Overview
The Segugio dell'Appennino is a medium-sized Italian scent hound created for hunting hare in rugged hill and mountain terrain. It comes in two coat types, smooth and wire-haired, and is the smallest of the four Italian segugio breeds.
It is first and foremost a working hunting dog. It suits experienced hunters or very active owners who can give it a job and plenty of open country to run in.
History
The Apennine hound was described as a type distinct from other Italian segugio dogs in an 1882 article in a hunting magazine. A breed standard was written by the Italian kennel club in 2005, and full national recognition followed in 2010.
Registrations have stayed modest, with a few hundred puppies a year in the period 2013 to 2022. The international federation granted it provisional acceptance in 2026. Genetic work has found it very close to the Segugio Maremmano.
Appearance
This is a medium-sized, lean and athletic hound. Males stand about 44 to 50 cm at the withers and females 42 to 48 cm. The smooth coat is short and even, while the rough coat is a little longer, harsh to the touch and has a dense undercoat, though it stays shorter on the head and inner legs.
Accepted colours are black and tan, fawn in any shade, hare grey and sooty. Small white markings on the feet, chest, tail tip or face are allowed.
Temperament
Bred to work alone, in pairs or in a small pack, the Segugio dell'Appennino is persistent, keen-nosed and cooperative with other hounds. It follows a scent with great determination and can be hard to call off a trail.
At home it tends to be calm and affectionate with its people, but it is not a couch dog and needs real work or long outings to stay content.
Care and exercise
Daily vigorous exercise is essential, ideally off-lead in safe, fenced or hunting areas, since the nose will lead it far. Secure fencing and a reliable recall matter. Mental work such as tracking games suits it well.
Coat care is easy: a weekly brush for the smooth coat and a little more attention for the wire coat. Check the long ears regularly and keep nails trimmed.
Health
The breed is generally robust, as working hounds tend to be. Check the drooping ears for infections, and watch weight and joints in later life. Hunting dogs should have routine checks for cuts, ticks and paw injuries.
