The Bracco Italiano is a breed of dog developed in Italy as a versatile gun dog. It is common in its native country, but rare elsewhere.

History

 The Bracco Italiano originated in Italy, and there are writings concerning the breed that date back to the 4th and 5th centuries BC. It is believed to be a cross between a Segugio Italiano (a coursing hound) and the Asiatic Mastiff. There are two variations of the breed. The first originated in Piedmont, and was for that reason known as the Piedmontese Pointer. The other originated in Lombardy, and was known as the Lombard Pointer. The Bracco from Piedmont is lighter in color and in build, probably due to the mountainous terrain there. The Lombard Pointer is dark in color and thicker in body. It was well established by the Middle Ages. The Bracco thrived during the Renaissance and was bred by both the Medici and Gonzaga families. They were sought out by the aristocracy and used to hunt feathered game. At the end of the 1800s and the early 1900s the breed nearly became extinct. It was saved primarily by the efforts of the Italian breeder Ferdinando Delor de Ferrabouc. The Italian standard for the breed was released in 1949 from the S.A.B.I. (Societá Amatori Bracco Italiano) in Lodi, Italy. It came to England in 1988. It is practically unheard of by most in the United States. Though it has a small, but staunch, group of supporters there.

Appearance and Size

The Bracco should be athletic and powerful in appearance. It has pendulous upper lips that create a serious expression. It should be "square", meaning that its height at the withers should be the same as the length of its body.  The gait should be long and fluid, with plenty of reach and drive. The head should be held above the topline. A well built Bracco is an attractive mover and covers a lot of ground.  The coat is short, dense, and glossy. The texture should be fairly hard, though somewhat shorter and softer on the head, throat, ears, legs, and feet. The most common colours are Bianco-Arancio - White-Orange and Roano-Marrone - Roano-Brown, chestnut, or amber coloured patches on the face, ears, base of tail, and body. Black on the coat is a fault. weight is 25-40kg. 

Personality

The Bracco is very much a people loving dog. They thrive on human companionship and have a need to be close to their people. The breed bonds closely with its family. The closer to its owner a Bracco is, the more content it is. It is affectionate and loyal. Bracchi love to play. They get along well with other dogs and pets. They are very willing to please. The Bracco is highly trainable, but can be stubborn. Harsh reprimands do not work with this breed. The breed loves to hunt, and they excel at it. The Bracco knows when it has a job to do and takes it seriously. They are an active breed and need sufficient exercise to keep them happy. As puppies they may chew, but do not get neurotic as some other high energy breeds are prone to do. 

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Bracco Italiano" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.