Spinone Italiano feeding guide: how much and how often
Daily calories, portions by age and practical feeding tips for the Spinone Italiano.
Spinoni tend to have healthy appetites, and many thicken around the middle in middle age if portions are not adjusted. A 35 kg (77 lb) adult walking about an hour a day typically needs about 380 to 480 g of a typical dry food, roughly 4 to 5 cups, split into two meals. Working dogs during the shooting season can need considerably more.
As a large, deep-chested breed, the Spinone has a known risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat), a life-threatening emergency. Feed at least two meals a day, avoid hard exercise for about an hour before and after eating and slow down fast eaters with a slow feeder. A swollen, tight belly, retching that brings nothing up, restlessness or sudden heavy drooling mean going to a vet immediately, day or night.
The beard deserves a mention of its own. After every drink it drips a trail across the floor, so a wide, heavy water bowl on a washable mat saves a lot of mopping. A bowl at a comfortable height, roughly level with the lower chest, can make eating tidier for such a tall dog, though evidence on raised bowls and bloat is mixed, so discuss it with your vet.
Spinone Italiano feeding in numbers
Illustrative adult portions
| Dog | Weight | Calories | Dry food per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female, relaxed lifestyle | 31 kg | 1290 kcal | 350 g (3.5 cups) |
| Female, typical pet | 31 kg | 1470 kcal | 400 g (4 cups) |
| Male, typical pet | 36 kg | 1630 kcal | 440 g (4.5 cups) |
| Male, very active | 36 kg | 2040 kcal | 550 g (5.5 cups) |
Puppy portions need measured weight, growth stage and the food’s energy content. A breed-average curve is not a feeding plan. Calculate with measured inputs and review the result with your vet.
Bowl capacity
1800 ml
21.5 cm across
Product height estimate
46 to 52 cm
not a veterinary recommendation
Rough drinking estimate
1.7 to 2 L
keep fresh water freely available
Adult examples assume midpoint breed weights, neutered pets and food with 370 kcal per 100 g. Cups assume 100 g per cup; actual food density varies. These are not measured breed requirements. Use actual weight, the food label and veterinary body-condition advice.