We are of the school of thought that anything that enhances one’s education (as long as it’s moral and legal) is okay, if not helpful, so we’re partial to breed standards that go the extra mile in describing an aspect of a breed. To that end, we present the triptych image below:

In the section on color, the Bracco Italiano’s FCI breed standard, and in particular the part describing brown, reads, “White speckled with brown, i.e. liver roan. In this last combination, a metallic sheen is appreciated, and a warm shade of brown is preferred, recalling the colour of a monk’s frock.”

As of 2014, the Dogs Australia standard is similar: “White speckled with chestnut (roano-marrone). In this last combination, a metallic sheen is appreciated, and a warm shade of chestnut is preferred, recalling the colour of a monk’s frock.“

The United Kennel Club’s section on color in the Italian Pointer (its English name in the FCI standard) also uses a reference to clerical garb: “White with orange or chestnut patches. Orange or chestnut roan. In the chestnut roan, a warm shade, reminiscent of a monk’s frock, is preferred.” The Kennel Club in the UK drops the reference to the monk’s frock choosing to simply state: “If chestnut, a warm shade with a metallic sheen is preferred.” 

At the risk of being a “homer” for loving the American Kennel Club standard, we share its Bracco Italiano proposed standard because it has two additional words that we think “flesh out” the description of brown (just in case its been a while since a breeder or show judge has seen a horse chestnut or Catholic monk), and the words are “Crayola Brown.” Our sense is that not all Bracco owners are enthralled with this proposed choice of words. The proposed wording in the standard follows:

Color: “The base color is white, The colors acceptable in this breed are: solid white, white with orange markings, or white with brown markings, The markings are of varied sizes (patches, ticking, or roan), A symmetrical face mask is preferred, but the absence of a mask is tolerated, The orange color can range from a dark amber to rich orange. It is not lemon or yellow, The brown color is a warm shade that recalls the color of a monk”s frock (Crayola Brown); it is not liver, A metallic sheen is appreciated in brown and white dogs. Disqualifying colors – Tricolor, or with tan markings, fawn, hazel, Any trace of black on coat or mucous membranes, Any solid color other than white. Albinism.”

Mind you, there are, to our knowledge, thirteen Crayola colors that we think qualify as a “brown,” and six of them have the word “brown” as part of their name. The color simply named, “brown” is close to chestnut and monk’s robe, but we’re inclined to think that “fuzzy wuzzy” is closer. But we digress.