by Big Bird » Thu Feb 01, 2018 8:08 pm
In your criteria you have two of the three prerequisites correct for a Bracco Italiano. They are eye appealing (different ) , generally excellent with family , and depending on the breeding can be as athletic in the field as a GSP. In most cases they are larger than a GSP, The Bracco was bred to hunt field in Italy, while the Spinone was bred to hunt wood lots. The fields required a larger running dog being developed while the Spinone was bred for shorter casts. That was the historical development. Modern breeding has changed the `lower energy`perception and today you can get possibly a lower energy Bracco , but more over any that have been bred for hunting generally have a respectable range with a consistent pace that makes the dog appear to be more of a bull dozer than a Farari . I have owned two, seen many and there is as broad a spectrum on the energy level as there is on any GSP . The characteristic that I admire the most is their ability to turn on and off the hunting mode. They can give you the laid back appearance of loafing on a front porch with a banjo strumming from a chap in a rocking chair to lets get in on like a mixed marshal fighter in the field. They are a softer dog to train than a GSP, but very intelligent.
I have hunted both mine on grouse. My big guy, 85 lbs was compared in the grouse bush to a full back in ballerina shoes. Our girl is much more energetic and has not yet at two years of age developed a quality rep or with grouse.
The west seems to be the bigger developer of breeders. Riverbend, Italian Woods, Dancing Duke are a few breeders. Google them for their web pages.
Big Bird
Conserve Game - Hunt with a Trained Dog
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Bracco Italiano -adding entertainment to a hunt