Netis - Are you the right owner?

Before you fall for the beautiful human like expression of the Spinone its best to be made aware of a few things first.
It was necessary to establish a rescue society only 4 years after the first litters were born in the UK and in the first 4 months of 2008 there were 12 re-homed through the ISCGB Rescue and Re-Home alone and probably quite a few more rehomed through their own breeders.

If you don’t think you could cope with any of the things you are going to read about now then it would probably be wise to look at another breed for your family dog.

1. Do you have a sense of humour? You will need one to cope with the antics of a Spinone.

2. Can you offer constant companionship? They need attention and affection every day and cannot be left on their own all day when owners are at work. If left too frequently they will become withdrawn and/or destructive.

3. Are you house-proud? Spinone have big feet excellent for bringing in mud and such like into the house – Spinone have beards! Can you cope with flying spit mixed with their last meal and mud flying through the air just as you’ve got guests arriving? Can you cope when your Spinone steals the guests dinner when you are hurriedly trying to wipe the said spit off the wall?

4. Are you squeamish? Remember they are hunting dogs as well as pointers and there maybe the chance that on their walk they could bring you back a nice dead rabbit.

5. Have you got a secure garden? Your Spinone will need a well-fenced garden to run and play in also an area in which you can safely leave your pup while you attend to the necessities of life. They are expert diggers and pruners so be prepared for your Spinone to make mincemeat of your prized garden shrubs etc in seconds.

6. Will your finances stretch to the possibility of large vet bills, boarding fees when you go on holiday and to replace the remote control, mobile phone etc after they have been chewed up.

If after reading this you are still interested in taking a Spinone into your home then the next step is to go and meet as many Spinone as you can i.e. in breeders homes, dog shows etc. The above thoughts are just a brief outline of the Spinone and of course you need to know more to make your decision. Most Spinone breeders will welcome you and your family round to meet their dogs and answer any questions you may have so please phone them and ask. If any breeder wont do this then please think seriously if you should buy a puppy from them. Obviously most of us ‘doggy’ people are very busy and you may have to wait a while for the visit so please be patient.