Volpino Italiano
{{short description|Italian breed of dog}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{use list-defined references|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox dog breed
|name=Volpino Italiano
|image= Szpic miniaturowy Volpino MWPR Katowice 2008 (cropped).JPG
|image_caption=
|altname= {{ubl|Volpino|Cane del Quirinale|Cane di Firenze}}
|country= Italy
| weight =
| maleweight =
| femaleweight =
| height =
| maleheight = {{right|27–30 cm{{r|enci2}}}}
| femaleheight = {{right|25–28 cm{{r|enci2}}}}
| coat = long
| colour = solid white, red or black
any other colour is accepted as well
| litter_size =
| life_span =
| kc_name = Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana
| kc_std = https://www.enci.it/media/4518/195.pdf
| fcistd = http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/195g05-en.pdf
|note=
}}
File:Volpinoitalianopunainen2.jpg
The Volpino Italiano{{efn|name= a}} or Volpino is an Italian breed of dog of Spitz type.{{r|fci}} It is closely related to the Pomeranian{{r|cani|page=234|trecc}} and to the German Spitz.{{r|enci}}
History
File:Vittore Carpaccio 028.jpg (1502) by Vittore Carpaccio, in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni in Venice]]
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.{{r|fci2}}
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.{{r|cani|page=234}}
Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom visited Florence in 1888, and bought four dogs of Pomeranian or Spitz type.{{r|secord|p1=323|coren|p2=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.{{r|fci2}} It was fully accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1956.{{r|fci}} 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.{{r|enci}}
In the period from 2011 to 2019, new registrations in Italy averaged about 160 per year.{{r|enci}}
Characteristics
The Volpino is a small dog, standing no more than about {{nobreak|30 cm}} at the withers. It is roughly square in outline, the body length more or less equal to the height.{{r|enci2}} 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.{{r|fci2}}
It is one of many breeds affected by hereditary primary lens luxation, an eye disease which may cause pain or blindness.{{r|vo}}
Notes
{{Notelist | refs=
{{efn|name = a |{{IPA|it|volˈpiːno itaˈljaːno}}, plural Volpini; literally, "Italian foxy [dog]"}}
}}
References
{{Reflist|45em|refs=
}}
{{Spitz}}
{{Italian dogs}}
Category:Dog breeds originating in Italy
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