Spinone owners, can I pick your brains?

[LittlePearl]

Our dog behaviourist has suggested our Border Terrier would benefit from the company of a second dog (something we've considered on and off, as it happens).

One of the breeds she thinks might be especially suitable is a Spinone - I don't know much about them and would be interested to hear your views.

Thanks

Did they say what their reasoning was? Seems like a very specific suggestion.

I don’t have a spinone but there was one in our training class for several months so saw quite a lot of him. This one is a very big, bouncy, slobbery, friendly mud magnet - very enthusiastic about life and extremely clumsy. Much, much bigger than a border terrier and unless your BT is very sturdy and confident I wouldn’t have thought the two breeds would be particularly compatible to be honest

She said he would be best with a gundog, at least 3 years old (he's 2), something bigger than him, calm and relaxed around other dogs and able to make him feel more confident (some issues which probably stem from getting him at 5 months after he'd been part of a big gang of dogs from birth)

She ruled out spaniels and suggested labs or retrievers, but my husband isn't convinced so she then said a spinone might be ok.

She's a very experienced 'dog whisperer' with an excellent reputation so I do trust her, and we've thought for a long time he'd benefit from a second dog. But we've only ever had BTs so I'm finding it difficult to get my head round a gundog. Pearl dog goes to a dog carer one night / day a week and they have 4 labs and he adores them. Perhaps I need to work on my OH!

Mud magnet and slobbery doesn't really thrill me

A friend has a Spinone - a large (bigger than a lab) bouncy and lively dog. Oh and yes, very clumsy. Beautiful and very loving though.

They look like blokes in dog costumes!

I can't see why a gundog would be best? That's a very specific group and, as the name suggest, they are really working dogs - high energy and very clever.

They also need to be groomed regularly and drool a lot! And a lot bigger (height and stockiness) than a BT.

As you are already familiar with terriers, perhaps an Irish/Fox/Lakeland terrier or Airedale would be more suitable. Shorter coats than a spinone, less drool, less energetic and a more suitable size?

Hi op,
The spinone is a very large dog who,as a working dog,will need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation.
They love food and make excellent food thieves.😃
They are gentle giants and get along with other dogs but,you must ensure he knows you are pack leader,not by cruelty but by positive reinforcement.
They do moult.They can be stubborn,they are definitely not guard dogs.
They are also slow to nature mentally.
Do you see this type of dog fitting in with your lifestyle?
There are other calm breeds that are not working dogs.
I hope this is of some help,good luck in your search

Oh I love Spinones. They absolutely stink though. If it weren’t for that I’d really want one. Big I can manage, slibbery I can manage, bouncy and daft is great but I’ve been in a house without a soinone and it stank of dog.

Maybe they could be washed really often to make them smell better?

I’ve got a spaniel and he’s pretty stinky but nothing like the spinone in that house.

Sorry for the typos! Hopefully you can decifer my message!

Slow to mature mentally!

If you want a second dog get one. Do not get one for your dog.

A spinone will be a major life change from you have at present. Lots of mud, hair, love of puddles, will eat everything, a little bit thick |(sorry spinones! but you are!) , very happy, lovable, did I say love of mud and puddles, will demand exercise and not mind work but long muddy walks. Are you happy to be wiping drool off your kitchen cupboards, car windows, trousers, legs etc all the time.

If bored they will go self employed and chew and chew anything, Everything will cling to their coats from bracken, branchs twigs and did I mention mud.

You will find it quite hard to find a rescue Spinone if you are looking for one that is over 3 years old

Personally I would not trust anyone who considers themselves a dog whisper.

(speaking as an ex spinone owner - loved him to bits but you do need to , did I mention, love mud!)

It is a very specific suggestion, and it will be hard to find a 3yo Spinone I would have thought?

What about a lurcher? There are lots of lurchers which have gundog breeding in them, and they are generally quite calm- plus it will be a lot easier to rehome a 3yo+ lurcher than a dog with a very specific pedigree. They're also less slobbery and not as strong as large gundogs (usually).

As the key thing is older, bigger, calmer and relaxed, rather than a specific breed, why not contact a local rescue and see if they have anything that fits the bill?

Would you feel confident handling a large dog? Would it fit into your lifestyle?

You see a lot of people who have a lurcher and a BT for some reason, and I personally know one person who does in a happy household for both dogs.

There are lots of lovely lurchers in rescue as well, so a good rescue will be able to help you find the right dog to go with yours if you feel a second dog is right. EGLR is one rescue who rehome all over the country and the dogs are all in foster so their fosterers know them really well