Interim
Standard Cirneco
dell’Etna
General
Appearance
Medium sized hunting dog. Elegant, slender build but strong and robust.
Long
limbed, of light construction and square outline.
Characteristics
A keen hunter. Adaptable to difficult terrain. Hunts by scent, sight
and
hearing.
Temperament
Strong, lively, independent temperament. Gentle and affectionate.
Head and
Skull
Skull moderately narrow, in profile almost flat. Top of skull and
foreface
parallel or slightly divergent. Lean and well chiselled. Slight stop.
Flat
cheeks. Length of muzzle equal to or only slightly less than length of
skull.
Bridge of nose straight. Nose rather large, flesh coloured, blending
with coat.
Eyes
Relatively small, oval in shape, semi-lateral position. Amber or
ochre
blending with coat.
Ears
Set very high and close together, erect and rigid, almost parallel when
alert.
Triangular shape with narrow tip. Length not more than half the head.
Mouth
Lower jaw lightly developed with receding chin. Perfect, regular
and
complete scissor bite i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth
and set
square to the jaws. Thin, taut lips. Full dentition desirable.
Neck
Strong, clean, well arched and muscular. Set well into shoulders.
Forequarters
Shoulders strong, long, moderately laid back. Length of upper arm
slightly less
than length of shoulder. Forelegs straight and parallel when viewed
from the
front. Elbows well tucked in. Pasterns strong and slightly sloping.
Body
Length from point of shoulder to point of buttock equal to height at
withers.
Straight topline sloping from withers towards croup. Croup has flat
profile,
sloping steeply downwards to root of tail. Chest reaches to, or nearly
to, the
elbow, without going beyond. Ribs slightly sprung, rather narrow
without being
flat. Clean, gently rising underline, without excessive tuck up.
Hindquarters
Strong and muscular. Moderate bend of stifle. Broad, long, upper thigh
with
flat muscles. Well developed second thigh. Limbs parallel when viewed
from
behind.
Feet
Strong, well knuckled, firm, slightly oval, turning neither in nor out.
Well
padded. Nails brown or flesh coloured.
Tail
Low set, fairly thick at base, reaching to point of hock. Of equal
thickness
for most of its length. Carried high and curved when dog is in action;
sabre
fashion when in repose. Hair on tail is semi-long.
Gait/Movement
Springy trot without excessive extension. Viewed from behind, hind legs
track
the forelegs. Tendency to throw feet sideways or hackney action
undesirable.
Coat
Short on head, ears and legs. Short to semi-long (about 3cms) on body,
but
sleek and close, ranging from fine to slightly harsh. No feathering.
Colour
Self coloured. Light sand, Isabella, light to dark tan. Tan with a
mixture of
slightly lighter and darker hairs allowed. White markings allowed on
chest,
toes, head, foreface and tip of tail.
Size
Ideal height at shoulder: Dogs 46-50cms (18 ¼ -19 ½ ins);
Bitches 42-46 cms (16
½ - 18 ¼ ins).
Faults Any
departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded
should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the
health and
welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into
the scrotum.
Last
Updated - December 2007