An ancient Italtian breed, also known as the Italian Pointing Dog, the bracco italiano closely resembles some of the oldest hunting dogs depicted. It is believed to originate from crosses between ancient molossoid breeds and sighthounds brought by the fenicians from Egypt. The breed was very popular as a bird dog during the reinassance. It was first seen outside Italy in 1934 when one of the most famous breeders, Paolo Ciceri, brought some of his dogs to the large show in Frankfurt am Main and beat the collected european gundog elite.
The overall impression of the bracco italiano should be a powerful, harmonious breed with a calm look and built to be a good hunter. The head is quite thin with lightly marked stop and powerful muzzle. The top of the muzzle can be either straight or slightly convex. The lips are heavy but not exaggerated. The eyes should have a friendly expression, and the ears are long enough to reach the tip of the nose if stretched out. The neck is quite long with a visible dewlap. The body is slightly rectangular, typically with a slightly swayed topline and well developed chest. The tail can be docked or natural. The coat is short and glossy.