Spinone Italiano vs Perro Cimarron - Breed Comparison

This 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.

The Perro Cimarron, also known as the Uruguayan Cimarron is a molosser type dog which originated in Uruguay. The dog is believed to have descending from European dogs which were brought to the country by early colonizers.

These dogs are the official mascot of the National Army of Uruguay. The dog is also recognized in Uruguay as well as by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. The dog was exported to the United States and then recognized by the United Kennel Club in the category Guardian Dog.

The 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.

The Perro Cimarron is a large dog standing at between 58 to 61cm and weighing 38 to 45kg, both males and females.

He is a muscular dog with the coat being short and smooth and in a pale fawnish color or brindle and with a black face.

The Uruguayan Cimarron is a multi-purpose working dog but today he is mainly a family companion. This large mastiff type dog is muscular and athletic. He has a large head, the ears are high set and floppy but sometimes they are still cropped and made erect. The tail is thick, low set and reaches to the hock. He has a black nose, brown eyes and a black mask.

Temperament:

Strong, alert, self confident and brave, the Perro Cimarron may not have a particularly friendly face but he loves his human family and is loyal to them. He is calm and cool but even so, he will need to be trained and socialized and then he becomes calm around different people and in different situations. He is a dog that can get on well with children and pets in the home.

1.Children friendliness – yes they live kids.

2.Special talents – Digging and running.

3.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.

The Uruguayan Cimarron is not looked upon as a pet for the first time dog owner. He is strong willed, stubborn, somewhat aggressive and independent and will require a strong, firm, consistent owner.

He will make a loyal, affectionate pet for the person who takes time to socialize and train him. He also makes a good watchdog.

The way any dog breed is brought up will determine how he turns out, and if this particular dog is brought up the right way and given the right amount of care and exercise he needs, he can make as good a pet as any other dog breed.

This 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.

Most dogs, when they are well cared for, don’t get sick often. The Cimarrón is a robust kind of dog but even so he can get any one of the many common dog illnesses there are such as hip dysplasia, bloat, dental disease, cancer, obesity and others.

Urinary Tract Infection:

This infection can make your dog restless and you will notice your dog trying to wee often but unable to. It can be terrible watching your dog battling, and you will need to get your pet to the vet soon.

Parasites:

Your dog can pick up parasites anywhere such as ticks ad fleas. There are also internal parasites such as tape- and heartworms. They can bring your pet down, making him lethargic and nauseous, so it is best to research canine parasites so you can know what steps to take to protect your dog.

Skin Problems:

Don’t for one minute think that skin problems are a minor ailment. The pain and itching can drive your dog to despair. The skin can be red, inflamed and oozing. There are so many things that can cause your pet to get a skin allergy and you will need to get him to the vet to get some kind of relief for him.

1Feeding 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.

Exercise:

As a high energy, intelligent dog, the Cimarron Uruguayo needs plenty of exercise. He won’t be content to sit around and will be frustrated and even destructive if he doesn’t receive lots of attention and exercise. Daily walks will be imperative as well as other forms of physical and mental stimulation.

Grooming:

Your Uruguayan Cimarron is a low maintenance dog because of the short coat which will still require brushing twice a week as he does shed quite a bit. Other forms of grooming include nail clipping, checking the ears and teeth as both of these can become seriously infected if not checked and attended to.

Diet:

If you have a Uruguayan Cimarron dog as a pet, you will need to be looking at the best food for him as he is large and energetic. There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods on the market and you want to be sure that you read the ingredients list so that the food can benefit your pet.

It’s never a good idea to just go on and on feeding your pet kibble. A break every now and again can do your pet the world of good. Some home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach will delight your dog when added into his kibble occasionally. He loves the tasty simplicity of such a diet and will never have to worry about digestive problems.

For such a dog, some raw meat added in from time to time will also do him good. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.