We're torn between these two breeds and would like any feedback on the type of dogs these are... we want to get this right!
We lost our gorgeous blue roan cocker spaniel last April and although we can't replace her we would like to get another dog for a family with two young children living in West Cork Ireland - lots of farmland around so plenty of fresh air and walking.
We're going on looks and what information we have managed to read but would love some first hand experience of these dogs. We would also like thoughts on getting two dogs and this raises all sorts of issues.... do we get them the same time? do we go for the same breed or two different types (the blue roan is a hot contender obviously)? More issues did come to mind the other evening but escape me now.
Any advise would be hugely appreciated and I'll happily give more information to anyone out there who has the time to answer my queries.
Many thanks
Denise

Hi Denise,

The Pointing Griffon isn't registered with the Kennel Club as yet, a dog similar in looks is the German Wirehaired Pointer. The address I have for the GWP club is
C Shaw
34 Manor Road
Heather
Coleville
Leics. LE67 2RA

Italian Spinone Club of GB

Mrs S Griffon
2 Creighton Road
Woodham
Aylesbury
Bucks
HP18 0QE

You could try a guided search of breeders on the ChampDogs pages and also see if there are any clubs listed in the Clubs section to.

Spin's are fantastic dogs, my friend has two and she has so much fun with them , they really are something i would have if i did not have Newfs.

Deary:)

Hi,
I think what ever you get, dont get two at the same time, get one, and wait a year, or 9 months, then get the second one. That way you only have to train one at a time, and hopefully, the dogs will bond with you, rather than having to train two dogs at the same time, and having them bond to each other more than with you (which makes training harder!).

Good luck what ever you get, though for my money, id be having a Spinone!!!!!

Em

Hi Guest,
I will gladly answer any questions you have on the
ITALIAN SPINONE I have owned shown and bred them for the past 20 years.I am a founder member of The Italian Spinone Club of Great Britain and a former secretary of the club.
If you register and let me have your email address
I will contact you.
Spinoni make superb family dogs,they are loving and are great characters.
Kindest Regards
Carole

Italian Spinone Club of GB & German Wirehaired Pointer Club

Hi Carole
Sorry this has taken so long but I've been up the walls. I have now registered and hopefully this will make its way to you. I'm not sure how this website works!
Denise

Dear Denise
I can't give you general advice as we don't have either type of dog but our corgi's best friend is a Spinone. They play for hours and hours in my friend's yard and then curl up together for a snooze. She is a very cute dog, wants to please and is now gigantic and very galumphing. NB think about the size/galumphing aspects - [like most big dogs]she has broken a few things at table level in my friend's house. SHe also pulls arms out of sockets when on the lead but I think this might be lack of discipline on my friend's part. ANd sorry, but one bad thing is, while she has a lovely woolly/sheepy coat she SMELLS terrible but again - this probably needs a bit of management by the friend! If you choose one, remember they grow into big dogs and need lots of exercise and friends..
Cissy

Hi Denise
We have 4 Spinoni that live in our home with us, none of our Spins smell anymore that any other dog, all dogs smell when wet, are not groomed properly or not kept clean. There have been several people that have posted on this subject so I won't add to their comments. What does concern me is... If your friend has a wooly and smelly Spinoni, then please for the health of the dog ask her to get some advice on stripping the dead hair from it's coat, in all probability it is this that is harbouring the smell causing agents. At a guess, I'd say that it is a little matted too, this will make it very difficult to remove any smell from the coat. If this is not the case then please pass on my apologies to your friend and ask her to have the dog checked out by her vet in case there is an underlying cause of the smell... It is definately NOT natural for a Spinoni to smell.
Barry

My brother-in-law has two Spinone, and yes, they're great dogs, very friendly and loving, BUT...boy, they don't half pong! Wet labrador has nothing on them!

Sorry to disagree I have had this breed for 20 years now and if a Spinone pongs as you say its because it needs a bath and their beards need a daily wash after eating and a quick dry off with a towel after drinking.
Granted if they have an incorrect coat i.e.wooley it is more absorbant and harder to keep clean than the correct slightly wiry coat that is usually shorter in length than the wooley version,but there is no need for any Spinone to be `smelly`
Regards
Carole

Could be something to do with where they go for a walk/run too ;) Our Mally , Hudson , had a dreadful smell a few months back ..we bathed him and changed his diet etc etc ..it was a really rank , dead smell. We even asked for help on a US Mal board ....then hubby stopped taking him to the old castle grounds ..result ..no smell. Hudson had been wading through both the river AND the old moat whilst at the castle ...the moat obviously contained *something* that reacted with his coat and made him stink to high Heaven.

He still goes in the river ..but no smell ..(well apart from wet dog pong until he dries out :D )

Melody

Thanks for the good info about the smells which I will be very glad to pass onto my friend! I would love to have one of these dogs too but don't have the room! The one I know does have the wiry coat [because it is white it reminds me of a big sheep]. I suspect the washes are few and far between but hopefully we can go through a process of elimination with various things. Out of interest what do you feed your Spinones? In this dog's case the smell permeates everything, it is much more intense than wet dog and even gets into my dog's coat and my clothes every visit.
thanks very much
cissy

Hi Cissy
My dogs are fed a natural diet,there must be a reason for your friends dog odour either what she is feeding or a medical condition perhaps or as you say the lack of bathing/grooming and before anyone points out that they have never bathed their dog in its life.I can say that too,in the past 20 years I have had 2 Spinone that never had a bath in their life because they never needed one and were as white as snow and when they did get muddy they didn`t need much grooming either as the mud didn`t stick.

If anyone was thinking about getting a Spinone please don`t be put off.They are not high maintainence as far as grooming is concerned, they make great family dogs and I can`t imagine life without mine!
Regards
Carole

I must disagree that the spinone smells. As Carole said, if the dog smells then he needs a bath or could have an infection. I have shared my home with Spinoni for over 16 years now and apart from when they are wet (and then it is the run of the mill "wet dog" smell!) there is no discernible smell at all.
Abby

Another one in defence of the Spinone!! There is no odour that is particular to the Spinone, and it really can't be said they are a smelly breed per se. As everyone else has said, the "whiffy" ones will have a reason for it! Particular attention has to be paid to the "chops" and beard with daily washing and drying of the beard after drinks. But this daily attention to hygiene around the face is a small price to pay for the company of an intelligent, loyal and loving breed.

Lesley