 Spinone
One of only two
native Italian breeds of gundog, the Spinone’s origins
can be traced back over many centuries.
Researchers of the breed consider that it was the
migrating Celts that introduces a large, wire-haired
breed into the region as long ago as 2000 BC.
Certainly the Celts did establish themselves in Northern
Spain and Southern France and they did use long legged,
wire haired, running dogs, for hunting purposes.
Whatever the history is, what is certain is that the
breed established itself in Piedmont region of Italy.
The name Spinone is derived from the Italian word for
thorn bush ‘pino’ which was thick and seemingly
impenetrable and often used by game birds for hiding in.
Only thick-skinned, coarse haired dogs could flush birds
from such cover.
 Bracco
Italiano
The
Bracco Italiano, along with the Spinone is the second of
the native Italian breeds of gundogs. These are
deep, strong-chested dogs with very muscular
hindquarters. Their coat is short, glossy, dense
and fine and the colours range from all white, through a
variety of orange and white, orange roan, chestnut and
white and chestnut and roan.
Slow to train they are intelligent dogs but their
training cannot be forced. To do so can put them
back several months. Designated as a hunt, point
and retrieve breed, they will hold a firm point and are
exceptionally good retrievers.
Like
the other native Italian breed the Bracco’s origins date
back to the 4th and 5th centuries
and were the taproot for many of the other European HPR
dogs.
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