Turnspit Dog vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison

Spinone Italiano is originated from Italy but Turnspit Dog is originated from United Kingdom. Spinone Italiano may grow 40 cm / 16 inches higher than Turnspit Dog. Spinone Italiano may weigh 25 kg / 56 pounds more than Turnspit Dog. Spinone Italiano may live 6 years less than Turnspit Dog. Spinone Italiano may have more litter size than Turnspit Dog. Spinone Italiano requires Moderate Maintenance. But Turnspit Dog requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Working dog
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Italy
United Kingdom
Height Male:
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
20 - 30 cm
7 - 12 inches
Height Female:
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
20 - 30 cm
7 - 12 inches
Weight Male:
34 - 39 kg
74 - 86 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Weight Female:
32 - 37 kg
70 - 82 pounds
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
Life Span:
8 - 9 Years
10 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 11
1 - 4
Size:
Large
Small
Other Names:
Spinone Italian Spinone Italian Griffon Italian Wire-haired Pointer Italian Coarsehaired Pointer
Vernepator cur, kitchen dog
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
White, gray or black., reddish-brown
Coat:
tough, slightly wiry, and close fitting. rough
Shortish
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

spinone italianoThis 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.

It is amazing that this small dog’s popularity comes from him being used in the kitchens to roast meat. The British enjoyed eating their meat which they roasted on a fire.

These dogs were essentially regarded as a tool – a means to an end, and when kitchens were modernized, they were no longer needed, and they became extinct.

Referred to as the kitchen dog or cooking dog, the first mention of these little dogs was made in 1576. By 1850 the dogs had become scarce and by 1900 it seemed as though there were none left.

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.

The Turnspit was a small long-bodied dog, standing at between 20 to 30cm in height and probably weighed anything between 9 and 14kg in height.

The legs were somewhat crooked or bandy and Edward Jesse, who wrote ‘Anecdote of Dogs’ in 1846 described them as ugly dogs with a miserable look to them. That was probably due to him having to fit into the hamster-like wheel contraption that turned the meat being roasted in the kitchens.

They were low-bodied dogs, similar to a Dachshund or a Corgi with short, stocky legs, short floppy ears, and a short coat. The long tail curled over its back. It is believed that the coats were white, reddish-brown, gray or black.

Temperament:

The dog was certainly feisty, energetic and hard-working with not much being written about his temperament. He was a working dog, but given the chance, he would no doubt have been loving and loyal, longing for the chance just to be part of a human family and to be loved.

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.

The Turnspit dog had a tough life, but would no doubt have made a wonderful little pet had he just been allowed to be a companion dog.

When he was no longer needed, he was discarded.

Make sure that when you buy a dog, you don't just put him in your backyard and forget about him. Give him the love and care he deserves.

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.

The health and lifespan of a dog is influenced by quite a few things such as food, care, love, exercise and the type of breed it is. Generally smaller dogs live longer than big dogs, and mixed breed dogs live longer than pure breeds.

The Turnspit dog, if he had received the proper care, could have lived to between 10 and 15 years of age.

Some of the health issues facing small dogs like these would include -

Hypoglycemia:

Stress can bring on a sudden drop in blood sugar. The Turnspit had reason to be stressed, working hard in horrible conditions. Dogs become weak and lethargic and can scarcely maintain an even gait. A sudden drop in blood sugar can cause a small dog to go into a fatal coma.

Pancreatitis:

This ailment seems to occur more often with smaller dogs. The pancreas becomes inflamed and your dog has vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and dehydration. Pancreatitis can come about because of trauma, metabolic disorders or infection.

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.

A dog is man's best friend, but the Turnspit was essentially just a working dog and most likely didn’t receive the proper care he deserved.

Small dogs like these would have had basic needs. Their owners would have had to pay attention to the dog's health, because he needed to work.

We look at ways in which a small dog like the Turnspit should have been cared for -

Diet:

One wonders if the Turnspit was allowed to eat any of the roast meat he worked so hard on to get ready. Every dog should have a regular meal.

Most adult dogs should be fed 2 meals of kibble a day. If the Turnspit wasn’t extinct he would have required a high quality ‘small dog breed’ commercial dog food. Home-made food would also be a requirement – some boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Dogs want and appreciate simple, wholesome foods that won’t upset their digestive systems.

Along with good food, dogs need cool, fresh water constantly available to stay healthy.

Provide your dog with a warm dry, quiet, comfortable place to sleep.

Make sure he gets to the veterinarian if he is sick, but also for his vaccines to prevent him from getting some of the worst dog diseases there are.

Spay or neuter your dog if you don’t intend to breed your dog,

Groom your small dog regularly. The Turnspit had a shortish coat and would have required a brush twice a week. Other grooming procedures for a small dog like the Turnspit would have been keeping his nails trimmed and checking the inside of his ears and his mouth for ear infections and dental disease.

Exercise for a small dog is important – walks and ball games.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Turnspit Dog vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Turnspit Dog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Turnspit Dog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Turnspit Dog vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Turnspit Dog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Turnspit Dog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Turnspit Dog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Turnspit Dog vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Turnspit Dog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Turnspit Dog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Turnspit Dog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Turnspit Dog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Turnspit Dog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Turnspit Dog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
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  16. Turnspit Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Turnspit Dog vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Turnspit Dog vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
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  24. Turnspit Dog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Turnspit Dog vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Spinone Italiano vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Spinone Italiano vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Spinone Italiano vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Spinone Italiano vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Spinone Italiano vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Spinone Italiano vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Spinone Italiano vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Spinone Italiano vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Spinone Italiano vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Spinone Italiano vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Spinone Italiano vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Spinone Italiano vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Spinone Italiano vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Spinone Italiano vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Spinone Italiano vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Spinone Italiano vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Spinone Italiano vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Spinone Italiano vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Spinone Italiano vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Spinone Italiano vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Spinone Italiano vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Spinone Italiano vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Spinone Italiano vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Spinone Italiano vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Spinone Italiano vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison