Italian Braco
GENERAL APPEARANCE L : Of robust and harmonious construction with a vigorous appearance. The preferred specimens are those with lean limbs, well-developed muscles, well-defined lines with a clearly sculpted head and with an evident suborbital chiseling, characteristics that give the breed distinction.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The length of the body is equal to or slightly greater than the height at the withers. The length of the head is equal to 4/10 of the height at the withers; its width measured at the level of the zygomatic arches is less than half its length. The length of the skull is equal to that of the muzzle.
BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: Resistant and adaptable to any type of hunting; reliable; endowed with an excellent ability to learn, he is docile and easy to train.
HEAD : Angular and narrow in the zygomatic arches; its length measures 4/10 of the height at the withers; half the length falls at the level of a line connecting the inner corners of the eyes. The toplines of the skull and muzzle are divergent, ie the prolongation of the topline of the muzzle must meet the topline of the skull in front of the occipital protuberance and ideally in the middle of the topline of the skull.
CRANIAL REGION
skull : Viewed in profile, the topline of the skull forms a very open arch. Viewed from above, it forms an elongated eclipse, with the major axis lengthwise. The width of the skull, measured at the level of the zygomatic arcades, is less than half the total length of the head. The bulge of the forehead and brow ridges are noticeable. The sagittal sulcus is visible and ends in the middle of the skull. The occipital crest is short and not very prominent. The occipital bulge is pronounced.
Stop: Little pronounced.
FACIAL REGION
Truffle : Voluminous, with large and open nostrils, somewhat protruding over the lips with which they form an angle. Color: more or less pink, flesh-colored or brown, depending on the coat.
Muzzle : Slightly Roman or straight nose bridge. Of length equal to half the length of the head, and its height equal to 4/5 of its length. Viewed from the front, the lateral faces are slightly converging, although the anterior face is of good width. The chin is barely visible.
lips : The upper ones are well developed, thin and pendant, without being flaccid, covering the mandible; seen in profile, they surpass it slightly. Viewed from the front, the lips form an inverted “V” below the nose. The labial commissures are accentuated, without being pendulous.
Jaws and Teeth : Well-adapted dental arches, with teeth adjusted to the jaw); scissor bite; pincer bite is acceptable.
Cheeks: droughts.
eyes : Semi-lateral set, with a docile and submissive expression, set neither deep nor prominent. Eyes quite large, eyelids almond-shaped and well adjusted (no entropion or ectropion). The color of the iris is a more or less dark ocher or brown, depending on the coat color.
Ears : Well developed, in length they should, without being stretched, reach the tip of the nose. Its width is at least equal to half its length; slightly raised; at the base, rather narrow, set further back at the level of the zygomatic arch. A flexible ear with the rim turned well in and really snug against the cheek is appreciated. The lower end of the ears ends in a slightly rounded tip.
NECK : Robust, cone-shaped, not less than 2/3 of the length of the head in length; with the back of the neck well marked. The throat has a slight double dewlap.
TRUNK
Top Line: The superior profile of the back is formed by two lines: one, almost straight, sloping from the withers to the eleventh dorsal vertebra; the other is slightly arched, joining the line of the croup.
Withers : Well defined, with the tips of the scapulae well separated.
Back : Firm and well muscled.
Loin : Wide, muscular, short and slightly convex lumbar region.
Croup : Long (about 1/3 of the height at the withers), broad and well muscled; the ideal angulation with the coxal bone forming 30º with the horizontal..
chest : Broad, deep and well let down at the level of the elbows, without forming a keel, with ribs well sprung, particularly in its lower part, and sloping.
Bottom line : Almost horizontal in the sternum region, retracting slightly in the abdominal region.
TAIL: Thick at the root, straight, with a slight tendency to bend; short-haired. When in motion, especially on the trail, it is carried horizontally or nearly so. It must be amputated, leaving 15 to 25 cm from the root.
MEMBERS
PREVIOUS :
Shoulders : Strong, well muscled, long and leaning, with free movement.
arms : Oblique, close to the chest.
Elbows : The point of the elbow should be in a perpendicular line passing through the caudal end of the scapula to the ground.
Forearms : Strong, straight, with well-marked tendons.
Metacarpals : Well proportioned, dry, of good length and slightly sloping.
Paws : Strong, slightly oval in shape; toes well arched and compact, with strong nails well curved towards the ground. The nails can be white, yellow or brown, more or less intense depending on the coat color; elastic and dry pads.
HINDQUARTERS :
Thighs : Long, parallel, muscular with an almost straight back.
Knees : Strong, well bent.
legs : strong.
Hocks : Wide.
Metatarsals : Relatively short and dry.
Paws : With all the features of the previous ones. They have ergots, the absence of which does not constitute a defect. Double taps are tolerated.
DRIVE : Broad and fast trot with powerful propulsion from the hindquarters; head high, with the nose carried high, so that during hunting, it remains above the top line.
SKIN : Consistent but elastic; thinner in the head, throat, armpits and ventral region of the trunk. The visible mucous membranes are according to the coat color; never with black spots. The mucous membranes of the mouth are pink; in roans or white and brown, they may sometimes be slightly mottled brown or pale brown.
COAT
By : Short, dense and shiny; thinner and shorter on the head, on the ears, on the anterior sides of the limbs and on the feet.
COLOR
White.
White with orange or amber spots, more or less dark, of different sizes.
White with larger or smaller spots of brown color.
White flecked with pale orange (melto).
White spotted with brown (brown roan). In this coat metallic reflections are desired; warm-toned brown, reminiscent of the color of a friar's tunic, was also desired. A symmetrical face mask is preferred, but no mask is tolerated.
SIZE : Between 55 and 67 cm
Preferred size for males: 58 to 67 cm.
Preferred size for females: 55 to 62 cm.
Weight : between 25 and 40 kg. Depending on size.
FAULTS
Any deviation from the terms of this standard should be considered a fault and penalized in exact proportion to its severity and its effects on the health and well being of the dog.
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DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
• Aggressiveness or excessive shyness.
• Any dog that shows any sign of physical or behavioral anomaly must be disqualified.
• Convergence of the upper lines of the skull and muzzle.
• Split nose.
• Marked upper or lower prognathism.
• Gazeous (pearl) eyes.
• Black, white and black, tricolor, fawn, hazelnut, unicolor, with brown spots.
• Absence of pigmentation (albinism).
• Mucosa, skin and appendages with traces of black.
• Size above or below 2 cm from the limits indicated by the standard
GRADES
• Males must have both testicles, of normal appearance, well let down and accommodated in the scrotum.
• Only clinically and functionally healthy dogs with typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.