Other names: Italian Pointer, Italian Pointing Dog.

The Bracco Italiano is a breed of dog developed in Italy as a versatile gun dog.

Description

The Bracco Italiano or Italian Pointer should be athletic and powerful in appearance, most resembling a cross between a German Shorthaired Pointer and a Bloodhound, although it is nothing like them in character. It has pendulous upper lips and long ears that create a serious expression. It should be “almost square”, meaning that its height at the withers should be almost the same as the length of its body. It should not, however, be actually square as this would render its famous rear driving push off and front/rear extension to be compromised, thus losing much of its powerful grace. The tail has historically been docked, mostly due to the strong possibility of injury in rough/dense terrain when hunting, however, there has been a sea-change in the European Union, with some now working the breed with a full tail.

Temperament

Bracco’s are very much a people-loving dog and thrive on human companionship, having a strong need to be close to their people. They are a particularly good family dog, and many have a strong love of children. They get along well with other dogs and pets if trained to do so – it is, after all, a hunting breed – and must be taught what to chase and what not to. They are very willing to please as long as they have decided that your idea is better than theirs. Obedience training is a must for a Bracco, and the more is asked of them, the better they do. Harsh reprimands do not work with this breed unless the reprimand is a fair one – and the harshness must occasionally be used with some dogs to remind them who is actually in charge. Although not an aggressive breed, many Braccos will alert if there is a reason, and some will bark or growl if there’s a good reason.

The breed loves to hunt, and they excel at it – in fact, a non-hunting Bracco is not a happy Bracco and will act out in various other ways. Hunting without a gun is an area in which the Bracco can excel and this can be a great opportunity for training the dog to connect with the owner. They are an active breed but require more mental exercise than physical exercise to keep them happy. A Bracco owner can teach games like hide-and-seek (an object or person) which fits into the breed’s original and current usage and keeps them mentally active.

History

There are two varieties 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 for that reason known as the Lombard Pointer. The Bracco from Piedmont is lighter in colour and build than the Lombard variety, probably due to the mountainous terrain there. 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 19th century and the early 20th century, the breed nearly became extinct. Later, it was saved primarily by the combined efforts of the Italian breeder Ferdinando Delor de Ferrabouc and during the later World Wars of a few staunch Italian breeders.

The Italian standard for the breed was released in 1949 from the SABI (Società Amatori Bracco Italiano) in Lodi, Lombardy. It came to England in 1989.