Welcome to the second episode of the Photo Standard saga!
If you missed the first part, here you have it: Introducing the Bracco Italiano: Photo-Standard #1

Last week year we found out what a perfect bracco head should look like, today we are going to learn something more about the physical structure of our dogs.
A well proportioned body is in fact the very first step to an excellent quality of movement.
And once again is all about the genes.
All of our braccos were blessed with a beautiful, natural trot. So were their parents, so are (many of) their children.

I am aware that some people try to help their braccos with the…wait, what’s the english for braga? (harness?): the dog wears the braga and slowly his mind and body learn how to simulate (or improve) the correct movement.
Nowadays this is a very controversial topic – I guess braga means cheating, somehow – let’s just say our dogs never wore it because they never needed to.

To set the record straight, at the end of the page you will find a remarkable example of an 100% natural trotto, starring our extremely talented bracco: Ulisse di Casamassima!

Thank you for reading, appreciating and sharing my work!

BODY

Chest
Broad, deep and well down to the level of elbows, without forming a keel, with well sprung ribs, particularly in their lower part.

Loin
Wide lumbar region, muscled,short and slightly convex.

Croup
Long (about 1/3 of the height at the withers), broad and well muscled; the ideal pelvic angulation (angle formed by the pelvic girdle with a horizontal line) is 30°.

Underline & belly
Lower profile almost horizontal along the ribcage, rising slightly in its abdominal part.

Tail
Thick at the base, straight, with a slight tendency to taper, hair short. When the dog is in action and especially when questing, is carried horizontally or nearly. The natural tail should not extend below the hock and have the above mentioned features. If docked, for hunting purposes and in compliance with health and animal welfare, the tail must have a length of 15-25 cm from the root.

 LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS

General appearance
Very free in movement

Shoulder
Strong, well muscled, long and sloping

Withers
Well defined, with the points of the shoulder blades well separated.

Upperarm
sloping, fitting the ribcage;

Forearm
strong, straight, with strong and well marked sinews;

Elbow
the point of the elbows should be on a perpendicular line from the rear point of the shoulder blade to the ground;

Metacarpus (pasterns)
well proportioned, lean, of good lenght and slightly sloping;

Forefeet
strong, slightly oval shaped, well arched and closed toes with strong nails well curved towards the ground.

Colour of nails is white, yellow or brown, of a more or less dark shade depending on the colour of the coat:

pads elastic and lean.

HINDQUARTERS

Thigh
long, parallel, muscular,

with a rear edge almost straight;

Stifle (knee)
Well angulated

Lower thigh
Strong

Hock joint
Broad

Metatarsus (rear pastern)
relatively short and lean

Hind feet
With all the characteristics of the forefeet, they have dewclaws,the absence of which is not a fault. Double dewclaw is tolerated.

Gait/Movement
Extended and fast trot, with powerful impulsion from the hindquarters; head raised, nose held high in such a way that, when hunting, the nose is higher than the top line.

TO BE CONTINUED…