History and Origins
Country of Origin: Italy
The Segugio Italiano is an ancient Italian breed dating back thousands of years. Bred to hunt game including hare, rabbits and wild boar, they are tough dogs despite their small size and light build in comparison to other hounds.
It is thought their ancestry lies in Phoenician sighthounds and the scent hounds of the Celts, but there is very little written history on this breed. Their appearance certainly suggests this could be true. They are much lighter in build, much racier and longer in the leg than any other scent hound, but their working style ‘nose down, tail up and covering ground rapidly’ is all scent hound!
