Collection: Personalised Segugio Italiano Gifts

An ancient breed from Italy, the Segugio Italiano could hardly come from anywhere else with a name like that! Unknown virtually anywhere other than their home country, the Segugio Italiano was originally bred for hunting prey in large numbers and the quarry was usually hares. It has a unique way of locating prey and herds them towards the hunter hence the need for a large number of dogs.

The Italian word for ‘follow’ is ‘seguire’ and this is where the dog gets its name from. Most rural Italians were quite poor so eventually, the breed fell out of favour as a large number of dogs were required to hunt effectively and this was a considerable expense. Later, Mastiff influence was introduced to the Segugio Italiano to create a more independent hunting dog.

Thought to have been brought to Italy by Phoenician Traders, the Segugio Italiano is physically quite similar to some of the ancient Middle Eastern breeds like the Pharaoh Hound but this is all supposition and guesswork, there is no scientific data to support it. A more solid theory is that they originated in France pre-Roman times (then called Gaul) and were spread further afield by the Romans to Italy.

It is reputed that this hunting dog would hunt in packs of several hundred hounds at once most famously joined by the Emporer Caligula. The peak of their popularity was certainly during the Renaissance where they appeared in many paintings. After a steep decline, in the 19th century, the breed experienced a revival and Mastiff blood was introduced to make the dog more effective at hunting alone.

The Segugio Italiano has a lovely gentle temperament and is very suitable for families with children but not so suitable for households with small furries like hamsters and gerbils due to their high prey drive.

Quite an independent character, the Segugion loves the home life but doesn’t like to be overly fussed. Like many intelligent dogs, they can have a stubborn streak.