Beside the statues of Diana hunting in Naples and Diana the archer in the Vatican stand dogs resembling today’s Segugio in type and size. This is how the FCI standard begins the scent hound’s history. The rough-haired form has its own standard, expressly describing it as calmer than the short-haired one.
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds, Standard No. 198, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Height at the withers | Males 52 to 60 cm, females 50 to 58 cm (2 cm above or below tolerated in excellent dogs) |
| Weight | Males 20 to 28 kg, females 18 to 26 kg |
| Life expectancy | No reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | Unmistakably rough, no more than 5 cm long on the body, less rough on head, ears, legs and tail; moderately long beard |
| Colours according to the standard | Solid fawn from dark red and soot-shaded to pale, or black and tan; fawn dogs may have a little white on head, chest, neck, paws and tail tip, black-and-tan dogs only a white chest patch |
A separate standard for the rough coat
The FCI lists two Italian Segugi separately: the short-haired under No. 337 and the rough-haired under No. 198. Both are medium-sized scent hounds with a working trial, bred to hunt hare and wild boar. Its body should fit within a square, lean and free of excess fat, allowing it to pursue game from morning to evening. A genetic comparison in 2023 found 16 rough-haired and 16 short-haired Segugi very close to one another, but clearly separate from other Italian breeds. The strongest differences were near the RSPO2 gene, associated with beards and rough coats.
Less exuberant, with a quiet melancholy
Compared with the short-haired dog, the standard calls it reserved, clever, calm and willing to work. It hunts eagerly, alone or in a pack, in mountains and plains alike. Its expression should be friendly, gentle and proud, with a touch of melancholy, and its voice melodious. Outside, the nose still makes the decisions, and can lead it far away.
A day with a Segugio
Without hunting, it needs an alternative combining distance and trail work: long hikes on a long line, tracking and mantrailing. Reliable off-lead exercise is rare where wildlife is plentiful, so patiently trained recall and a well-secured garden are part of ownership.
Beard, brows and ears
The rough coat protects against brambles yet needs little work: a thorough weekly brush, with dead hair plucked when needed. Wipe the beard briefly after meals. The standard says the hair above the eyes must not fall over them. After outings, check for ticks, grass awns in the ears and problems with the pads.
Health: gaps in the research
No reliable lifespan figure is available for this breed. The large British longevity analysis by McMillan and colleagues combines both Segugi in one entry and does not analyse them because of insufficient data. We found no studies clearly concerning the rough-haired Segugio and quantifying disease. Ask breeders about the parents’ hip results and eye examinations, and the ages reached by earlier generations.
Good homes and poor fits
It is best suited to hunters working an enduring scent hound on hare or wild boar. Without hunting, it needs plenty of time and enthusiasm for scent work. This quiet, bearded worker is the wrong choice for a city flat, people with little time or a first dog.
Find out whether a calm but passionate hunting dog fits your everyday life in the breed quiz, or explore in greater detail in our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). If a young dog is moving in, get help from the free Puppy Starter Pack. For a picture of your bearded scent hound, explore our dog portraits or a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Beagle: a nose with a dog attached, and what that means day to day
- Weimaraner: the beautiful hunting dog that never clocks off
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 198 Segugio Italiano a pelo forte (fci.be, German version dated 26.09.2018, English version dated 17.12.2015, valid original standard dated 13.11.2015); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed listed but not analysed); Bionda A et al., The Shepherd and the Hunter: A Genomic Comparison of Italian Dog Breeds, Animals 2023.
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