Volpino Italiano
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Breed at a glance
- Origin
- Italy
- Height
- Males
- Coat
- long
- Colour
- solid white, red or black any other colour is accepted as well
- Other names
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intro
The Volpino Italiano [ a ] or Volpino is an Italian breed of dog of Spitz type. [ 2 ] It is closely related to the Pomeranian [ 3 ] : 234 [ 4 ] and to the German Spitz . [ 5 ]
History
Small Spitz-type dogs resembling the modern Volpino have been identified in a number of paintings, of which the earliest may be St. Augustine in His Study by Vittore Carpaccio , painted in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni in Venice in 1502. [ 6 ] In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries this type of dog was common in Tuscany , where it was known as the Cane di Firenze and was used as a guard dog by carters and shepherds, and in Lazio , where it was called the Cane del Quirinale . [ 3 ] : 234 Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom visited Florence in 1888, and bought four dogs of Pomeranian or Spitz type. [ 7 ] : 323 [ 8 ] : 216 The first standard for the Volpino Italiano was drawn up by the Kennel Club Italiano in 1913, and the dogs were shown with some success. [ 6 ] It was fully accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1956. [ 2 ] By the 1960s the breed had virtually disappeared, and was close to extinction. A few examples were identified in 1968, and registrations recommenced in 1972. [ 5 ] In the period from 2011 to 2019, new registrations in Italy averaged about 160 per year. [ 5 ]
Characteristics
The Volpino is a small dog, standing no more than about 30 cm at the withers . It is roughly square in outline, the body length more or less equal to the height. [ 1 ] The coat is long and stands away from the body. It is either solid white, solid deep red or black; however, in the updated breed standard, also any other colour is accepted/tolerated. [ 6 ] It is one of many breeds affected by hereditary primary lens luxation , an eye disease which may cause pain or blindness. [ 9 ]