Tira is a Spinone Italiano (singular). Tira is a puppy I kept from my first Spinone litter. She is one year old in this photo. This was taken not long after her exciting trip to the Westminster dog show in NYC February 2005.
Tira (Ch QuietWood Tiramisu) finished her AKC championship in two weekends at seven months of age.
Spinoni Italiani (plural) are excellent versatile sporting dogs that point and retrieve. They are also excellent and loving companions that are more laid back than the average sporting dog. They do have wet, messy beards and require some grooming to keep the tangles out and reduce shedding.
They are good in obedience and agility and fun to show in conformation.
The portrait is by Jon Casler (
http://www.envision-studios.com).