The origin of the Sicilian greyhound, exterior standard, character, health, care and nutrition, interesting facts. Price when buying a cirneco dell etna puppy. An unusually stately and graceful beauty, the centuries-old pride of Sicily - a greyhound with a sonorous and half-volcanic name - Cirneco del Etna. A creature with the smartest, all understanding amber eyes, an exotic article of the Egyptian deity Anubis and an affectionately friendly character of the most talented hunting dog. The Sicilian Cirneco is as exclusive a landmark in Sicily as the famous Mount Etna or the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. After all, the life story of this amazing dog on the island lasts (think about it!) For thousands of years and is inextricably linked with entire eras of the existence of Sicily itself.
History of the origin of the Sicilian greyhound
The Sicilian greyhound or, as it is called more pathetically and sonorously, Cirneco Dell'Etna is one of those few canine breeds that have not just an ancient, but simply many-thousand-year history of existence.
A global study carried out by European scientists in the framework of the study of the canine varieties of the Mediterranean, made it possible to establish that the unique greyhounds that have lived in Sicily since time immemorial are the descendants of ancient hunting dogs, in turn, brought by the Phoenicians from Egypt. Well, Egyptian dogs, as you know, are considered almost the most ancient in the world.
However, the Italians, and especially the indigenous Sicilians, do not agree with these conclusions, they are still convinced that their magnificent greyhounds are exclusively the aboriginal dogs of Sicily, having independently bred over the centuries (or millennia - the Italians happily agree with this) in the vicinity of Mount Etna. Ambitious and stubborn Sicilians rather admit that it was from their native Sicily that the Cirneco greyhounds came to Egypt (with the army of the Roman Caesar or something else), but not vice versa.
However, the real facts prove otherwise. Modern Cirneco dogs really bear the closest resemblance in exterior and color to the ancient Egyptian sharp-eared dogs depicted on the funeral sarcophagi of the pharaohs, as well as on the preserved bas-reliefs and frescoes of the pyramids, which are more than one thousand years old. A lot of sculptural compositions of ancient Egyptian dogs have survived, practically no different from modern breeds: the pharaoh dog and the Cirneco Dell'Etna greyhound. Well, if you look at this whole story even more closely, you will find the incredible similarity of modern Sicilian greyhounds with the god of the underworld of Ancient Egypt Inpu (aka Anubis), as you know, depicted by the Egyptians with the head of a sharp-eared jackal. Which quite unequivocally indicates not only the exceptional antiquity of the species, but also the real ancestors of all Egyptian dogs and their modern descendants, clearly leading the pedigree from the long-eared jackals that lived in the upper Nile.
The mass of artifacts discovered by archaeologists quite definitely points to the ancient origin of the Cirneco dogs, whose roots go back many millennia deep into the history of Ancient Egypt, no matter how Sicilian dog handlers opposed this. Yes, and in Sicily itself, many confirmations of the extraordinary antiquity of the Sicilian Cirneco family have been found. Many old coins of archaic eras with greyhound dogs minted on them, numerous frescoes and engravings depicting hunting scenes with sharp-eared slender dogs, which have survived from time immemorial, are the best confirmation of this.
The first, closer to us in time, documentary mention of the real existence of Cirneco greyhounds in Sicily appeared in the book “De Natura et solertia canum” published in Palermo in 1653 by the Italian naturalist-researcher Andrea Cirino. Subsequently, the encyclopedia "Sistema Naturae" by Carl Von Linne was also published, where a whole chapter was devoted to the wonder dogs from Sicily.
After these publications, Sicilian greyhounds disappear from the field of view of scientists for a long time. They are remembered again only in the first half of the 19th century. In the published article "Fauna Etnea" ("The Fauna of Etna"), the author G. Galvagni gave not only a detailed description of the dogs living near Mount Etna, but also proposed his hypothesis of their appearance in Sicily, and also made a modest attempt to give the first scientific name to the species - Canis Etneus ("Etna's dog"). However, this publication was not continued. Canis Etneus was once again forgotten for a long time.
Despite the fact that Cirneco greyhounds were distributed throughout the territory of Sicily and were one of the favorite dog breeds of local rabbit hunters for centuries, these dexterous dogs would have remained familiar, but unremarkable animals, little known to the rest of the world. The stupid selection carried out by local Sicilian peasants, interested only in the working qualities of a dog for the extermination of rabbits, spoiling their harvest (to the detriment of the beauty of the unique exterior), rapidly brought the ancient breed closer to complete degeneration.
