'Segugio' comes from italian 'sequire', which means 'follow', and translated to english it could mean 'hound'. It looks very similar to ancient sighthounds, and has been depicted on a painting from the 1600's. It has been kept by the italian nobility for hundreds of years, and has always been more common in the northern parts of the country. It hunts in the same way as the foxhound.

Today the segugio is mainly a harehound. It is a fast and stubborn runner, and despite being so light it is also kept as wildboar hunter! It is rarely shown on normal dog shows, but common on italian speciality shows.

The segugio italiano should be a medium size and almost square-shaped dog, dry and extremely agile. The head is elongated and dry with a slightly convex profile. Little stop, with the muzzle as long as the skull. The eyes should have a friendly and somewhat melancholic expression. The ears are rather broad and long. The neck is rather long and dry, slightly arched and powerful. Well developed chest, with slight tuck up. Most sought after is a slightly sloping topline. Good boning and angulation in the legs. The tail is carried as a sable or horizontally.