Page 13 - ShowSight Presents The Spinone Italiano

THE SPINONE
ITALIANO
Toplines, Croups & TailseTs—is There more?
by Carolyn Fry & The spinone Club oF ameriCa
As the Spinone Club of America’s Judges Educa- tion committee is trying its best to step up with
an education program and a new “era”, with the committee members making themselves more available to judges and breeders, we often ask Spinone judges some basic questions. The answers we get regularly revolve around toplines, croups and tailsets of the Spinone and these are the areas that the judge is bas- ing his/her decisions upon. In addition, most judges are checking for divergent head planes.
It is good to hear that the judges have these basics within their grasp, but we would like to draw the following very
important points to your attention, to help broaden your understanding.
The almost-human expression, which is considered to be an essential trait of the Spinone, is created from widely-placed, almost round, large and expressive eyes set on the frontal plane of the head, which is unusual and special to this breed. The definition of the stop, together with both the sub and supra orbital structure (brow and cheek chiseling) are minimally defined. The above, together with the unusual warm ochre color (in white/orange dogs) contribute to the human expres- sion. Equally, in brown roan dogs the shade of brown for the eyes is warm and soft. A sharp or intense expression
created by incorrect eye color, shape or set (deemed typical in the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and German Wire- haired Pointer) must be severely penal- ized in the Spinone Italiano.
The head is long, lean and divergent. The Spinone head length is propor- tionally long compared with any other Sporting breed, approximately four- tenths of the dog’s height.
The skull is roof shaped, with a marked occiput, well-defined interpa- rietal crest (backskull/nape of neck) and gently sloping lateral walls. Par- ticularly, in profile, this area helps to define breed type for the Spinone. From the front, the refinement of skull adds to the long, lean and divergent
This is the correct profile movement for the spinone. please note that the head could be a little longer in proportion on this outline. The head length is 40% of the height at the withers.
“THE HEAD IS
LONG, LEAN AND
DIVERGENT.
The spinone head lengTh is proporTionally long Compared wiTh any oTher sporTing breed, approximaTely Four-TenThs oF The dog’s heighT.”
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