Segugio Italiano vs Cesky Fousek - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Segit, the Segugio Italiano is an ancient dog breed believed to have descended from Egyptian hounds.

Both males and females stand at between 48 and 58cm and they weight between between 18 and 28kg. It’s a medium to large sized dog. The dog is a scenthound and was at first used for wild boar hunting in ancient times. Once wild boar numbers become much less, the Segit itself dropped in numbers, and it faced extinction.

Dedicated houndsmen worked hard to restore the numbers and the dog was successfully bred. It is a popular dog in Italy today. The Segugio Italiano isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club whereas the Kennel Club in the UK recognizes it in the Hound Group.

The Cesky Fousek is also known as the Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon and he hails from the Czech Republic. The name ‘Fousek’ is referring to the dogs facial hair.

With World War 1, the dog all but disappeared, but with careful breeding, its numbers have built up. Today the dog is a popular hunting breed in its home country. In 1957 and 1958, Czechoslovakia joined the Federation Cynologique Internationale, and this is when a new breed standard was written and approved. In 1964, the dog breed was recognized by the FCI and by the United Kennel Club in 1996.

The Cesky Fousek has even been represented on postage stamps issued in the country in 1965, and again in 1973. Today, the breed is as popular as ever in the Czech Republic as well as other countries where there are breeding programs.

The Segugio Italiano has a distinctive look to him. He’s a large dog standing at between 68 and 76cm in height and weighing between 16 and 27 kg.

The body is lean and muscular and the Italian Scenthound has an amicable looking expression on his face. The coat of the dog is available in two types - short-haired or wire-haired.

The short-haired variety needs to be brushed on a weekly basis but is generally easy to maintain. Wire-haired dogs may require hand-stripping several times a year.

The coat of these dogs range from deep red to wheaten or black. Many dogs have white markings on the head, chest, feet, and the tip of the tail. The ears are long and floppy. If you want your dogs to have puppies, you can expect a litter size of between 4 to 6 puppies.

Temperament:

As a Scenthound, the Segugio Italiano is an intelligent dog, easily trained. He is best trained and socialized as he tends to be stubborn and he is also an independent strong-willed dog. It’s not an aggressive dog and yet it makes a good watchdog.

He’s adaptable but wouldn’t adjust well to living in a small space in the city.

The Cesky Fousek is a medium sized dog with both the male and the female standing between 58 – 66cm and weighing 22–28kg. The dog has a fairly distinctive appearance, looking quite a bit like a German Wire-haired Pointer, but he has the mustache and beard which the Pointer doesn’t have.

The tail of this dog is carried horizontally and is generally docked to 3/5 of its natural length to give the dog a distinctive look. These days, with regulations around docking, the tail is left long. The ears are floppy and rounded at the tips and the eyes are brown.

The dog’s coat is short to medium length and fairly coarse with colors being dark roan or brown with ticked markings.

Temperament:

The Cesky Fousek is an energetic, eager-to-please dog and he just loves playing with the children in the home. He is an intelligent dog who is loyal, social and protective and you’ll find that he is easy to train. In fact, with socialization and training, he becomes obedient and amicable around adults, children and other pets.

The amicable Segugio Italiano just wants to please. They get on well with children and pets. They’re easy going dogs that will require a good deal of exercise.

They make wonderful pets and companions, being particularly well suited to outdoor type of people. They make good watchdogs too, and with his interesting looks, his intelligence and gentle nature, you’re going to have an exceptional canine companion.

The Cesky Fousek is a fun loving, good natured dog who is always up for a game. This is why he isn’t a dog that will fit into an apartment or shoe-box size garden.

Socialize and train him and he becomes a wonderful family pet, good around children and other pets. He loves human companionship and isn’t a dog to be left outside to run around on his own.

The Cesky Fousek is easy to train, and when he is treated properly and made to feel an important member of the family, he provides you with his unconditional love and friendship.

When you have a Segugio Italiano, you’re not likely to be spending much money at the vet, as these dogs are fairly healthy.

If your pet does show signs of illness, as a responsible pet owner it is your job to get him pet to the vet quickly as this can prevent other problems developing.

Ear Infections:

Dogs with such long ears can be more prone to ear infections. Your pet can be in pain and he will shake his head and paw at the infected ear. He may also be vomiting from nausea. You need to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible because with severe ear infection cases, there can even be facial nerve damage.

The average lifespan of this dog breed is about 12 to 15 years, and even though he is a robust breed, some common health issues do exist.

Certainly if you’re considering breeding for your Cesky Fousek, you’ll want to have him tested for dysplasia, eye problems and Von Willebrands Disease.

Von Willebrands Disease is an inherited bleeding disorder, caused by a deficiency in the amount of a specific protein needed to help platelets.Often the dog doesn’t show outward evidence of having the disease while other dogs might even hemorrhage from the nose or elsewhere.

Grooming:

The Segugio Italiano comes with two coat types, the short-haired variety as well as the wire-haired variety. The short-haired dog will need to be brushed at least twice a week, while the wire-haired dog may require hand stripping.

Exercise:

Segugio Italianos love a good bout of exercise, and out on the hunt they are constantly on the move. They’re known for their stamina, but once back at home, they can settle down quite calmly. Make sure this pet of yours is well exercised, whether walks, running off his leash or ball games.

Diet:

Have a good look at the size of your dog, his age and energy levels before choosing dog food. When feeding your dog, don’t make it all complicated. All your dog wants is a simple, nutritious meal.

There are good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market and by reading the labeling you can ensure the best kibble for your pet. Try and give him some home made food too.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – simple, tasty and nutritious. You can add a little bit of this twice a week to the dry kibble. Your dog will love it and it won’t cause any digestive problems.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach

Grooming:

The coat of the Cesky Fousek is easy to maintain and you’ll want to brush him at least twice a week with a firm bristle brush to get through the coarse hair and rid him of loose hairs.

Ear infections are common in dogs, but dogs with floppy ears are more susceptible to ear infections than dogs with erect ears. The infection often starts in the external ear canal and occurs when excess bacteria grows in the ear canal and it becomes inflamed.

Always take your pet to the veterinarian at the first sign of an ear infection. You’ll notice your pet shaking his head and the ear may well be red and inflamed. Your vet will discuss the proper treatment and suggest ways to prevent recurrence. The vet may also recommend an ear cleaning solution as well.

Exercise:

This dog breed needs plenty of exercise and he’ll love his daily walks with you. Put him on a leash and allow him to run with you when you go cycling or jogging.

Diet:

This is a very active dog used to hunting and he’ll require good quality protein. Speak to your vet about how many calories your dog will need each day, more so if you have a puppy and are unsure in terms of his growth.

He is a medium-to-large breed so you’ll want a food that caters for his size, his age and his energy. Include portions of rice, vegetable and meat into his kibble from time to time for variety, and never forget to include some raw meat into his diet.

Fresh, cool water is of critical importance and should be available night and day.