Spinone Italiano vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison

Spinone Italiano vs Bracco Italiano - Breed ComparisonBoth Bracco Italiano and Spinone Italiano are originated from Italy. Both Bracco Italiano and Spinone Italiano are having almost same height. Both Bracco Italiano and Spinone Italiano are having almost same weight. Bracco Italiano may live 5 years more than Spinone Italiano. Bracco Italiano may have less litter size than Spinone Italiano. Bracco Italiano requires Low Maintenance. But Spinone Italiano requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Gun dog
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Italy
Italy
Height Male:
58 - 67 cm
22 - 27 inches
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
Height Female:
55 - 62 cm
21 - 25 inches
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 40 kg
55 - 89 pounds
34 - 39 kg
74 - 86 pounds
Weight Female:
23 - 40 kg
50 - 89 pounds
32 - 37 kg
70 - 82 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
8 - 9 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
4 - 11
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Italian Pointer Italian Pointing Dog
Spinone Italian Spinone Italian Griffon Italian Wire-haired Pointer Italian Coarsehaired Pointer
Colors Available:
Orange and White, Chestnut and White with some freckling
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
Coat:
Short, dense and glossy
tough, slightly wiry, and close fitting. rough
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet
Affectionate, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

bracco italianoThe attractive and popular breed in Italy, the Bracco Italiano was used for tracking and retrieving, evolving in Piedmont and Lombardy. It is believed the Bracco Italiano came about from crossing the Segugio with the ancient Asiatic Mastiff.

There are people however, who believe that the breed goes back to the St Hubert Hound, but it is certain that both hounds and gundogs are part of the breed’s ancestry. The dog only arrived in Britain in the last decade of the 20th century.

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.

Description

His Looks:

bracco italiano puppy - descriptionThe Bracco Italiano is a large athletic, muscular dog. He stands at 58–67cm, weighing anything between 25 – 40kg. He reminds one somewhat of a German Short-haired Pointer. He has long ears and a serious expression, and this reminds one of a Bloodhound. He has short, shiny hair with his coat being white and chestnut or orange. The tail of the Bracco Italiano has always been docked, giving him an attractive, distinctive look but with rules and regulations coming in regarding docking, the long tail is often left intact. His eyes are brown.

His Temperament

Braccos are wonderful pets – they are intelligent, loving, gentle and amicable, getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. Socialize and train them and they become gentle and obedient. They long to be involved with their human family and will adapt to life in the city or the country so long as they are made to feel like family. He is alert and makes a good watchdog. As with most other dogs, they can’t be bought, loved as a puppy and then ignored and left to themselves when they grow into adults.

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.

Characteristics

bracco italiano dog - characteristicsThe gentle, amicable Bracco Italiano is a versatile dog that can be a super sport companion for active people and it can also be an exceptional companion for families and older people. He has a sweet, gentle expression and his amicable nature makes him easy to love. He is alert though, and therefore can be both protector and friend at the same time.

Overall, this easy going dog with his low maintenance coat can make an excellent 4-legged addition to any family.

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.

Health Problems

bracco italiano puppies - health problemsThere don’t appear to be any major health issues with your Bracco Italiano and he can live to be 12, 13 or 14 years of age. Because he is a large breed however, you will need to watch out for hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia is a common skeletal disease with dogs and larger dogs have the genetic predisposition for hip dysplasia. Your dog can develop joint inflammation with pain and lameness.

Other health problems to look out for include kidney disease (Amaloidosis), cherry eye which results in dry eye. If you want to buy a Bracco Italiano, you should ask the breeder about the medical history of the parents.

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.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

bracco italiano dogs - caringThese dogs are moderate shedders so he will simply need a good brushing twice a week to ensure the coat is kept shiny and free from loose hairs. Nails should be clipped from time to time and he will also need to have his long ears checked for cleanliness. Long-eared dog breeds are more susceptible to canine ear infections.

Feeding:

The Bracco is a large dog and therefore he will require a high quality, large-breed dog food formula. Your veterinarian can even recommend a quality commercially manufactured food for large, energetic dogs and which comes with all the vitamins and minerals required for such a breed.

Your vet will recommend you steer clear of foods with cheap fillers, lots of preservatives, sugar and colorants. He has a glossy, dense short coat and you want to ensure he gets raw meat, rice and vegetables from time to time to ensure that the beautiful coat never becomes dull and dry.

Cool, fresh water must always be available to him. Diet and nutrition is an important decision for your pet as it will ultimately affect his long term health.

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.

Comparison with other breeds

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