Segugio Italiano vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Segit, the Segugio Italiano is an ancient dog breed believed to have descended from Egyptian hounds.

Both males and females stand at between 48 and 58cm and they weight between between 18 and 28kg. It’s a medium to large sized dog. The dog is a scenthound and was at first used for wild boar hunting in ancient times. Once wild boar numbers become much less, the Segit itself dropped in numbers, and it faced extinction.

Dedicated houndsmen worked hard to restore the numbers and the dog was successfully bred. It is a popular dog in Italy today. The Segugio Italiano isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club whereas the Kennel Club in the UK recognizes it in the Hound Group.

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 Segugio Italiano has a distinctive look to him. He’s a large dog standing at between 68 and 76cm in height and weighing between 16 and 27 kg.

The body is lean and muscular and the Italian Scenthound has an amicable looking expression on his face. The coat of the dog is available in two types - short-haired or wire-haired.

The short-haired variety needs to be brushed on a weekly basis but is generally easy to maintain. Wire-haired dogs may require hand-stripping several times a year.

The coat of these dogs range from deep red to wheaten or black. Many dogs have white markings on the head, chest, feet, and the tip of the tail. The ears are long and floppy. If you want your dogs to have puppies, you can expect a litter size of between 4 to 6 puppies.

Temperament:

As a Scenthound, the Segugio Italiano is an intelligent dog, easily trained. He is best trained and socialized as he tends to be stubborn and he is also an independent strong-willed dog. It’s not an aggressive dog and yet it makes a good watchdog.

He’s adaptable but wouldn’t adjust well to living in a small space in the city.

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.

The amicable Segugio Italiano just wants to please. They get on well with children and pets. They’re easy going dogs that will require a good deal of exercise.

They make wonderful pets and companions, being particularly well suited to outdoor type of people. They make good watchdogs too, and with his interesting looks, his intelligence and gentle nature, you’re going to have an exceptional canine companion.

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.

When you have a Segugio Italiano, you’re not likely to be spending much money at the vet, as these dogs are fairly healthy.

If your pet does show signs of illness, as a responsible pet owner it is your job to get him pet to the vet quickly as this can prevent other problems developing.

Ear Infections:

Dogs with such long ears can be more prone to ear infections. Your pet can be in pain and he will shake his head and paw at the infected ear. He may also be vomiting from nausea. You need to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible because with severe ear infection cases, there can even be facial nerve damage.

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 Segugio Italiano comes with two coat types, the short-haired variety as well as the wire-haired variety. The short-haired dog will need to be brushed at least twice a week, while the wire-haired dog may require hand stripping.

Exercise:

Segugio Italianos love a good bout of exercise, and out on the hunt they are constantly on the move. They’re known for their stamina, but once back at home, they can settle down quite calmly. Make sure this pet of yours is well exercised, whether walks, running off his leash or ball games.

Diet:

Have a good look at the size of your dog, his age and energy levels before choosing dog food. When feeding your dog, don’t make it all complicated. All your dog wants is a simple, nutritious meal.

There are good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market and by reading the labeling you can ensure the best kibble for your pet. Try and give him some home made food too.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – simple, tasty and nutritious. You can add a little bit of this twice a week to the dry kibble. Your dog will love it and it won’t cause any digestive problems.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach

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.