Features of the dog breed Volpino Italiano

The magnificent Italian Spitz are called Volpino Italiano, they are small-sized dogs, beautiful, long-haired. Due to their attractive fox appearance, they resemble puppet dogs. But this should not mislead the future owners: Volpinos do an excellent job with the functions of watchmen. They are characterized by decisiveness, courage, alertness towards strangers. As for the relationship to a close circle, family members have nothing to fear - Italians are very affectionate, affectionate, positive, love to play.

The ancestors of the Italian Spitz first appeared in Europe in the Bronze Age. Cynologists have traced the history of the breed to such ancient times. The Italian dog became the progenitor of a very large number of different breeds.

Most often, these dogs were bred by Florentine dog breeders. Famous artists of the Middle Ages often depicted beautiful animals in paintings. These wonderful dogs were brought up not only by noble gentlemen and famous people, for example, Michelangelo Buonarroti, but also by ordinary people.

The breed owes its name to the Italian word "chanterelle" (volpino). That is, in literal translation, the name of the breed means "Italian fox". The first official recognition of the breed dates back to 1901. Exterior standards and requirements appeared 10 years later. In the middle of the 20th century, the International Cynological Federation registered the breed, which was on the verge of extinction after the Second World War. In the 60s, there were only five purebred representatives.

In the 80s, Italy began a state program to restore the breed, which was in a deplorable state, thanks to which the dogs were saved. Breeders were able to completely bring back a healthy and robust breed of Italian Spitz.

The "Italian fox" has a rather compact size, its body is extremely harmoniously developed and proportional. The coat is elongated, raised above the skin. Moderately pronounced sexual dimorphism is observed. External description:

• height at the withers - from 25 to 30 cm, depending on gender;
• the head is wedge-shaped, its length is slightly less than half of the entire body;
• the frontal area is convex;
• the muzzle is strongly narrowed towards the nose, the nose itself is straight, the nostrils are open;
• the mouth is black, the lips are pressed tightly to the teeth;
• bite in the form of scissors, but it can be straight, for this reason dogs are not rejected;
• round eyes are of medium size, black eyelids and a dark ocher iris;
• ears in the shape of a triangle, set high, short, slightly inclined forward, set close to each other, length - ½ the length of the entire head;
• the length of the neck is approximately ½ the length of the head;
• straight back;
• convex loin;
• the croup is inclined horizontally, not clearly;
• the chest descends to the elbow, the ribs are rounded;
• the tail is curved, rises above the back, the length is slightly less than the height of the dog;
• the limbs are parallel, stand upright, the paws are oval, the toes are tightly pressed, the pads and claws are black;
• the coat is of a dense type, dense, coarse, straight, sticking out;
• in the neck area there is a voluminous collar of wool, on the head there is a plentiful cover of medium length, hiding the ears at the base, the muzzle is covered with shortened hair, the down on the ears is soft, tightly fitting, there are feathers on the back of the legs, the tail is covered with elongated hair;
• the color is reddish or snow-white according to the standard, champagne is occasionally found, but is not welcomed by dog ​​handlers.

By their nature, Volpinos are very friendly, optimistic, balanced, calm, at the same time very decisive and courageous. They are incredibly loyal creatures, very loving owners., affectionate, faithful. Among the undoubted advantages of this dog are patience, intelligence, intelligence, curiosity. They rarely throw tantrums, wait for the return of the owners calmly, very active, cheerful, energetic. Their character practically does not change over the years, until old age they remain mobile and curious.

Excitement makes them bark loudly, this can happen both during the game and in other situations. Be prepared for the dog to bark and bark while waiting for the ball, before a jump, obstacle or similar situation. The dog's watchdog qualities are excellent: if she hears the slightest rustle, he will definitely warn the owners. The call or knock on the door will not go unnoticed. At the same time, it is not difficult to teach her to distinguish between rustles and noises according to the degree of danger.

Over time, your dog will only learn to respond to noises that can be considered dangerous. This, of course, requires education and training. If this is not done, the dog will be a real idle barking at any rustle and movement. The Italian Spitz is distrustful of strangers, he is afraid of them, but he is disposed towards his acquaintances and is absolutely benevolent.

It is necessary to properly organize the dog's communication with strangers, although she rarely shows aggression, preferring to avoid contact if she does not like the person. In ordinary life, the dog is very calm, rarely nervous or angry.

In order for a pet to be well-mannered and obedient, it must be socialized from an early age, in this case it will be docile. This breed is an excellent partner for children, elderly people.

Ideally, it is better to start such a dog with grown-up children, who can be explained how to behave with animals, since it is very easy to harm a dog. The Italian Spitz gets along well not only with children, but also with other pets, especially if they grow up together.

