Sorry, Im jumping into the game late also...
I recently met four Spinone. They are large dogs. Their coats vary. One of them had sleek but messy wiry hair (picture a lab on a bad hair day). One other one had very thick, very wavy wiry hair. These were both older. One of the pups (four months old) was pretty slick also, not as dense and thick as the older one, however it had already developed the characteristic beard and other facial features. They have very human like eyes. They are kind of goofy in their movements, and are interesting to watch. They have a noise which sounds like a growl, but with these four, it was just their way of talking, not a display of anger.
The temperament seemed great on all of them. I have spoke with three different breeders since I am considering one myself. Some of them are droolers, some of them not so much. They all get wet beards. Some people shave them off, but that's blasphemy to some owners. I have not heard a single person really say a bad thing about Spinone. A few people dont like the messiness of them, or think they are too big/slow, but I am very interested in getting one due to all the positive attributes they possess. I wont belabor those traits here as they are all over the web.
They dont come cheap however. This is probably why most people dont get them. Two different breeders have quoted me 1800, and 2000 a piece! I have to admit, I love the look and the personalities. I also like the fact that not everyone on the block has one.
I would love to hear some first hand accounts from owners or others who have been around them. I still am learning.
