Southern Counties Canine Association

Critique Italian Spinone Southern Counties 2026

I was pleased with the entry, both for numbers and for quality and impressed with the winners. I enjoyed both the dogs and the pleasant atmosphere around the ringside. 

Veteran Dog (4)

1ST Sh Ch Bessalone Peaky Blinders (Mrs S & Ms I Knowles & Glen)

A beautiful dog, very typey and with plenty of quality about him and in excellent condition for his veteran years. Beautiful head with plenty of chiselling and distinct diverging planes. Lovely head and expression. Strong neck. Balanced angulation in front. Typical topline with sight arch of loin. Well angulated behind. Excellent coat quality. He moved very well from the side and from behind, but could perfect his front action. ResCC and Best Veteran

2ND Sh Ch Testeverde Enrico Caruso del Jocagil (Mr & Mrs T J Gill)

A big, strong, masculine dog, very impressive. His head fits his strong body and has excellent length and very good ears. Strong and crested neck. Exceptional forechest and front construction. Another with a characteristic topline. Moved well indeed from the front and front the side, if not as firm behind as the winner. I would not want any more of him, not does he need any more substance or weight.

3RD Stagerun Kestrel (Mr I Collett)

Minor Puppy Dog (2)

1ST Affilato Bullseye (Mrs L & Mr M E Smith)

Seven months old, typically square puppy, well up on legs. Quality head with typical divergent planes. Prominent occiput. Beautiful expression and excellent ears. Arched neck, but somewhat upright in shoulder. Typical topline. His tail could be lower set and carried. Moderate, balanced angulation behind. In a very good coat. Sound as well as nice and easy on the move, but his tail needs to settle. 

2ND Affilato Luke The Nuke at Krismoor (Miss C J Littlemore)

A puppy with very pleasing quality, if not as mature as the winner, and he will need to grow more length of leg for optimal balanced. Another with a typical head and ears, if not the expression of the winner. Pleasing neck and very good forechest for his age. At this time higher behind than ideal for optimal balance. Moved Ok from all angles. He looks much sorter coated from a distance than he really is. 

Puppy Dog (2)

1ST Michiamo Vivvy Wizz (Miss L & Mrs J & Ms V Mayne & Anderson & Steere)

At eleven months old, this dog is very mature for his age and looks very good indeed on the move. Lovely head with prominent occiput and pleasing planes. Excellent ear set and a very pleasing expression even if his eyes are rather light. Correct neck and front angulation. Standing his topline is somewhat overdone, and he does not have the shortest of bodies. Moderate angulation behind. In a rich coat. A very good mover from all angles, carrying himself with pride and style and looking well balanced and nicely collected on the move. Best Puppy

2ND Montecani Back to The Freezo (Miss T L Davies)

Less mature dog, typically square. Another with an attractive head and expression. Excellent crested neck. Pleasing topline with some arch over the loin. Very moderate angulated behind. At this time not as masculine as the winner. Correct tailset. Moved well enough, but not up to the winner. Very harsh coat. 

Junior Dog (4,1)

1ST Affilato Play with Fire (Miss G Anstis)

A well made, masculine dog, a little longer than tall. Very attractive head proportions and diverging planes and chiselling, if somewhat deep in his stop. Strong neck, pleasing front. Well set neck and a typical outline even if he stood a little higher behind than needed. Still needs to settle into his hindquarters. Attractive outline on the moved. Super coat. 

2ND Piacente Uomo Saggio (Mr G & Mrs M James)

A typically square dog, very sound on the move from all angles. Not the head qualities I am looking for, rather short in skull and muzzle and broader than ideal and short, high-set ears. Enough neck. Typical outline. He is a really good mover, unusually parallel and sound. Very good coat. Lovely temperament.

3RD Diggmere Uno Georgio (Miss Page)

Limit Dog (5)

1ST Jaylynne Luther (Miss L Smith)

A beautiful dog who ticks all the boxes for the breed. Masculine head with typical divergent planes, excellent ears, correctly set and of correct length and shape. Very masculine, I would not want a strong skull. Strong neck, well set. Pleasing forechest. Typical two-piece topline without exaggeration. Well set tail. Well angulated behind. Typical coat. A really outstanding mover once he gets going, very much filling my eye with his relaxed co-ordination, shape and balance. CC

2ND Inostricani Time Will Tell (Mrs L Rossiter)

A tall, masculine, strong dog with a beautifully shaped and balanced head, but his eyes could be sounder. Excellent ears. Strong neck. A bit too much dip in his topline. Strong bone. Excellent coat. A sound mover, but definitely heavier on his feet than the winner. 

3RD Osulf Peanuts Barney (Ms N Blanchard)

Open Dog (5,2)

1ST Affilato Jump with Style at Rydonmist JW (Miss D & Mr L Beecham & Sharp)

A big, strong and very masculine dog, I would not want any more of him at all. Very masculine head with pleasing length, if rather strong in skull. Eare are long and quite well set. Excellent strong neck with a crest. Very good forechest. Enough shape of topline. Deep and capacious body with excellent volume. Very good coat. A sound, strong and healthy mover.

2ND Sh Ch Gradevole Strufolli (Mrs G Robinson)

Typically square dog with very good length of head and attractively divergent head planes. Acceptable eyes Very good earset. Correct neck. Deep chest, but it could be better shaped. Typical topline with arch of loin. Could do with more angulation behind and rather narrow on the moved. Pleasing temperament and coat. 

