I have picked 24 Italian dog breeds that are shaped by centuries of practical roles.
#1 Bolognese
The Bolognese belongs to the Bichon group, and it is one of the oldest European companion dogs.
The name refers to the northern Italian city of Bologna.
The Bolognese may not be suited to all households with young children.
#2 Bracco Italiano
The Bracco Italiano is an Italian breed of pointing dog. It was a popular hunting dog during the Renaissance.
They bond very closely with their families.
#3 Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is a breed of mastiff dog which was recognised by the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana in 1994. It is descended from Molossian war dogs of ancient Rome. The Cane Corso is usually kept as a companion dog or guard dog.
#4 Bergamasco Shepherd
The Bergamasco Shepherd is an Italian breed of sheepdog that originated in the Alpi e Prealpi Bergamasche.
The breed was recognised by the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana in 1956.
#5 Pastore della Sila
It is a herding breed that originates from the mountainous region of La Sila, a historic region located in Calabria, southern Italy.
#6 Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog
The Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog is indigenous to the Maremma region of Tuscany and Lazio. It was used for centuries by Italian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves.
#7 Pastore Apuano (Cane delle Alpi Apuane)
The Pastore Apuano is a medium-sized herding dog from the Italian Apuan Alps.
Editor’s Pick
12 Chinese Dog Breeds (big, small, crested)
#8 Cane di Mannara
The Cane di Mannara is an ancient breed originating from the rural areas of Sicily, Italy.
As one of the oldest breeds in Italy, it was raised to guard livestock from wolves in Sicily.
#9 Pastore Biellese (Cane d’Oropa)
The Pastore Biellese hails from the Oropa Valley in the Italian Alps.
#10 Sardinian Shepherd Dog
The Sardinian Shepherd Dog is from the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean and is used as a livestock guardian and herding dog.
The ears are positioned frontally, giving the Sardinian Shepherd Dog a unique “monkey-like” appearance.
#11 Lupino del Gigante
The Lupino del Gigante resembles a wolf and is a shepherd dog from the Apennines of the Province of Reggio Emilia.
#12 Cane Paratore
The Cane Paratore is a breed of herding dog native to Abruzzo, Italy. It is not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
#13 Cirneco dell’Etna
It is an Italian breed of hunting dog from the Mediterranean island of Sicily. The Cirneco dell’Etna is an excellent family companion and is used to hunt small game, particularly rabbits.
#14 Dogo Sardo
It was developed in the villages of Sardinia as an all-around working dog.
#15 Italian Greyhound
The Italian greyhound is a descendant of the Jackal found in Africa. It is capable of bursts of speed up to 60 km/h (35 mph), so it was bred to hunt hare and rabbit.
#16 Lupo Italiano
The Lupo Italiano is a dog breed from Italy.
It is the result of crossing a now-extinct Apennine wolf variant from the Upper Lazio region with a German Shepherd Dog by Mario Messi in 1966.
The Lupo Italiano is well adapted for work in a mountain environment.
They have been successfully employed as therapy dogs.
#17 Volpino Italiano
The Volpino Italiano is an Italian breed that almost became extinct when Italy lost interest in the breed.
The Volpino Italiano descended from the ancient European Spitz. The Volpino Italiano has been idolized in the palaces of noblemen.
#18 Neapolitan Mastiff
It was present in Italy during the Roman Empire, and it is directly descended from the ancient Molossian, an extinct dog breed from Ancient Greece.
It is closely related to the Cane Corso.
In 1956, the Neapolitan Mastiff received full acceptance from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, and in 2004 from the American Kennel Club.
#19 Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai
The Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai is an Italian medium-sized, agile sheepdog from the Triveneto, an area made up of the three smaller regions – Venezia Tridentina, Venezia Giulia, and Euganea.
It has been used for driving cattle and managing herds. The breed is not recognized by any important kennel club.
#20 Segugio dell’Appennino
It is an Italian breed of small scenthound that is bred specifically to hunt hare.
The Segugio dell’Appennino is one of four Italian breeds of scenthound.
#21 Segugio Italiano
The Segugio Italiano is an Italian breed of dog that descended from primitive Egyptian hounds.
It was traditionally kept for the purposes of hunting.
#22 Segugio Maremmano
The Segugio Maremmano is an Italian breed of scenthound from Tuscany.
The formation of the breed dates back to the 1800s. In 2009, the Segugio Maremmano was recognized by the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana.
#23 Spinone Italiano
The Spinone Italiano is an Italian breed of hunting dog that has been present in the Italian peninsula at least since the Renaissance. It is used for tracking, for pointing, and for retrieving game.
#24 Lagotto Romagnolo
The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian water dog that originates in the marshlands of the Delta del Po.