Spindog wrote:I have had 2 Spinoni. Both great dogs. One was a once in a lifetime dog. The other was above average. They were both from Da Grazia in Spruce Michigan. Not sure if Denise has any breedings scheduled. Not sure why they get such a bad rap. Not a big running field dog but great in cover on Grouse and Woodcock. They also did well in the marsh.
They hunt differently (closer) than most pointing breeds, and they became overbred in a hurry with no thought to how they do in the field.
The breed was accepted into the AKC too soon for its own good; When a minority breed is accepted, it creates a lot of room for handlers to quickly rack up a bunch of accomplishments and build a resume in a hurry, especially with a dog like a Spinone where a 50lb dog or a 100 lb dog can get put up since there's a really good chance the judge doesn't actually have a solid idea what a Spinone should look like, as opposed to a Poodle or Golden Retriever, and there aren't that many Spins to compete against in the first place. Just like Like NAVHDA where there are a handful of high level breeders and trainers, Retriever Trial circles, and the Field Trial circuit where there's a smattering of high profile trainers/handlers (think Luke Eisenhart or Robin Gates) the show world has professional full tme handlers along with ambitious amateurs and semi-pro folks to boot.
And, with any exotic breed, there's a huge contingent of people that think that they are special snowflakes and that they need a special snowflake in a dog. So, even though they would be totally fine with a Boxer or a Beagle or a Lab or a Bernese Mountain dog, the relative glut of data compared with the relative lack of horror stories about a minority breed, combined with a simple lack of supply (you'd be hard pressed to set out to buy a puppy on Saturday Morning and drive home with one Saturday night, as opposed to a Lab or GSP) means that there's money to be made in breeding them.
Finally, and this ties into the first paragraph, there isn't a huge critical mass of dogs that are purpose bred, at least not in relation to the amount of trial dogs. GSP's and GWP's were brought here by hunters, for hunters. Even So, For GSP's, GWP's, Vizslas, Brittany's, there are "alternative" clubs and venues with a vibrant participation that doesn't mess with Obedience Trials, Rallies, etc...GSP's and Vizslas have their own AFTCA-focused clubs, Brittany's have always had a dual purpose bent since Delmar was running them and the Epagneul Breton group, as well as the JGHV clubs for GSP's and DD's.