Segugio Italiano

Segugio Italiano means Italian scent hound, and in modern breed use it usually refers to the native hounds of Italy kept in smooth-haired and rough-haired varieties. These lean, medium-sized dogs have long ears, a dry head, a square outline, and a ringing voice used while trailing. Traditional colors are fawn in various shades or black and tan, sometimes with limited white. The Segugio was developed for hunting hare and other game, often working alone, in pairs, or in packs according to regional practice.

As companions, Segugi Italiani are warm with their people but remain practical hunting dogs with strong noses and a desire to move. They need daily exercise beyond a yard, and off-leash freedom is safest only in enclosed areas or under trained working conditions. Short coats are easy to groom; rough coats need a little more attention to dead hair and burrs. In working kennels, evaluation commonly includes voice, scenting style, endurance, and steadiness around other dogs. Pet buyers should ask whether a litter comes from active hunting lines, because drive and kennel habits can vary noticeably.

Colors: Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Dark Wheaten, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Light Wheaten, Liver, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Merle, Mottled, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, Wheaten, White, Yellow