What or who may be called "cirneco del Etna"? Thoughts come to mind about some Italian dish, the name of a handsome singer, or the latest brand of car. Everything is simpler: they call it the Sicilian greyhound, which has a simply chic exterior and independent disposition.
Origin version
For a long time, between breeders and lovers of the breed, there were disputes about the origin of its representatives. People were divided into two teams: one considered Egypt to be the birthplace of the dog, the second tended to Sicily.
So the argument would continue, but the dog handlers-breeders intervened. They took the DNA of a Sicilian greyhound and concluded that the animal came from Egypt.
How did a dog find himself in one of the regions of Italy? Sailed along with the Phoenicians who inhabited the territory of Africa. In what year it happened, history is silent. But the fact that the Sicilian greyhound (cirneco del Etna) is one of the oldest breeds, there are confirmations in the form of minted coins with the image of an animal.
The rock was formed at the foot of Mount Etna, as reported in its name. People practically did not take part in the selection of the animal: Sicilian greyhounds passed through natural selection. The end result was a hardy and beautiful dog.
Start of breeding and first standard
The history of the Sicilian greyhound breed will tell readers that dogs for a long time did not spread outside Italy. Until in 1932 a veterinarian from Adrano (a city in Italy) published an article dedicated to these beauties. With his light hand, one noble lady had an interest in these greyhounds. A woman named Agatha Paterno Castello was an aristocrat, quite wealthy and curious. The availability of money and interest led to the study of the breed. The lady began to engage in her breeding, selecting for breeding the best representatives living in the country.
Seven years after the publication of the article, the first breed standard appears. It was composed by one of the prominent zoologists of that time - Professor Solaro.
Breed standard
The first descriptions of the Sicilian greyhound differ from the present. In 1989, adjustments were made to the standard.
The publication date of the officially valid FCI standard is 10/30/2016. According to him, the Sicilian greyhound belongs to the hunting dog breeds with working trials.
General appearance: elongated body lines, elegant and sophisticated, with a decisive character.
The head is long, the skull is wide. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is underlined. The occipital protuberance is weakly expressed.
The muzzle is equal to the width of the skull, elongated.
The eyes are small, amber or hazel.
Ears are large, set high. Their shape is triangular. At the base, the ears are wide, narrowing at the tip.
The nose is large, has a straight profile.
Jaws well developed, but not massive. Scissor bite.
The neck of the Sicilian greyhound cirneco del Etna is long and muscular.
The chest is deep with rounded ribs.
The back is straight, the lower back is short.
The croup is dry and strong, its slope is 45 °.
The limbs are long and muscular.
The tail is set low. It is wide at the base and has the same thickness along the entire length. Its length reaches the hock.
The coat is short and smooth, and its texture is dense.
Acceptable color options: red and red with white.
Male growth from 46 to 50 cm, weight from 10 to 13 kg.
The growth of females varies between 44-48 cm, weight is 8-11 kg.
Cirneco del Etna: features of care and maintenance of the Sicilian greyhound
When starting such a breed, you should be prepared for long walks with it. The greyhound is not suitable for home maintenance, because it needs constant movement. The apartment is too small for the animal to get rid of the accumulated energy.
People living in their own house with a fenced plot can safely start a Sicilian greyhound, the care of which requires compliance with certain rules:
In the cold season, representatives of the breed walk in clothes. The dog comes from Africa, she is afraid of the cold. On the Internet you can find information that the animal can withstand temperatures up to -25 °. Just look at the photo of the Sicilian greyhound to see the falsehood of such statements.
It so happened that the dog lives in an apartment. It is impossible to leave her alone for a long time, because the representatives of the breed are very contact. A bored greyhound can turn a cozy home into a landfill. She will destroy everything she can reach.
As described above, the Sicilian beauty needs long walks in the open. Pulling her off the leash in the city is a crazy idea. The dog will take a cat or a cyclist for prey, rush in pursuit. Greyhounds develop a tremendous speed that does not allow them to dodge a dangerous object in time, whether it be a rushing car or a lonely tree. It sounds strange, but more often than not, urban-content dogs break into trees. That is why a long walk in the field is required so that the pet can run without risking death.
Sicilian greyhound (cirneko) does not require special care for the coat. It is enough to comb it once a week. Representatives of the breed hate water, swimming without need is extremely undesirable.
The dog's eyes are wiped with a wet swab, removing unnatural secretions and cleansing of possible dust or sand.
Claws are trimmed once a month.
Ears are examined every day. In the event of an inflammatory process, the occurrence of redness or an unpleasant odor, the animal should be shown to the veterinarian.
Life expectancy and disease
Representatives of the breed belong to primitive aboriginal dogs, formed as a result of natural selection. They practically do not get sick. However, there are certain risks. Possible diseases include the following:
Inflammation of the ears and otitis media.
Dental chips, pulpitis, problems with the oral cavity.
Eye injuries.
According to the characteristics of the breed, the Sicilian greyhound lives long enough - from 12 to 15 years.
Food
Today, most dog owners prefer to dry them. Often they buy the cheapest feed, shortening the life of the pet.
Getting a Sicilian greyhound, you should consider the costs of its diet. Representatives of the breed eat only natural food. The main products allowed to the animal:
Lean meat. Rabbit meat is preferred - it is easily digested and possesses all the necessary substances. In second place is veal, in third is poultry, with the exception of chicken, which is the strongest allergen for an animal.
Raw vegetables other than those containing high amounts of starch.
The owner receives all the necessary nutritional recommendations when buying a puppy.
