Page 15 - ShowSight Presents The Spinone Italiano
P. 15
“TIP: loose-lead gaiTing aT a naTural plaCe will illusTraTe so muCh more Than FooT plaCemenT in This breed. CheCk For a deep underline in addiTion To The lighTly broken Topline and The CorreCT proporTions (i.e. long head, almosT-square body-shape, equal leg/ ChesT depTh and symmeTry oF Fore/hind angles).”
metatarsus) will produce an atypical, and therefore undesirable, gait that may be highly regarded or acceptable in the more elegant Sporting breeds.
The shoulder should mirror the equally-proportioned rear assembly in this breed, with clear definition of a prosternum and a deep and broad chest. The correctly-constructed Spinone will carry its head just above the backline, with the nose pointing slightly down- wards, and is therefore unable to move in the extreme style of a German Wire- haired Pointer. The GWPs are consid- ered to be “gallopers” and will carry the stamp of a breed built for hunting at a faster pace in wide, open countryside. The desired gait for a Spinone in the field is an extended trot, with intermit- tent galloping strides. Therefore, the anatomy of this breed is designed to function at its optimum at the trot. TIP: Loose-lead gaiting at a natural place will
illustrate so much more than foot place- ment in this breed. Check for a deep underline in addition to the lightly bro- ken topline and the correct proportions (i.e. long head, almost-square body- shape, equal leg/chest depth and sym- metry of fore/hind angles). High head- carriage is undesirable and may be an indication of poor shoulder placement and an upright front assembly.
Last, but not least, is the essential wiry, close-fitting coat of the Spinone.
Judges are recommended to exam- ine the texture and lay of the coat, in addition to the length, at the mid-line in the center of the ribcage, rather than at the wither, or along the backline. The correct, close-fitting jacket may appear from a distance to be too short, which is our reason for asking judges to take the time to evaluate the coat/skin very carefully. Coat that is soft, with an undercoat, may well stand away from
the body. This type of coat is incorrect for the Spinone! Please take the time to grasp the skin as you examine the coat. It must be thick and leathery. Thin skin will often be attached to an incorrect coat in the Spinone. The recommended length of coat on the body is between 1 1⁄2" and 21⁄2". Texture, lay and length are ALL important when evaluating coat type. The skin is of equal importance.
Judges should note that shorter hair on the head is desirable—i.e. it may be hand-stripped in order to present some of the most important qualities of the Spinone. Stripping dead hair or tidying of the body coat to present the unique outline of the breed should not be con- sidered as sculpting or molding, but the use of scissors is contrary to the breed standard. Dogs with the correct wiry texture and lay of coat will require only a small amount of hand-stripping. Poor quality coats may not strip at all and
