medium-to-large breed
Segugio Italiano
Italy's native hare hound, lean and long-legged, with a ringing voice that Italian hunters breed for on purpose. At home a Segugio Italiano is a soft, affectionate, surprisingly calm housemate who gets along with other dogs. Outdoors the nose takes over completely and the baying starts, and an hour of hard exercise a day is the minimum that keeps a hound built for hare hunting settled.
Pup Height
19-23.5 in
Pup Weight
40-62 lb
Short-haired males 20.5-23 in, females 19-22 in, 40-62 lb. Wire-haired males 20.5-23.5 in and 44-62 lb, females 19.5-23 in and 40-57 lb. Solid fawn from deep red to pale, or black and tan (called tricolor when there is a white star on the chest); the less white, the better. The short coat is dense and close; the wire coat is rough, up to about 2 in long on the body, with a small beard. The FCI treats the two coats as separate breeds, the Segugio Italiano a Pelo Raso and a Pelo Forte; the AKC records both as one breed in its Foundation Stock Service. Source: FCI breed standard.
Pup Lifespan
11-13 years
Your pup, at a glance
What’s Life With This Pup Really Like?
High. Affectionate and happy to lie close once the day's running is done.
Very good. Gentle and patient with children who treat them kindly, though a young hound can be bouncy.
Mixed. Usually easy with other dogs, but rabbits and small pets are prey, and cats need careful introduction.
High. Less a bark than a loud, ringing bay, used on a scent and when bored.
High. Built to hunt hills for hours, and calm indoors only when that need is met.
Low to moderate. Both coats shed, but not heavily.
Easygoing. More interested in sniffing and running than in fetch or tug.
Low. Tight lips and a dry mouth.
Moderate. Quick to learn and responsive to rewards, but the nose wins when a scent is in the air.
Low. The voice announces visitors, but the temperament is not protective.
Low. A weekly brush and regular ear cleaning cover both coats.
Low to moderate. Gentle and adaptable in temperament, but the voice and exercise needs rule out many homes.
Lifestyle fit
Could This Be Your Best Breed?
Segugi Italiani suit country or well-spaced homes with a securely fenced yard and an owner who hunts, hikes or runs, at $1,800 to $3,200 a year over eleven to thirteen years. Few are found outside Italy and good information on the breed in the United States is thin. A house with close neighbors is where this goes wrong - the voice was built to carry across a valley.
Living Space
A house with a securely fenced yard, ideally in the country or near open land. Segugi Italiani are quiet and gentle indoors, but a hound that bays on a scent and is bred to follow a hare for hours is a hard fit for thin walls and close neighbors.
Pup Experience
Best with someone who has lived with a scenthound before, or who understands what that means. The temperament is soft and easy; the challenge is a nose that overrides recall and a voice that carries.
Daily Pup Time
An hour or more of exercise daily, including off-leash running in a safe, enclosed space or on a long line, plus a quick weekly brush and regular ear checks.
Allergies & Coat
The Segugio Italiano scores 4/10 for shedding and 2/10 for drooling. No dog is truly hypoallergenic. The allergens come from dander and saliva, and a dog that sheds this much will leave plenty of hair behind - especially on your furniture, floors, and clothes.
Quirks & challenges
The Not-So-Easy Stuff
Nose Over Recall
Bred to follow hare independently for long distances. Off-leash reliability in open country is unlikely.
The Voice
A loud, ringing bay that hunters love. Neighbors often do not, especially when a bored hound uses it at home.
Escape Artistry
A scent on the other side of the fence is a strong pull. Fences need to be secure and gates kept shut.
Small Pets at Risk
A hare hunter at heart. Rabbits and other small pets are prey, and cats need careful introduction.
Needs Real Exercise
A walk around the block is not enough for a dog built to run hills all day. Underworked hounds get noisy and restless.
Hard to Find
Very rare in the US, with few breeders. Expect a long wait or an import.
The good, the bad & the hairy
Health, Care & Costs
Understanding the health risks and ongoing costs of a Segugio Italiano helps you plan for a happy, healthy life together.
11-13 years
$50-$80
per groom (bath, nails, ears), a few times a year or done at home ($0-$300/year)
$1,800-$3,200/year
all-in (food, routine vet, grooming, insurance, incidentals)
Health Risks
Conditions this breed is prone to.
The hip joint develops loosely and wears into arthritis, showing as stiffness or reluctance to run. Breed-specific figures are scarce, but hip scoring on both parents is a sensible thing to ask for in any active medium-sized hound.
Long, low-set ears trap moisture and debris, especially after work in wet cover. Check and clean them weekly, dry them after swimming, and see a vet for head shaking, odor or redness.
Hounds that run hard through brush pick up cuts, torn nails, split pads and damaged tail tips. Check feet and skin after every outing in rough country.
Working hounds spend a lot of time in tick-heavy cover, so year-round parasite prevention matters. Dogs imported from Italy and the Mediterranean should also be checked for leishmaniasis, a sand fly-borne disease common there.
A lean hunting build carries extra pounds badly, and an underworked hound with a good appetite gains them fast. Keep the ribs easy to feel.
The AKC lists no known breed-specific health defects, and there are no breed-specific DNA tests. That reflects a small population with little study rather than proof of a trouble-free breed, so ask breeders what they have seen in their lines.
Insurance & Health Coverage
Insure early. A healthy young Segugio is cheap to cover, and anything noted on the record before a policy starts - an ear infection included - can be excluded for life.
For an active hound, accidents are the claim to plan for: lacerations, torn nails and injuries from running loose or through a gap in the fence. Check that the policy covers accidents and illness together, and read the per-condition caps.
Recurring ear infections are a common reason for repeat claims. If your Segugio was imported, ask whether testing for Mediterranean diseases such as leishmaniasis is covered, and do the testing before the policy starts.
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Care needs
The Daily Routine
Grooming
Both coats are low-maintenance. A brush or rubber curry once or twice a week keeps the short coat tidy and the wire coat free of dead hair; neither needs trimming or stripping. Clean the ears weekly, check the feet after outings and keep the nails short.
Exercise
An hour or more of vigorous exercise daily - brisk walks plus free running in a secure, enclosed area or on a long line. Tracking, scent work and hunting suit the breed best. A Segugio Italiano that only gets leash walks will find other ways to spend the energy.
Food & Weight
A good-quality diet measured to the workload: more in the hunting season, less in the off months. Segugi Italiani should look lean and athletic, with ribs easy to feel and a clear tuck-up.
Similar breeds
If This Isn’t Quite the One
Porcelaine
Another rare European hare hound of about the same size, with the same short coat and ringing voice. The Porcelaine is white with orange spots and a touch more sensitive; the Segugio Italiano comes in fawn or black and tan, with a wire-coated option.
Harrier
A pack hound bred for hare, with the same stamina, nose and voice. The Harrier is sturdier and more exuberant; the Segugio Italiano is leggier, calmer at home and even harder to find in the US.
Beagle
The familiar small hare hound with the same nose-first priorities and baying. The Beagle is half the size and easy to find; the Segugio Italiano needs much more running and room.
Bracco Italiano
Italy's other old hunting breed and a gentle companion at home. The Bracco is a larger, drooling pointer that works close to the hunter; the Segugio Italiano is a scenthound that trails far ahead and bays.