Weimaraner vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison

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

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Gun dog
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Italy
Germany
Height Male:
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
59 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
Height Female:
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
57 - 65 cm
22 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
34 - 39 kg
74 - 86 pounds
30 - 40 kg
66 - 89 pounds
Weight Female:
32 - 37 kg
70 - 82 pounds
25 - 35 kg
55 - 78 pounds
Life Span:
8 - 9 Years
11 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 11
6 - 8
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Spinone Italian Spinone Italian Griffon Italian Wire-haired Pointer Italian Coarsehaired Pointer
Weimaraner Vorstehhund Raner Grey Ghost Weim Weimer Pointer
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
from charcoal-blue to mouse-grey to silver-grey or even blue-grey
Coat:
tough, slightly wiry, and close fitting. rough
short, smooth and hard
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Courageous, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
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.

weimaranerThe Weimaraner is a German breed also know as the Grey Ghost. He was bred to hunt by royalty in the early part of the 19th century. They went after large game including the bear, boar and deer. Once these large game hunts disappeared, the breed became known for hunting small prey like rabbits, fowl and fox.

They are an all-purpose gun dog, hunting, chasing, tracking, pointing and retrieving. They got their name from the city of Weimar in Germany as a favorite of Karl August, the Grand Duke of Saxw-Weimar-Eisenach who hunted with the dogs. They are believed to have descended from either the St. Hubert Hound and Bloodhound, or the Chien-gris dogs.

The breed did not arrive in the United States until the 1920’s. Before that they were barely known outside the city of Weimar. By the 1950’s they were very popular in the States with President Eisenhower having one at the White House.

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.

weimaraner puppy - descriptionA very athletic and elegant breed, muscular and lean, the Weimaraner is built for stamina and speed. They are a very unique looking breed, nick named the Grey Ghost due to the appearance and coloration. The breed has a very short coat that fits like skin over his bone structure. It is smooth and hard and runs from a blue-gray to silver-gray to charcoal-blue. The skin is pink not black, the coat is thin with no undercoat.

They should not be black but they can be a longhaired Weimaraner, according to US AKC Breed Standards. In the AKC standards the tail is docked. This has now been changed in standards around the world as many countries are banning tail docking. They have webbed paws and striking amber, blue-gray or gray eyes. The long haired version can only be produced when both parents carry the recessive gene

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.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness they love children, might not know how big they are

2.Special talents speed

3.Adaptability Not apartments. Large dog needs room to run

4.Learning ability – Very intelligent, very stubborn

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.

Health Problems

weimaraner puppies - health problemsThere are a few conditions and diseases that the Weimaraner is subject to but surprisingly for their size hip dysplasia is rarely one of them. There are prone to

Bloat – Gastric torsion when the stomach twists itself and cuts off blood circulation and digestive processes. Bloat is deadly unless caught quickly.

Skin allergies - they have allergic reactions to parasites.

Ear infections – make sure you keep the ears clean and dry.

Elbow Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis.

Cryptorchidisn – the dog is missing one or both testes.

Hypothyroidism – can be treated with medication as with humans.

Von Willebrands Deisease – bleeding disorder

Hunting Accidents like sprains, strains, and cuts.

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.

Caring for Pet

weimaraner dogs - caring1 Feeding the puppy - Feed high quality dog food with high protein but not rich foods. Rich foods cause digestive issues and eating to fast, too soon before or after strenuous exercise do to threat of bloat. Also do not use the raised foot bowls as they hold an even great risk for bloat. Feed puppy 3-4 meals per day.

2.Feeding the adult Feed high quality dog food with high protein but not rich foods. Rich foods cause digestive issues and eating to fast, too soon before or after strenuous exercise do to threat of bloat. Also do not use the raised foot bowls as they hold an even great risk for bloat. Feed the adult twice a day.

3.Points for Good Health stamina and speed

4. Games and Exercises – This is a very athletic and energetic dog. They need activity and will become destructive without it. They develop separation anxiety very easily. They need both physical and mental stimulation. They are great at agility, course running, field trials and CAT.

Comparison with other breeds

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