeding the puppy – feed a high quality dog food for puppies of large breeds. Feed 3-4x day but don’t overfeed or let him exercise after eating even as a puppy.

2.Feeding the adult - feed a high quality dog food for large breeds. Feed 1-2X day but don’t overfeed or let him exercise after eating.

3.Points for Good Health – Active and strong

4. Games and Exercises – The Spinone is an active breed, but not a fast dog. In fact, they like to travel at a trot so it becomes a great dog for jogging or running with. They love to jump, track, hunt, hike. They do well with agility, retrieving, flyball, carting, being a therapy dog, a rescue dog and a watchdog.

Feeding Puppies

american bulldog dogs - caringThree times a day from 12 weeks to a year for a total of 3 cups per day.

Feeding Adults

After 6 months cut back to one cup twice a day of high quality dry dog food.

Bulldogs will eat anything at anytime and are prone to obesity. Don't overfeed them.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. American Bulldog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  2. American Bulldog vs Australian Kelpie - Breed Comparison
  3. Border Collie vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  4. Sakhalin Husky vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  5. Alaskan Husky vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  6. Catahoula Leopard vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. German Pinscher vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  8. Portuguese Water Dog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  9. Puli vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  10. Griffon Bleu de Gascogne vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  11. Borador vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  12. German Spaniel vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  13. Canadian Eskimo Dog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  14. McNab vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  15. Porcelaine vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  16. Finnish Lapphund vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  17. Berger Blanc Suisse vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  18. Griffon Nivernais vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  19. Hokkaido vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  20. Petit Bleu de Gascogne vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  21. Pumi vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  22. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  23. Basque Shepherd vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  24. Istrian Sheepdog vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  25. Jamthund vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  26. Spinone Italiano vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  27. Spinone Italiano vs German Shorthaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  28. Spinone Italiano vs Irish Setter - Breed Comparison
  29. Spinone Italiano vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison
  30. Spinone Italiano vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  31. Spinone Italiano vs Perdiguero de Burgos - Breed Comparison
  32. Spinone Italiano vs Irish Red and White Setter - Breed Comparison
  33. Spinone Italiano vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison
  34. Spinone Italiano vs Grand Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison
  35. Spinone Italiano vs Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  36. Spinone Italiano vs Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac - Breed Comparison
  37. Spinone Italiano vs Smooth Haired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  38. Spinone Italiano vs Spanish Pointer - Breed Comparison
  39. Spinone Italiano vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  40. Spinone Italiano vs Braque Francais (Gascogne Type) - Breed Comparison
  41. Talbot vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  42. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  43. Weimaraner vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  44. Spinone Italiano vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  45. Spinone Italiano vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  46. Spinone Italiano vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  47. Spinone Italiano vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  48. Spinone Italiano vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  49. Spinone Italiano vs Akita - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds