BRACCO ITALIANO A Versatile Pointing Dog BY AMANDA INMAN, DVM THE
T he Bracco Italiano was introduced in a big way to the American public at the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This was the first time for many peo- ple seeing the breed on their screens. It was followed by the influx of: What is it? How do you say that? Broh-ko? Where can I buy one? How much do they cost? The Bracco Italiano is a versatile pointing dog. They belong to the “hunt, point, retrieve” class of dogs and are truly a jack of all trades. Their appearance is striking as a large, strong breed with a kind expression of chiseling under the eyes. They have long, soft ears that reach their nose and a smooth, glossy coat that is white with bright orange or warm brown spots. The head planes are divergent (“down-faced”), which allows them to catch scent from a distance when trotting in the field. The breed has a fast, extended trot. A Bracco should be able to go from a gallop to a trot and not lose speed. While the Bracco Italiano was the 200th breed to be recog- nized by the American Kennel Club and has the shine of a new toy to dog fanciers across the United States, it is likely the oldest conti- nental pointing breed in existence. The word bracco stems from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhrh1g-ro meaning to scent or smell. The breed’s name is Bracco Italiano , and the plural is Bracchi Ital- iani . The exact origin of the breed has been lost to time, but the earliest forms of this breed likely pre-dated the Roman settlement of the Italian peninsula. The Bracco Italiano as we know it today was well established by at least the early thirteenth century in Italy. They were treasured by the aristocracy and traded among the nobility. Bracchi were frequently used as part of property sales, war treatises, and feudal
254 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2023
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