Attitude towards children
Sicilian greyhound is patient with children. But patience is not the same as wanting to babysit with them. Representatives of the breed are used for hunting, and not as nurses for children.
When the baby comes in contact with the darling, it is worthwhile to carefully monitor the actions of both. A child of preschool age can hurt a dog, it will put it in place, using its teeth.
Attitude towards strangers
Representatives of the breed are wary of strangers. They are unlikely to throw and bite, but they will not tolerate familiarity. If the stranger is too intrusive, the dog will warn of his unwillingness to communicate. Another question is in what form she will do it.
Pet attitude
Cirneko quietly gets along with other dogs, patiently treats cats living in the same house with her. In the case of a representative of the breed in the apartment, it is not recommended to start a rabbit or rodent. Greyhounds are used when hunting hares, and the pet for her is prey.
Character
The character of the Sicilian greyhound in a nutshell: freedom-loving and agile. This is not enough for the full picture, so we will develop this topic.
Representatives of the breed are very smart, but just as stubborn. They grab any commands on the fly, quickly memorizing them. That's just not in a hurry to carry out, even at the request of the owner. Cirneko is able to look at him with love eyes, pretending that she is stupid and does not understand what the owner needs. When training a greyhound, you need to constantly maintain interest in it. Motivation, timely reinforcement, praise - the key to successful training. Sicilian greyhound is stubborn, it is foolish to seek obedience from her through physical influence. The dog will be squeezed, will cease to trust the owner, and the conflict is guaranteed.
Having won the respect of a dog, one should not hope for his ingratiating attitude. Greyhounds are not shepherd dogs looking into the owner's mouth. Cirneko will always defend their position, trying to become a leader in relations with the owner. At the same time, representatives of the breed are deeply devoted to the owner, and therefore will protect him until the last breath.
Advantages of the breed
The positive qualities of cirneko can safely be attributed to their devotion. It is written above that the representatives of the breed are ready to fight for the master not for life, but for death.
The main advantages of the dog:
Developed charm. Hunters will appreciate this fact.
Endurance. A dog is able to accompany its owner everywhere and everywhere, it does not know fatigue.
High speed. Representatives of the breed, as described above, develop such a speed that they are not always able to dodge a tree that has got in the way.
The moving mind will delight the owners who are ready to put the dog on the same level with themselves, without requiring unquestioning obedience from it.
Loyal attitude towards children and animals. This does not mean that the dog is burning with the desire to become a nanny. About the relationship with the baby is written above, for an older child, the dog will become a good friend. Of course, on condition of a delicate and tactful attitude to cirneko on his part.
disadvantages
Sicilian greyhounds are considered stubborn dogs. They need to explain and ask, they don’t tolerate chirneko orders. The breed is not suitable for people who see in the dog just an animal, obliged to stupidly obey. A little about other qualities that a new owner might not like.
Curiosity. Representatives of the breed are curious, they are willing to get acquainted with the home environment, trying everything that is possible on the tooth. The puppy will enjoy housekeeping shoes or boots, children's toys, wires with pleasure. While the pet is growing, all things must be hidden from his sharp teeth.
Mobility. On the one hand, this is wonderful, because it is useful for hunting. But at home, especially with the apartment keeping the dog, the lack of proper load will lead to trouble. A bored cirneko is a tornado that destroys everything in its path. Dogs need many hours of walks, flavored with physical activity.
Difficulty in training. It is written above that the dog is smart and captures everything on the fly. But to obey is below her dignity, the representatives of the breed are reluctant to carry out the commands. Stubbornness is the problem with training.
Lack of contact with outsiders. Greyhounds do not welcome new acquaintances, content with the host society. Cirneko will react without enthusiasm to the alien’s attempts to stroke her or treat her with something tasty. The treats are unlikely to be accepted, too persistent attempts to caress will react at their own discretion. It can bite a tactless person or growl menacingly.
An ill-bred cirneko, chasing a cat or a cyclist, will not stop when he hears the call of the owner. This is fraught with the death of the animal under the wheels of a car or from a blow to a tree. Therefore, it is recommended to take a course of obedience from a professional dog handler in order to control your pet.
Owner reviews
The owners of these dogs honestly talk about their pros and cons. Here are the reviews of the owners of the Sicilian greyhound can be heard:
The elegant appearance of the animal leaves few indifferent.
Representatives of the breed practically do not bark.
They can not be overfed, the cost of food is affordable.
Absolutely fearless creatures.
There is no unpleasant odor from greyhounds.
Shedding periods pass unnoticed.
Very rarely get sick.
Poorly tolerate cold and drafts.
They are similar in nature to cats. Shebutny, curious, trained at will, and not under duress.
They can steal food from the table.
Puppies under 1.5 years old try everything that is in their field of vision.
They love long walks.
Representatives of the breed will not look into the eyes, holding master sneakers in their teeth.
In winter, clothes are required: dogs quickly freeze due to lack of undercoat.
Judging by the reviews, the owners are very pleased with their pets. Deficiencies in behavior and content are more than offset by the virtues of Sicilian greyhounds.
Conclusion
So we examined the main characteristics of the breed. Its representatives, as described above, have an amazing exterior, stubborn character and a whole bunch of energy.
Dreaming of cirneko, it is worth weighing your own capabilities. Are future owners willing to spend several hours a day on her walk in the case of apartment maintenance? Will the animal be comfortable in the conditions created by the owner? Is it possible to feed the representative of the breed rabbit meat or veal?
To answer the questions you need, first of all, yourself.