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The Bergamasco Shepherd, Italian : Cane da Pastore Bergamasco, is an Italian breed of sheepdog. It originated in the Alpi e Prealpi Bergamasche, where it was used as a herding dog for both sheep and cattle.
The origins of the Pastore Bergamasco are unknown. [2] A genetic study in 2018 found evidence of haplotypes shared with other European breeds including the Berger Picard, the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Briard. [3]
A dog of this type was exhibited at the first Italian dog show in Milan in 1881. [2] The first registration of the breed in the Libro Origini Italiano, the Italian national stud-book for dogs, was in 1891. [4] A breed association, now called the Associazione Amatori del Cane da Pastore Bergamasco, was established in 1949. [2] The breed was recognised by the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana in 1956, [2] and was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in the same year. [5]
In the nine years from 2011 to 2019, annual registrations in Italy averaged 97 per year, with a maximum of 149 and a minimum of 48. [4]
The Bergamasco is a robust and rustic dog of medium size, solidly built and well proportioned. It is roughly square in outline when seen from the side – the length of the body is approximately equal to the height at the withers. [1] [6] Dogs stand some 58–62 cm at the withers, and weigh about 32–38 kg; bitches are about 4 cm smaller, and weigh on average 6 kg less. [1] [7]
It is characterised by a long thick coat which covers every part of the dog. Particularly on the hind part of the body, the coat forms long matted locks which provide good protection from bad weather; on the fore part of the body the hair is coarse and forms wavy ringlets like those of a goat, while the hair on the head is rather finer. [7] The coat may be of any shade of grey, from very pale to matt black; some tinges of isabella or fulvous colour are allowable. [7]
The Italian Greyhound or Italian Sighthound is an Italian breed of small sighthound. It was bred to hunt hare and rabbit, but is kept mostly as a companion dog.
A sheep dog or sheepdog is generally a dog or breed of dogs historically used in connection with the raising of sheep. These include livestock guardian dogs used to guard sheep and other livestock and herding dogs used to move, manage and control sheep and other livestock.
The Spinone Italiano is an Italian breed of hunting dog, traditionally used for tracking, for pointing and for retrieving game.
The Cane Corso is an Italian breed of mastiff. It is usually kept as a companion dog or guard dog; it may also be used to protect livestock. In the past it was used for hunting large game, and also to herd cattle.
The South Russian Ovcharka or South Russian Shepherd Dog is breed of flock guardian dog. It developed in the areas of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union that are now Ukraine and southern Russia, and is thought to derive from cross-breeding between local dogs of the Russian steppes and long-haired shepherd dogs brought to the area from Spain in the late eighteenth century together with Merino sheep. These may have been similar in appearance to the present-day Gos d'Atura Catala.
The Volpino Italiano or Volpino is an Italian breed of dog of Spitz type. It is closely related to the Pomeranian and to the German Spitz.
The Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog, also known as the Maremmano, Maremma Sheepdog, or Abruzzese Sheepdog, among other names, is an Italian breed of livestock guardian dog. It is indigenous to central Italy, especially to the Maremma region of Tuscany and Lazio, and to northern areas of Southern Italy, particularly to Abruzzo. It has been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves. The "Maremmano" name derives from that of the Maremma marshlands where, until recently, shepherds, dogs and hundreds of thousands of sheep over-wintered, and where the dogs are still abundant although sheep-farming has decreased substantially. However, the breed is still widely employed in and closely culturally associated with the nearby region of Abruzzo, where sheep herding remains vital to the rural economy and where the wolf remains an active and protected predator. The “Abruzzese” portion of the dog’s name derives from its ubiquity in Abruzzo and the surrounding area.
The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian breed of dog. It originates in the marshlands of the Delta del Po in the eastern part of the Romagna sub-region of Italy. The name derives probably from the term “lagotto” which is the name of the inhabitants of the local town of Lagosanto. Another theory believes it comes instead from Romagnol can lagòt, meaning "water dog". Its traditional function was as a gun dog, specifically a water retriever; since the drainage of large areas of wetland habitat in its area of origin, it is now more often used to hunt for truffles.
The Cirneco dell'Etna is an Italian breed of hunting dog from the Mediterranean island of Sicily. It is named for the Etna volcano in eastern Sicily. It has a keen sense of smell, and is used to hunt small game, particularly rabbits. As with many working dogs, registration is conditional on successful completion of a working trial.
The Tatra Shepherd Dog is a Polish breed of large flock guardian dog originating in the Tatra Mountains of the Podhale region of southern Poland. It was fully recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1963. It is one of five dog breeds originating in Poland, the others being the Polish Greyhound, the Polish Hound, the Polish Hunting Dog and the Polish Lowland Sheepdog.
The Bracco Italiano is an Italian breed of pointing dog.
The Segugio Italiano is either of two Italian breeds of dog of scent hound type, the wire-haired Segugio Italiano a Pelo Forte or the short-haired Segugio Italiano a Pelo Raso. Apart from the coat type, they are closely similar, and in some sources may be treated as a single breed; the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana treat them as separate. They are also genetically close to the other two Italian scent hound breeds, the Segugio Maremmano and the Segugio dell'Appennino. They are traditionally used for hunting hare, but may also be used in boar hunts.
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog or Berger Blanc Suisse is a Swiss breed of shepherd dog. It descends from North American White Shepherds imported to Switzerland; the White Shepherd itself descends from white-coloured purebred German Shepherds.
The Neapolitan Mastiff or Mastino Napoletano is an Italian breed of large dog of mastiff type. It descends from the traditional guard dogs of central Italy. It was recognised as a breed by the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana in 1949, and accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1956.
The Sardinian Shepherd Dog or Fonni's Dog is an ancient landrace breed of Sardinian dog used as a herding, catching, and livestock guardian dog.
The Segugio dell'Appennino or Piccolo Lepraiolo Italiano is an Italian breed of small scenthound, bred specifically to hunt hare. It may be either smooth-haired or wire-haired. It is one of four Italian breeds of scenthound, the others being the Segugio Italiano a Pelo Forte, the Segugio Italiano a Pelo Raso and the Segugio Maremmano. It received full recognition from the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana in 2010; it is not recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
The Segugio Maremmano is an Italian breed of scent hound from the coastal plains of the Maremma, in Tuscany. It is mainly used for hunting wild boar, but may also be used to hunt hare and other mammals. They may be either smooth-haired or rough-haired.
The Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana, usually known as the ENCI, is the national organisation responsible for the recognition, standardisation and registration of pedigree dogs in Italy. It is sometimes called the Italian Kennel Club.
The Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai is an old Italian dog breed from the northeastern region called Triveneto. It is not recognized by any major kennel organisation.