And so it would have been if in 1934 the energetic and selflessly in love with the breed ascetic, the Sicilian Baroness Agatha Paterno Castello, had not taken up the matter. Being an ardent supporter of the development of an aboriginal greyhound, she, by all means, decided to declare her to the world.
Having made the decision to revive the species, Baroness Castello energetically and actively, like a true Sicilian, began a scientifically grounded full-fledged selection of branded hunting dogs of Sicily, looking for and selecting for her only the best individuals available on the island. Her work (carefully documented and described as much as possible in her diaries) was generally completed by 1939. In the same year, the first breeding standard for the oldest dogs was officially approved, written by Donna Agatha (Baroness Castello) in collaboration with the famous Italian zoologist Professor Giuseppe Solaro. The breed first received an official name - "Cirneco Dell'Etna" and was entered in the Studbook of the Italian Cynological Club (ENCI).
Further selection and plans of the baroness were prevented by the outbreak of the Second World War, which brought famine and devastation to Italy, causing serious damage to the greyhound population of Sicily. During the war years Donna Agatha managed with great difficulty to preserve her Cirneco Dell'Etna kennel, which at that time contained about eight dozen unique in beauty greyhounds.
Only in 1947, the Baroness and her associates were able to seriously engage in the restoration and further development of the Cirneco. In 1951, the Cirneco Dell'Etna club was founded, and in 1952 a greyhound named Aetnensis Pupa became the first Italian champion.
In 1958, Baroness Castello died of skin cancer (aged 44), giving 26 years of her life to the revival of Sicily's greyhounds. With her death, the breed fell into oblivion again, and the animals that fell into the wrong hands were again on the verge of degeneration.
The new revival of the breed was taken up by the veterinarian Francisco Scaldara (Francesco Scaldara), who managed to get several breeding individuals from the baroness's nursery. He managed to revive the variety, having received graceful and elegant dogs that fully comply with the standard (his pets received a prefix to the name - "Taorminensis"). It was from his Cirneco that the further species development of the breed (including foreign branches) proceeded.
Nowadays, many breeders are engaged in the selection and development of Cirneco Dell'Etna, both in Italy and in other countries of the world (USA, Great Britain, Russia). In 1989 the breed received full international recognition with registration in the FCI.
Purpose and use of the Sicilian greyhound
The main purpose of the cirneco greyhounds on the territory of Sicily has remained unchanged for several millennia - hunting rabbits in the difficult rocky desert terrain of the foothills (including Mount Etna).
Also, over the past fifty years, Cirneco has been bred to participate in championships (including field trials) and show exhibitions. The lovely nature of the animals makes them wonderful companions for the owner.
Abroad, especially in the USA and France, animals are actively used as sports dogs to participate in agility and coursing competitions.
External standard Cirneco del Etna
The Sicilian Greyhound is a medium-sized smooth-haired hunting dog, refined and elegant proportional build, with elongated body lines and a magnificent article. The size of the animal is small. Height at the withers in an adult Cirneco male is in the range from 46 to 50 centimeters, with a body weight of up to 12 kg. Females are somewhat smaller in size: 42–46 centimeters at the withers with a maximum weight of up to 10 kg.
- Head beautiful oval-elongated aristocratic shape, with a slightly convex skull. The superciliary arches, occipital protuberance and crest are not very pronounced. The stop (transition from the forehead to the muzzle of the animal) is soft, smooth, slightly pronounced. The muzzle is elongated, long (4/5 of the length of the skull), tapering towards the nose. The bridge of the nose is straight, not wide (gracefully proportioned). The nose is rectangular, rather large. The color of the nose depends on the color of the coat and can be brownish-hazel in color (from the lightest to the most intense dark). Lips, tight to the jaws, thin, dry, without flews. The jaws are well developed. The dental formula is complete, the teeth are white, normally developed. Scissor bite.
- Eyes small in size (may be small), with lateral placement. The color of the eyes is amber, gray, light ocher (in any case, not dark). The look is soft, point-blank. The eyelids that frame the animal's eyes are pigmented to match the nose.
- Ears set high and narrow, triangular-pointed, graceful, rigid and erect, turning forward. The size of the auricle does not exceed 1/2 the length of the head.
- Neck Cirneco del Ethno is strong and muscular, smoothly turning into the body with a bend, rather long (its length is almost equal to the length of the head). The skin fits well around the neck, without dewlap. The scruff of the neck is highlighted, smooth.
