Shooting Times & Country Magazine
KEEPING DOG NAILS IN TRIM
Grooming problems afoot with a reluctant sprocker
Do dogs have toenails or claws? I would suggest the former as their nails are non-retractable, unlike those of cats, which are correctly called claws.
A dog’s nails wear down naturally as long as they get sufficient exercise on hard surfaces, such as roads. If they don’t, they need to be cut. With most dogs, this isn’t a problem as they will readily present their paws for nail trimming. However, some dogs do have an issue with this, my sprocker Emma being the classic example.
For some reason, Emma hates having her nails trimmed, though in every other respect she is the easiest dog in the world. Her resistance to nail trimming doesn’t
seen working have been impressively athletic, covering rough ground seemingly effortlessly.
The first bracco was imported into Britain as recently as 1989. Annual UK registrations reached 165 in 2018, a number exceeding many more familiar gundogs, from Brittany to Irish water spaniel. My guess is that only a few go shooting. If you work one, I’d love to hear from you.
Some years ago, I upset spinone enthusiasts by suggesting that these hairy Italians aren’t exciting gundogs to watch. I still stand by that, but it doesn’t mean that I underestimate the spinone as a shooting dog. I have seen extend to anything serious like growling or biting, but she is a remarkably agile and wriggly little dog.
Holding her still enough to get the clippers anywhere near her paws is an almost impossible struggle. Her professional groomer has even declared that Emma ranks as one of the worst of her clients. We have tried everything we can think of, even a blindfold. She had that off with one stroke of a paw.
The problem is that, though Emma gets plenty of exercise, there’s almost none on roads or abrasive surfaces, so her nails do need regular attention. We are currently trying a familiarisation programme. The nail trimmers have been left in her bed overnight, while we are also handling them close to her, snipping at air rather than nails, to get her used to them. It a slow process, but I’m confident that we will win in the end.
In the meantime, a new strategy is being employed. Part of her daily regime
some excellent examples. However, spinoni aren’t fast, flashy dogs. They have been bred to pace themselves, covering ground with their unique trotting gait, something that they can keep up all day.
They are, arguably, the ultimate gundog for shoots where game is scarce. A ‘spin’ will hunt consistently all day, seeking out elusive pheasants or rabbits. When game is found, expect a staunch point followed, hopefully, by a sound retrieve.
Grouse
The first spinone reached Britain 40 years ago and, thanks to the enthusiasm of a few individuals, soon became established here as a working gundog. Today, the Italian Spinone Club of Great Britain holds (pandemics permitting) working tests and grouse pointing tests, providing plenty of support for owners who want to work their dogs.
Spinoni have a reputation as first-class falconry dogs and I had now includes retrieving on the garden patio. It’s 40ft long, so sufficient for her to get up some speed as she runs to pick up the dummy. She’s a very fast dog and, as she accelerates away, her nails are getting real wear. Time will tell how much, as we have only recently started this programme. It does, of course, have the additional benefit of giving her retrieving practice that she might not get otherwise. been hoping to go hawking with a spinone this past season until bird flu stopped my plans.
The spinone is a big dog, as tall and heavy as a bracco, while visually it is only likely to be confused with a Korthals griffon or a German wirehaired pointer. All three share similar ancestry. In contrast, the third Italian gundog established here, the lagotto Romagnolo, is a very different sort of animal. For a start it is a lot smaller, weighing no more than 16kg and only 48cm at the shoulder, while it is more likely to be confused with a cockerpoo than anything else.
There’s a good reason for the lagotto’s small size. It originates from the Po delta, where it was bred as a duck dog. Shooting in the delta is from punts, where small dogs are far more practical — less risk of capsizing.
It’s 25 years since the first lagotto was brought to the UK. Today, the breed is well established and strongly supported by a lively breed club.
After some confusion, the Kennel Club classified the breed as a spaniel in 2014. The lagotto has a wellearned reputation as an all-rounder — excellent swimmer, talented at agility and brilliant at truffle hunting. If I was looking for a gundog with a difference, the lagotto would be high on my list.