3RD Stagerun Matteo (Mr I Collett)

Special Beginners (1)

1ST Piacente Uomo Saggio (Mr G & Mrs M James)

Veteran Bitch (2,1)

1ST Sh Ch Lajatico Aida JW (Mr A K & Mrs J K Wain)

Seven year old bitch, typically square. She has a head with pleasing length and chiselling, but I would not want it any stronger for a bitch. Typical divergent head planes. Moderate, balanced angulation both ends. A bit more topline than needed. Pleasing coat. Excellent tailset and tail carriage. She has lovely, breed typical movement with lift and suppleness.

Minor Puppy Bitch (2)

1ST Stowledge Quintet (Mr M T E & Mrs J Bevan & Thompson)

Attractive bitch, well up on legs and square. Very elegant and feminine. Very long head with chiselling and decidedly divergent head planes. Well set ears, if on the shorter side. Lovely, very friendly expression. Good rise of neck. Moderate, balanced angulation both ends. Typical topline with an arch of loin. Excellent coat. Moved well from the side and very stable in front for age, but can improve going away.

2ND Affilato Game On (Mrs K A James)

Another very attractive bitch puppy. Strong in bone and body. Very typical head with correct planes. Lovely ears. Attractive neck with a nape. Very good front. Deep body, well developed. Typical topline. Unfortunately not confident in the ring which also showed up to a degree in her movement.

Puppy Bitch (1)

1ST Ilsolo Sniffed It Once (Mrs K J & Mr G Bovio)

At nine months old, this is a well mature, strong bitch, still feminine. Correct width of head and long enough, pleasing chiselling and typically divergent planes. Well placed ears. Enough neck for the breed, pleasing forechest. Typical outline with an arch over her loin. Moderate angulation behind. Very good coat. Moved very typical from the side, if rather wide in front. Best Puppy Bitch.

Junior Bitch (4)

1ST Cartrefyspin Oren Sunburst (Mr M & Mrs B Davies)

Typically square bitch, well up on her legs. Head with typical plane and pleasing chiselling. Well set ears. Good rise of neck. Still needs to develop in front. Ok topline with some arch of loin. Needs to settle into her hindquarters. Excellent coat quality. A very sound mover coming and going, could do with some more help from her handler when moving around, but did enough in movement to win the class.

2ND Scodinzolare Pashmina of Pendio (Dr H J Kemp)

Very feminine bitch, not as up on legs. She has a long and chiselled head, but rather flat in skull as seen from the front. Ears could be longer, as could her neck. Very good forechest and layback of upper arm. Typical topline. Strong thighs. Moved well from the side, well handled. 

3RD Rose Hip at Stowledge (Mr M T E & Mrs J Bevan & Thompson)

Post Graduate Bitch (6)

1ST Stowledge Scilla at Incantevole JW (Mrs P K Kruglow)

A very attractive bitch of generally high quality. Beautiful head and expression, well chiselled. Excellent ears and correctly diverging head planes. Very good neck into clean shoulders. Typical topline with an arch of loin, but still needs to drop into her hindquarters when standing. Evens out on the move and then makes a very positive impression. Well set tail. Excellent coat quality.

2ND Fioralba Aurora (Mrs J Wakeling) 

Feminine bitch with enough length of leg. Attractive head with length and correct planes. Moderate neck. Could do with some more one. Typical arch of loin. Well angulated behind. A sound mover from all angles and looked good when she used her neck on the move.

3RD Montecani Twist by Rivanna (Miss T L Davies)

Limit Bitch (3)

1ST Lajatico Bobini (Mr A K & Mrs J K Wain)

A very well proportioned bitch, square, well up on legs without being too big. Pleasing head with roman profile and divergent enough planes. Prominent occiput. Moderate neck, well set into shoulder. Just enough definition to her topline, but could have more. Well set tail. Plenty of harsh coat. By far the best mover in the class with very typical Spinone movement. 

2ND Inostricani Blossom (Mrs L Rossiter) 

Young bitch, still carrying some of her puppy fat. Could do with some more length of legs. Delightful head and expression, so typical. Moderate neck. I would want no more topline than this. Excellent underline, deep and capacious chest. Well set tail. Very pleasing coat. Sound mover, but appearing somewhat heavy due to weight.

3RD Scodinzolare Photoulla (Mrs L Mortimer)

Open Bitch (9,1)

1ST Sh Ch Annilann Temptress del Michiamo JW (Mrs J & Miss L Anderson & Mayne)

A very beautiful bitch, classical. She is tall, but feminine. Square in her proportions and with excellent outline. Very typical head with length and correctly diverging planes. Very good ears, eyes and expression. Pleasing front and neckset. Shapely two-piece topline with correct arch of loin, without exaggeration. Moderate, balanced angulation behind. Rich coat of excellent quality, she does not need any more of it. A very nice and easy mover, covering ground with little effort and in a very typical Spinone manner. CC & BOB.

2ND Sh Ch Inostricani Sky’s The Limit at Milisimo (Mr M J Sandy)

Another lovely bitch, very feminine and unlucky to meet the winner. Decidedly square and thus of optimal proportions. Lovely head, expression and ears. Very well set neck into shoulder. Shapely outline without exaggerations and very well balanced. Excellent coat quality. She is a very sound and positive mover, keeping her outien, if not quite the cadence of the winner. ResCC.

3RD Sh Ch Amberellie Rosanna ShCEx (Mrs P K Kruglow)

Espen Engh (Norway), judge