More information at (+46) 076 142 94 67 or nmcanaverde@borealensis.com
Kennel Borealensis
About us
My passion for dogs and hunting has been a significant part of my life from the very beginning. Rooted in my upbringing in Portugal, within a family with a long tradition of hunting and dog breeding, this legacy has profoundly shaped me and influenced my lifestyle.
In 2001, at age 16, my father gave me my first pointing dog of my own. "Xira" was a German Short-haired Pointer with whom I spent long days in the wild chasing birds..much as I still do today. I even bred a litter from her and kept a beautiful male who, sadly, died a little too soon. Beyond the miles we walked and the birds we found, Xira opened the door to everything that followed.
The first time I saw a Bracco Italiano in the flesh was in 2001, at the World Dog Show in Porto. I was fortunate enough to see one of the defining Bracchi of her era, Rivana del Monte Alago. I became immediately fascinated and intrigued by the breed, and in 2008 I finally brought home my first Bracco Italiano, from Compatriota di Bonfini in Hungary.
Then, in 2009, in Andalusia, I was once again fortunate enough to witness a dog that left a lasting mark on me: Xeres delle Terre Alliane, handled by Danilo Rebaschio. The performance of that dog impressed me so deeply that, even today, it remains one of the greatest inspirations behind the type of work I want to pursue with this breed. Xeres became Vice European Champion that year, finishing as the second-best dog in the competition and helping Italy secure the European team title.
In 2012, I moved to Sweden, drawn by the chance to hunt truly wild game across genuine, demanding terrain - what I believed was the perfect place to test this breed and prove its worth at the highest level. The last 12 years have been a childhood dreaming that came true: from fields of snipe, grey partridge, and pheasant, to forests of black grouse and capercaillie, and up into the mountains where ptarmigan hold tight among willows and heather. Those miles and days with my dogs inspired me to promote the Bracco as it should be known: a pointing dog of great virtues.
Over the years hunting across the Nordics I’ve worked over and owned a few dogs. One dog in particular, Polcevera’s Zagar (“Chica”), was the final nudge: her hunting brilliance definitely convinced me that the Bracco Italiano was the breed I would choose to one day start my own breeding project.
Finally, in 2025, I began the Borealensis project, born of 18 years of patient work and countless hours in the fields and forests of Europe. My aim is to steward this breed with commitment and respect and to share its remarkable abilities with those who value functional dogs that stay true to their purpose.
Our vision
The boreal forest and its game as driving engine for the selection of a complete pointing dog
Our vision is simple: preserve and promote the Bracco Italiano as a true working dog. This breed’s defining traits were forged over centuries by selecting dogs for their field ability, not for fashion or ribbons. Today, as pet culture and show trends grow, too many breeds are pushed away from their heritage and the work they were built to do. We refuse that path.
Natural abilities, efficiency and performance, always within the breed identity, are the pillars of our program, upheld alongside balanced temperament and sound health. A working dog must endure day after day, and year after year. The Bracco Italiano it´s an exceptional continental pointing dog that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in performance, efficiency, and drive on real ground.
In practice, that means honest selection in the field, thoughtful pairing, and dogs that live as hunters and family companions. In the end, it’s about honoring the breed properly and do the best to produce dogs that make both hunters and families genuinely happy - because that may well be the only way to keep a hunting breed alive and with a healthy population of balanced and positive working dogs.