- Torso square type, lightweight proportions, strong, but not inclined to corpulence. The physique is light, graceful. The chest is well developed, moderately wide and long. The back is straight, moderately developed, rather muscular, its line is straight, slightly sloping from the withers to the rump. The croup is not long, flatish, oblique at 45 °. The belly is lean, dry, athletic. The line of the abdomen is smooth.
- Tail Sicilian greyhound set low, it is thick and approximately equal in thickness along its entire length, long, whip-shaped or saber-shaped. In a calm state, it is in a raised state, taking the form of a curved saber. In an excited state, the dog raises its tail with a "pipe". The hair on the tail is short.
- Limbs parallel, straight, muscular. The bones of the limbs are thin but strong. Paws are oval, dense, "in a lump". Claws are never black. Usually the nails are pink-flesh-colored or brown (matching the coat color).
- Leather Cirneco dog is tightly stretched throughout the body, thin, its color depends on the color of the coat.
- Wool smooth, short on the head, ears, muzzle and limbs. Smooth, but somewhat longer (up to 3 centimeters) on the trunk and tail. In structure, it resembles the harsh and straight hair of a horse.
- Color. The following options are possible: solid dark and light fawn color tones, weak sable or isabella (the color of Queen Isabella's unwashed underwear shirt) color, red color (with pronounced white markings on the chest, head, abdomen, limbs). Pure white, bicolor (white with red spots) shades of wool are also allowed. The reddish color can be richer and more washed out.
Experts divide modern Sicilian greyhounds in Sicily itself into two types, northern and southern, differing in proportions and physique and different lengths of limbs (which allows them to be effectively used for hunting rabbits in a wide variety of terrain). But the international FCI standard does not take this factor into account.
Sicilian greyhound personality
The Sicilian is an excellent hunting dog with an energetic temperament and at the same time a peaceful, docile and affectionate character. It is a cheerful and cheerful creature with an affectionate and playful demeanor.
Cirnecos are very inquisitive and curious, get along well with other dogs and do not strive to dominate relationships with humans. With strangers, they retain some vigilance, which, with a certain training, allows them to be very intelligent watchmen and guards.
They perfectly feel the state of a person and never unnecessarily impose their society, rarely bark, which makes them excellent companion dogs. They love to travel. They are able to accompany the owner for a long time on walking and cycling trips.
Cirneco Greyhounds are very intelligent and easy to train, especially if the training looks like a game or is encouraged by affection and delicacy. "Sicilian" is independent and quite independent, which must also be taken into account when raising.
Cirneco greyhound health
As noted by all veterinarians, the Cirneco Dell'Etna breed is surprisingly healthy and devoid of any genetic predisposition to disease. At least so far, no specific breed diseases have been found.
The average life expectancy of Cirneco Dell'Etna, with proper care of the animal, is within 12 years.
Care Tips for Cirneco del Etna
The short, harsh coat of a Cirneco dog is easy to maintain. Periodic brushing with a stiff brush is sufficient. Bathing an animal - only if it is heavily soiled.
When kept in climatic zones with a severe cold climate, it must be remembered that the homeland of a greyhound is Sicily, with a mild Mediterranean climate, and therefore Cirneco dogs are thermophilic (but not spoiled) and do not really tolerate severe winters and cold drafts. It is necessary not only to insulate the animal in a timely manner, but also to gradually temper it.
Interesting facts about the Sicilian greyhound
The thousand-year history of the existence of the Sicilian greyhounds could not but overgrow with legends and legends. One of them says that almost four hundred years before our era, the ruler of the city of Syracuse, the tyrant Dionysius the Elder, ordered to build a temple on the slope of Mount Etna, dedicated to the Syracuse god Ardanos (an analogue of the ancient Greek god of blacksmithing Hephaestus). The guard of the temple was entrusted to the Cirneco dogs. According to legend, there were at least a thousand of them.
The duties of the animals included the recognition of thieves and criminals hiding under the guise of pilgrims. The criminals approaching the temple were immediately attacked by a whole cloud of dogs, while the real pilgrims were allowed into the temple without hindrance.
The ancient inhabitants of Syracuse believed that sharp-eared greyhounds have a special gift for feeling the true intentions of people. Perhaps this is where the modern name of the breed comes from - Cirneco Dell'Etna. In Latin, the verb "cernere" means "to see, to consider, to recognize."
Price when buying a Sicilian Greyhound puppy
The cost of a Sicilian cirneco puppy in Russia, thanks to a fairly large number of kennels, is in the range of 40,000-50,000 rubles.
What the dog Cirneco del Etna looks like, see this video:
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