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Bracco Italiano

intelligent / affectionate / enthusiastic
Sporting Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

21-27 inches

Weight

55-90 pounds

Life Expectancy

10-14 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    80% 80%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    80% 80%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    40% 40%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    40% 40%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    69% 69%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    80% 80%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    80% 80%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    40% 40%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    40% 40%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    69% 69%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

One of the earliest pointing breeds is the Bracco Italiano. It was brought to the United States in the 1990s and has since maintained its reputation as a versatile gun dog. It is gentle at home and tireless on the job.

The Bracco Italiano is tough and adaptable to all forms of hunting. It is also dependable, clever, submissive, and simple to train. He possesses a commanding physical presence, with slim limbs, well-developed muscles, and a chiseled head. He is known as the Italian Pointing Dog in English.

What To Expect When Caring For a Bracco Italiano

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

The Bracco is a generally healthy breed, and reputable breeders examine their stock for hip and elbow dysplasia, eye anomalies like entropion, ectropion, and cataracts, and kidney illnesses such renal amyloidosis. Bracco puppies should be fed a healthy diet and should not run on hard surfaces such as concrete or conduct repetitive high-impact workouts until they are at least one year old to avoid orthopedic pressures on their fast-growing bodies. Check for ear infections in the Bracco's long, pendulous ears and use a veterinarian-recommended ear cleaner once or twice a week to keep the ear clean and dry to prevent infections.  

Grooming

Bracchi Italiani is simple to maintain. Their short coats take little attention, and their long ears require regular cleaning to reduce the possibility of ear infections. Aside from that, a bath every now and again will keep them clean and looking their best. To avoid overgrowth, splitting, and cracking, their nails should be clipped on a regular basis with a nail clipper or grinder. Teeth should be brushed on a regular basis.  

Exercise

The Bracco is an energetic breed that demands regular exercise and mental stimulation. This can be performed through free running in a safe, confined environment or through regular activities such as daily jogs. A minimum of 30 minutes of activity per day is required, but more is desirable. Furthermore, they require daily time spent with their family doing organized training or playing in order to be happy.    

Training

A Bracco requires a patient, calm trainer who is gentle but firm. This breed is relatively independent, yet they are eager to please and are ecstatic when they see they have made you happy. They are best suited to a home that will make use of their hunting abilities and provide them with a job. In lieu of hunting, however, training for dog sports such as agility, obedience, and rally can be a terrific way to provide your dog with the physical and mental stimulation he need.    

Nutrition

The Bracco Italiano should do well on high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian's supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog's calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
 

History

The Bracco Italiano, whose history dates to the fourth or fifth century BC, has been dubbed the oldest pointer in Europe. While the precise ancestry is unknown, it is widely acknowledged that the Segugio Italiano and the Asiatic Mastiff, an extinct breed, were the parents of the Bracco Italiano. It is believed that the white-and-orange variation originated in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, while the roan-and-brown variety is thought to have originated in Lombardy.
The breed was firmly established by the Middle Ages, and the Italian aristocracy sold the Bracco across the Old World. The Bracco reached its height of popularity during the Renaissance and maintained a robust following until the turn of the 20th century when they were confronted with a severe decline.

The Bracco Italiano was on the verge of extinction by the end of the 1800s. Over the years, breeding ineffectively and combining with hounds produced dogs that were too bulky to work and had a variety of health issues. The breed was rebuilt with the help of careful breeding selection and care. To maintain genetic variability, it was chosen to combine the two breed variants in the 1920s.

First off, as suggested by its name, the Piedmontese Pointer is an Italian breed of dog that is lighter in build and color. This dog’s conformation and temperament were indicative of its employees for work in the highlands. The Piedmontese dog was smaller than its Lombard cousin, and it hunted in a manner similar to some pointers from Western Europe, galloping merrily. This dog had mostly white fur, possibly with some orange markings.
Alternately, the Lombard Pointer had a bulkier build and a deep brown roan color. This trotting kind of dog was employed for hunting in the low marshlands. These large dogs were bred for both their good looks and their inherent hunting prowess.

The working standard was created and published soon after the breed was formally united, and the Societa Amatori Bracco Italiano was established in Italy in 1949. Due to the inclusion of elements from both breed types when the Italian conformation standard was released, there is a noticeable variation within the standard. Before being condensed into this single document, the breed standard had been in existence for more than a century.