Plate 119 · Mediterranean
Bracco Italiano
意大利布拉可犬
“The pointer of the Italian peninsula.”
- Origin
- Italy
- Northern Italy (Piedmont and Lombardy)
- Region of origin
- Two historic types came from Piedmont and Lombardy; the marker is the reference point of the province of Milan, in Lombardy.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Shown in paintings from the 14th century; ENCI standard 1949
- Today
- Gun dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Northern Italy (Piedmont and Lombardy)
Italy's traditional pointer: a tall, powerfully built bird dog with long ears and a trotting gait.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Pointing game for hunters; for centuries a dog of the Italian aristocracy.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
The AKC repeats a claim of origins in the 4th–5th century BC, which this profile does not adopt; dogs like it appear in paintings from the 14th century. The first dog in the Italian stud book (1882) was a Bracco. The Piedmontese and Lombard types were merged in the early 20th century; ENCI approved a standard in 1949.
04 · Today
Gun dog · Companion
A hunting dog and companion.
Personality
- Intelligent
- Affectionate
- Enthusiastic
- Gentle
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- At least 30 minutes of exercise a day, more is better, ideally with a job to do.
- Grooming
- Easy coat; clean the long ears regularly.
- Training
- Eager to please; a calm, patient, gentle but firm trainer suits it.
Living with one
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 10–14 years
- Coat
- Short, dense, glossy coat; white, white with orange or chestnut, orange roan or liver roan
Field note
The first dog ever entered in Italy's stud book, founded in 1882, was a Bracco Italiano.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Italian Pointing Dog, Group 7, standard 202), ENCI (Italy)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 2022.
About 700 new registrations a year were reported in Italy for 2010–2018. AKC registrations: ranked 136 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Bracco Italiano — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/bracco-italiano/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Bracco Italiano — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracco_Italiano
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Paintings from the 14th century, first entry in the stud book of the Kennel Club Italiano (founded 1882), the two sub-types, the 1949 standard, FCI 1956, Italian registrations.
- Italian Pointing Dog — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/ITALIAN-POINTING-DOG-202.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Italy; Group 7, section "Continental Pointing Dogs"; accepted 1956.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Two historic types came from Piedmont and Lombardy; the marker is the reference point of the province of Milan, in Lombardy.
