Bordoodle vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Known also as a Borderpoo or Borderdoodle, the Bordoodle is a designer- or hybrid breed which hails from the United States of America.

Both the dogs used in the development of this cross-breed are the Poodle and the Border Collie, and both these dog breeds have their own lengthy histories.

The history of the Bordoodle is short, as it is a modern crossbreed which has been purposefully bred by breeders to bring about a dog with certain looks and temperament.

The attractive and popular breed in Italy, the Bracco Italiano was used for tracking and retrieving, evolving in Piedmont and Lombardy. It is believed the Bracco Italiano came about from crossing the Segugio with the ancient Asiatic Mastiff.

There are people however, who believe that the breed goes back to the St Hubert Hound, but it is certain that both hounds and gundogs are part of the breed’s ancestry. The dog only arrived in Britain in the last decade of the 20th century.

The Bordoodle isn’t a purebred dog but is a cross between a Poodle and a Border Collie.

He has a soft, medium length coat which is inclined to be wavy. Colors are essentially black and white but chocolate, cream, fawn, merle and grey are also seen.

He is a medium sized dog standing at between 38cm and 55cm and weighing between 13kg and 27kg. The long tail is feathery, the ears floppy or semi-erect and the brown eyes are bright and intelligent. The muzzle is medium to long.

As with any mixed breed dog, the Bordoodle can take after either parent dog but generally the Borderdoodle will be a medium sized dog.

Temperament:

With the Bordoodle you can expect nothing less than a highly intelligent dog. That is because both the Poodle and the Border Collie are super intelligent dogs so the Bordoodle is guaranteed to have got a good portion of this intelligence from both breeds.

It makes training and socialization easy for the dog. It is important for your Bordoodle to be trained and socialized if you want him to be obedient and relaxed around strangers and other pets. As it is, his amicable nature makes the hybrid dog of yours a great family pet – getting on well with other pets in the home as well as with children.

Apart from being such a smart dog, the Bordoodle is active, playful, loving and devoted – everything a serious dog owner wants in a pet. This is a dog that doesn’t really know the meaning of the word aggressive.

His Looks:

The Bracco Italiano is a large athletic, muscular dog. He stands at 58–67cm, weighing anything between 25 – 40kg. He reminds one somewhat of a German Short-haired Pointer. He has long ears and a serious expression, and this reminds one of a Bloodhound. He has short, shiny hair with his coat being white and chestnut or orange. The tail of the Bracco Italiano has always been docked, giving him an attractive, distinctive look but with rules and regulations coming in regarding docking, the long tail is often left intact. His eyes are brown.

His Temperament

Braccos are wonderful pets – they are intelligent, loving, gentle and amicable, getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. Socialize and train them and they become gentle and obedient. They long to be involved with their human family and will adapt to life in the city or the country so long as they are made to feel like family. He is alert and makes a good watchdog. As with most other dogs, they can’t be bought, loved as a puppy and then ignored and left to themselves when they grow into adults.

Bordoodles have two great dog breeds to thank for the way they turn out. When you think of the Border Collie and Poodle, you know you’re going to get a dog that is friendly, social, playful, loving and devoted – the ideal family pet.

Intelligent, he is easy to train too, and with excellent care, you’re going to have a most wonderful family pet and companion, full of fun and life.

The gentle, amicable Bracco Italiano is a versatile dog that can be a super sport companion for active people and it can also be an exceptional companion for families and older people. He has a sweet, gentle expression and his amicable nature makes him easy to love. He is alert though, and therefore can be both protector and friend at the same time.

Overall, this easy going dog with his low maintenance coat can make an excellent 4-legged addition to any family.

Bordoodles, when well cared for, can live to be 12-15 years of age. There aren’t going to be many health issues to contend with with your Bordoodle as there are no known health problems in this robust breed.

Nonetheless there are some common dog illnesses that you need to be aware of such as progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism.

With hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland in the neck of your pet produces a hormone known as thyroxine that controls metabolism, but the disease hypothyroidism makes it that the gland doesn’t make enough thyroxine. Signs that your dog has this illness includes a dull coat, inflamed skin and even hair loss.

Get him to the vet immediately who will do blood tests and provide treatment. Mercifully it isn’t something that is life-threatening.

There don’t appear to be any major health issues with your Bracco Italiano and he can live to be 12, 13 or 14 years of age. Because he is a large breed however, you will need to watch out for hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia is a common skeletal disease with dogs and larger dogs have the genetic predisposition for hip dysplasia. Your dog can develop joint inflammation with pain and lameness.

Other health problems to look out for include kidney disease (Amaloidosis), cherry eye which results in dry eye. If you want to buy a Bracco Italiano, you should ask the breeder about the medical history of the parents.

Grooming:

The Bordoodle is a dog which doesn’t shed that much so his grooming requirements are low and he is considered as a hypoallergenic dog.

He will need to have his coat brushed at least twice a week to keep it shiny, soft and smooth. Depending on how your Bordoodle turns out, he may even require trimming at a professional groomer.

Make time to check his ears inside and out and learn how to clean the inside of his ears to avoid infection and wax build-up.

Dental hygiene is also imperative in dogs, and neglecting to do this will mean food particles and bacteria accumulating along your pet’s gumline, resulting in gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Exercise:

Every dog will require regular exercise and you can get your Bordoodle to join you in your walks. He is the kind of dog that can happily adjust to city or country life, but he will still need to have some ball games and other activities to keep him busy and happy.

He isn’t a dog that can be left alone day after day in the backyard. He is social and playful and loves the companionship of his human family.

Diet:

If you feed your Bordoodle kibble from some of the top quality commercially produced foods, always research the dog food and take a good look at the ingredients.

The pet food you choose plays an important role in the longevity of your pet. There are commercially manufactured foods that have such poor ingredients that they can actually shorten your pet’s lifespan and cause stress to the kidneys and liver.

If in any doubt about what to feed your Bordoodle, speak to your vet. Cooked brown rice, cooked vegetables and cooked chicken can sometimes be mixed into your pet’s kibble. Raw meat should also occasionally be added in to ward off skin allergies.

Clean, cool water in constant supply is also imperative.

Grooming:

These dogs are moderate shedders so he will simply need a good brushing twice a week to ensure the coat is kept shiny and free from loose hairs. Nails should be clipped from time to time and he will also need to have his long ears checked for cleanliness. Long-eared dog breeds are more susceptible to canine ear infections.

Feeding:

The Bracco is a large dog and therefore he will require a high quality, large-breed dog food formula. Your veterinarian can even recommend a quality commercially manufactured food for large, energetic dogs and which comes with all the vitamins and minerals required for such a breed.

Your vet will recommend you steer clear of foods with cheap fillers, lots of preservatives, sugar and colorants. He has a glossy, dense short coat and you want to ensure he gets raw meat, rice and vegetables from time to time to ensure that the beautiful coat never becomes dull and dry.

Cool, fresh water must always be available to him. Diet and nutrition is an important decision for your pet as it will ultimately affect his long term health.