U.S. dog lovers, say “benvenuto” to the bracco Italiano. The ancient Italian bird-hunting dog is the 200th member of the American Kennel Club’s roster of recognized breeds, the organization announced Wednesday. That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club event next year.
The bracco (pronounced BRAH’-koh) goes back more than two millennia in Europe but wasn’t brought to the U.S. until the mid-1990s, according to the AKC. It’s sometimes called the Italian pointer or Italian pointing dog.
The ideal bracco should be “tough and adapted to all types of hunting, reliable, docile and intelligent,” while also friendly and neither shy nor aggressive, according to the AKC’s standard for the medium-to-large breed.
“They’re very easy to live with and be around, and yet it’s like a light switch — when it’s time to jump in the back
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