The dog is distinguished by a sharp mind, good intelligence, responds well and interacts with a person. The dog is great as a first pet, since the difficulties in his character are not serious. Even an amateur can handle raising this dog. Basic training, which is easy to learn, is enough to achieve a good rapport with your dog. It is important to have patience, perseverance and consistency in parenting in order to achieve quick success.

If you decide to purchase a puppy of this breed, you must take into account that Volpino nurseries are most common in Italy, and in our country there are much fewer of them. There are only a few professional breeders in Russia with whom you can safely deal. Italian Spitz are rare in our country; you can wait a very long time for the announcement of the sale. Advance booking is preferable, as there is a queue for babies.

Before buying a puppy, check out the breed's distinctive features and standards at a young age:

• the coat of a young dog is short, sticks out, gives the impression of a plush surface, in the area of ​​the muzzle and behind the ears is very short;
• the limbs are of a strong type, the paws are round;
• eye color - only dark, eyes look like beads;
• even dark pigment of the nose and lips is important;
• the tail is rounded to the body;
• the ears stick out, the size is small, but they look larger than in adults, up to 2.5 months of age they can be tilted forward.

In no case should you observe:

• bald patches, bald patches;
• pus and fluid from the eyes, nose, ears;
• crusts near the nose;
• any dirt on the body.

Pay attention to the behavior of the puppies: as a rule, they are active, energetic, very friendly. Lethargy, apathy, aggressiveness should be alarming. Check the presence of the puppy card, whether all vaccinations are indicated in the passport.

The price of puppies is usually high; underpricing is indicative of fraud. The cost is influenced by gender, parenting achievements, approximate prospects of the representative. Dogs are rarely sold without documents, pedigree, as this is not a commercial breed.

Italian Spitz are recommended as decorative dogs for a private house or apartment in the city, although in Italy they are often street dogs, living in booths. Our climate suits dogs well, they adapt well, especially since the coat is water-repellent, the undercoat is very thick, and allows you to stay warm in the cold. In the heat, they feel pretty good, but they shed very much in the season.

Cynologists recommend organizing the following dog's lifestyle:

• it is necessary to walk every day for at least half an hour, if this is not done, the volpino will begin to pour out energy in the house, spoil things;
• pets love to play, move, participate in sports, are quite smart in learning;
• dogs swim well, so if there is an opportunity to go to the reservoir, the spitz will be very happy.

As for hygienic care procedures, they are simple, but require regularity:

• combing with a special comb at least once every 7 days, this allows you to reduce the amount of wool in the apartment and avoid the formation of matted lumps;
• Italians are washed three times a month, the dog is combed beforehand, otherwise the tangled wool will have to be cut after bathing;
• it is recommended to wash your pet with special shampoos and use conditioners so that the coat is easy to comb;
• claws are cut once every 2 weeks with a special claw cutter;
• if necessary, trim the fur between the toes;
• once a week, they clean their ears, teeth;
• they rub their eyes twice a day so that there is no leakage.

It is very important to provide the dog balanced nutrition so that the pet develops well and does not get sick. The diet should be nutritious, high quality, feed dogs both ready-made food and self-prepared food. Ready food is selected from the premium and holistic series, it can be either wet or dry. It is important that the amount of feed is appropriate for the age. If you decide to cook for your pet yourself, observe the following proportions:

• ⅓ - protein food, that is, meat, ideally - beef;
• ⅔ - cereals;
• fruits;
• vegetables;
• sour milk.

If you follow all the recommendations for care and feeding, then dogs will rarely get sick, this is a fairly strong breed. They live up to 16 years old, there is a genetic predisposition to the following ailments:

• dislocation of the lens, patella;
• Addison's disease;
• cryptorchidism.

Very important vaccinate on time, carry out treatment against parasites, both external and helminths. Do not self-medicate in case of problems it is better to get a veterinarian's advice.

Dogs of this breed are very smart, good and quick thinking, they must be trained... Their curiosity is amazing, but you need to accustom your pet to classes and training from an early age. In this case, success in raising a disciplined dog is practically guaranteed. Volpinoes can be vicious, self-centered if not practiced.

Training requires perseverance and gentleness at the same time. You can't shout at the dog, let alone beat him. You cannot offend the dog, it will refuse to fulfill the requirements. It is better to devote some time to classes, but daily, so that the dog does not get tired and gets used to training.

And don't forget to reward your pet! It takes up to 3 days to study one command, new ones are gradually added, with the obligatory repetition of the previous ones.

For the characteristics of the Volpino Italiano breed, see the following video.