Cirneco dell'Etna

The Cirneco dell'Etna (Italian pronunciation: [tʃirˈnɛko delˈlɛtna]; plural Cirnechi [tʃirˈnɛki]) is a small breed of dog originally from Sicily. This hound was historically used to hunt rabbits and can work for hours without food or water.^{[citation needed]} The breed also has a keen sense of smell and is primarily built for endurance over harsh terrain such as that of Mount Etna. It is the smallest of the Mediterranean island hunting hounds, the others being thePharaoh Hounds and Ibizan Hounds.

Today they are increasingly kept for the sport of conformation showing and as pets, due to their low coat maintenance and friendly nature, although as an active hound they do need regular exercise. A Cirneco should measure from 43-51 cm (17-20in) and weigh between 10–12 kg (22-26lb). As with other breeds, those from hunting stock can lie outside these ranges.

ORIGINS OF THE CIRNECO DELL'ETNA

The Cirneco has been in Sicily for thousands of years. Most authors agree that the origins of the hound-type dog lie among ancient Egyptian prick-eared dogs. Bas-reliefs discovered along the Nile and dated around 4000 B.C. depict what could be the Cirneco today. Most probably, the Phoenicians spread these prick-eared, hound-type dogs as they sailed along their trade routes between Northern Africa and the Mediterranean coasts. Ancient records of hounds with upright ears and a pointed muzzle are found in many countries in that part of the world.

The Italian cynologist and author, Fiorenzo Fiorone, deduces from the absence of a true "hound" in Sicily, that the Cirneco dell’Etna is the result of a progressive adaptation of the dogs left by the Phoenicians along the coasts of Sicily. He suggests that the lack of wide-open spaces, the limited food available for the dogs and continuous inbreeding produced a sort of "miniaturizing effect" which is common to all the animals of the Italian islands.

The most vivid proof of the presence of the Cirneco dell’Etna in Sicily for at least the past 2500 years is the many coins minted between the 5th and 3rd centuries B.C. depicting exemplars of the breed. In particular, the Cirneco dell’Etna is used on coins minted at Segesta, with about 150 variations. In 400 B.C., Dionysus was said to have built a temple dedicated to the God Adranos on the south-western slope of the volcano, just outside the city of Adrano. Many dogs were bred there and legend claims that a thousand Cirnechi guarded the temple. These dogs had the divine ability to recognize thieves and disbelievers, whom they attacked. They also accompanied and guided pilgrims to the temple, being particularly benevolent to those visitors who showed signs of being intoxicated.

MODERN HISTORY OF THE CIRNECO DELL'ETNA  

The Cirneco was rarely seen and little known outside Sicily until 1932. In that year, Dr. Maurizio Migneco, a veterinarian from Adrano, published an article in the journal il Cacciatore Italiano (The Italian Hunter) denouncing the state of oblivion into which this ancient Italian breed had fallen. The Cirneco dell’Etna cause was taken up by a group headed by the Baroness Agata Paternó Castello of the Dukes of Carcaci, a Sicilian aristocrat who was to dedicate the next 26 years to the development of the breed, until her untimely death in 1958. The Baroness thoroughly studied this ancient hunting dog and its origins. At that time, most Cirnechi were in the hands of peasants and there were no breeders capable of selecting and conserving the breed type. "Donna Agata" searched all over Sicily and began selecting dogs epitomizing the breed. She spent years breeding and selecting under the kennel name Aetnensis. When she was sure that she had recovered type and conformation, she consulted Professor Giuseppe Solaro, an eminent zoologist, who studied the dogs' shape, proportions, and work method. He wrote the first breed standard, which was approved by the Italian Kennel Club (ENCI) in 1939, only seven years after Dr. Migneco's cry for action. At last the Cirneco dell’Etna was recognized officially as a breed with the name "Cirneco dell'Etna". The first Italian Show Champion was declared in 1952: the bitch Aetnensis Pupa, bred by the Baroness. The Breed Club, recognized by ENCI in 1956, was founded in 1951 in Catania with Dr. Migneco as its first president. The Club secretary was "the lady of the Cirnechi" herself, Donna Agata. ENCI's Technical Committee updated the breed standard in 1989 to bring it in line with the FCI format.

In the 50 years since the proclamation of the first Show Champion, the Cirneco dell’Etna has been bred consistently in Sicily and on the Italian mainland. Cirnechi have also been exported to many European countries where their elegant conformation has helped make them a success in the show ring and many have become FCI International Show Champions. The dog's affectionate temperament and adaptability make it an excellent family companion. In France, Finland and the USA, Cirnechi participate in official Lure Coursing Events and many have become champions in this discipline. In Italy Cirnechi are run in Field trials and participate in Agility competitions. 

The first Cirneco dell’Etna was imported into Britain in 2001.

 Registrations for the breed have grown steadily

In December 2007 the interim Breed Standard was accepted by the UK Kennel Club. With this the Breed became registered at the Kennel Club on the Import Register within the Hound Group. The Cirneco dell’Etna can now be shown at KC registered shows which have Import Register Classes. Unfortunately they cannot compete for Best in Show until they have had the Breed Standard accepted in full by the Kennel Club.

In order to establish the breed in the UK, sufficient support from both owners and active, progressive breeders to increase the genepool by selectively breeding for health, temperament and type must be the foundation of the Cirneco dell’Etna.

Cirneco dell'Etna

A male Cirneco dell'Etna
Nicknames	Cirneco
Country of origin	Sicily, Italy
[hide]Traits
[show]Classification and standards
Notes	The UK K.C. currently only carries an Interim breed standard. (as of December 2007)