Segugio dell'Appennino

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.

History
The Segugio dell'Appennino was described as a breed or type distinct from other Italian dogs of segugio type in 1882, in an article in the magazine La Caccia Illustrata. A breed standard was drawn up by the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana in 2005, and the breed received full recognition in 2010. From 2013 to 2022 the number of annual registrations varied from 205 to 414.

In 2015 an analysis of microsatellite data found no significant genetic distance between the Segugio dell'Appennino and the Segugio Maremmano.