Spinone Italiano

There may be far better known gun dogs and pointers in the world, but in actuality, none are better at working their skills than my Spinone Italiano, Paolo.

Paolo is so relaxed in the field, yet so focused on his job that he makes it look easy. Rather than frantically running here and there and jumping at every bush, he seems to know exactly where he needs to be at precisely the right time. This helps me stay calm as well. He has this wonderful graceful trot with a determined mentality that allows him to get his job done with the least amount of effort.

The difference between Paolo and my other dogs is my other hunters seem to react on instinct and training, whereas Paolo seems to actually be thinking it through. His methodical and logical way of working tends to reveal an understanding of purpose. Now, call me crazy but I read a lot from dog owners who brag about their dog's intelligence. If you are going to properly attach that word to any dog, I believe you'd have to attach it to Paolo. The difference is the standard used to determine intelligence in dogs is measured by how well they respond to human expectations and commands, not independent thought and drive.

Paolo is well beyond that. He is the only hunter I own that did not receive any training. As a pup he watched the other dogs and developed his skills to a whole higher level based solely on what he observed. Now tell me that's not intelligence!