Volpino Italiano

Descendants of the Italian Volpino existed in central Europe as early as the Bronze Age and share the same origins as the German Spitz, without being a descendant. The Italian Volpino was traditionally raised in Italy where it was used in the palaces of lords as in popular quarters as a guard dog. Michelangelo is said to have owned an Italian Volpino. In the 18th century, it accompanied the carters of Tuscany and Latium.

The Italian Volpino is described in the FCI standard as very attached to its environment, with a very marked temperament, lively, cheerful and playful.

The Italian Volpino is a small, compact Spitz. Of square construction, the length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to that of the hip, is equal to the height at the withers. Attached in the extension of the croup, the tail is permanently carried rolled on the back. The head is pyramid-shaped. The eyes are well open and of normal size. The color of the iris is dark ocher, that of the eyelid edges is black. Short, the ears are triangular in shape, erect, with rigid cartilage and their inner face oriented forward. The coat is fluffy, very long and erect. The fur is never drooping, even when the hair is not very thick. The texture is rough, with stiff hairs. The trunk is described as wrapped by a mantle, particularly on the neck where the hair forms a ruff. The skull is covered with semi-long hair that hides the base of the ears. On the muzzle, the hair is short. On the ears, the hair is very fine and short. On the rear edges of the limbs, the hair forms fringes. The accepted colors are unicolor white, unicolor red and unicolor champagne, although this latter color is not sought.