Bracco Italiano: a short coat and a substantial daily routine
The Bracco Italiano has a nearly square frame, a deep chest and a distinctive sculpted head. The coat is short, but its long ears and regular exercise still need owner time. Think about the whole day of outings and care rather than treating easy coat maintenance as easy ownership.
Shape and preferred sizes
The FCI gives an overall height of 55–67 cm, with preferred ranges of 58–67 cm for males and 55–62 cm for females. Weight is 25–40 kg depending on size. The earlier UK guide uses those sex-specific height ranges and also relates weight to height.
Body length is equal to or a little greater than shoulder height. The topline slopes from the withers before rising slightly over the loin; it is not a perfectly horizontal line. Short, dense, glossy hair is finer on the head, ears and front of the limbs.
Short hair, long-ear care
The UK guide places grooming weekly. The AKC recommends occasional baths, regular nail trimming and tooth brushing, alongside routine cleaning of the long ears. Its more detailed care advice suggests a veterinarian-recommended ear cleaner once or twice weekly. Ask your vet to demonstrate the method and product rather than working deep inside the ear.
These small jobs remain important when the coat itself takes little work. Include a look at the ears and nails in the ordinary grooming session, so they do not get overlooked between baths.
Exercise changes with age
The earlier UK category is more than two hours daily, with a large house and garden in the country. The AKC describes daily exercise and mental stimulation, including enclosed play, jogging and time spent training or playing together. Its thirty-minute minimum is a different description, not the UK category converted into a new universal target.
For growing Bracco puppies, the AKC advises against concrete running and repeated high-impact work until at least one year. Plan suitable activity as the dog develops rather than immediately applying an adult jogging routine.
Compare the two Italian coats
The Spinone has a harsh coat without undercoat and a hand-stripping routine, so it is a very different grooming choice. The Portuguese Pointer is smaller in its own height description and also short-coated, with a lower UK exercise category. Compare both the coat work and the expected outings.
Sources and further reading
Bracco Italiano at a glance
These earlier UK breed guides are starting points for comparison. Details may have changed, and individual dogs vary.
- Breed group
- Gundog
- Size
- Large
- Daily exercise
- More than 2 hours per day
- Grooming frequency
- Once a week
- Coat length
- Short
- Sheds
- Yes
- Suggested home size
- Large house
- Town or country
- Country
- Garden recommendation
- Large garden
- Lifespan
- Under 10 years
FCI breed standard
Standard guidance describes the breed ideal; individual dogs vary.
- Origin
- Italy
- Group
- 7 - Pointing Dogs
- Section
- 1 - Continental pointing dogs, Type “Braque”
- Height
- 55–67 cm; Males: Preferred: 58–67 cm; Females: Preferred: 55–62 cm
- Weight
- 25–40 kg; in proportion to height
The general 55–67 cm height range is followed by separate preferred male and female ranges. Weight is related to size.
Official FCI standard (PDF)
Standard effective from 2015-11-13; checked 2026-10-15
