BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: the classical studies on the subject of canine breeds disseminated in the Mediterranean basin have come to the conclusion that the Cirneco dell’Etna would descend from ancient hunting dogs bred in the valley of the Nile at the time of the Pharaohs, dogs which would have arrived with the Phoenicians, but very recent research speaks in favour of a new conception, according to which it would concern a native breed of Sicilian origin from precisely the vicinity of Eva. Coins and engravings prove in effect that the Cirneco existed in those parts many centuries B.C.FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE
Standard: Cirneco Dell’Etna
Country of Origin: Italy
MUZZLE: the length of the muzzle is at least 80% of the length of the
skull; its depth or height (measured at the middle of the muzzle)
is at least half the length of the muzzle itself, its width (measured at
the middle of the muzzle) is less than half its length. The muzzle is therefore
pointed with a straight bridge of nose; its lower lateral profile is defined
by the mandible.
LIPS: fine, thin and taught, only just covering the teeth of the lower
jaw. The commissure at the corner of the lips is hardly visible.
JAWS: normally developed although do not appear strong; lower jaw lightly
developed, with receding chin. Incisors, set square in the jaws, are perfectly
in line and adapted.
CHEEKS: flat
TEETH: well developed and complete, scissor bite.
EYES: the eyes, which seem rather small, are of a not too dark ochre
colour, amber and also grey, never brown or dark hazel; in lateral position;
soft expression; oval shaped, with pigmentation of the eyelid rims corresponding
to the colour of the nose.
EARS: set very high and close together, erect and rigid, the opening
towards the front; triangular shape with narrow tip, must not be cropped.
Their length is not more than half the length of the head.
NECK
PROFILE: upper profile well arched (convex).
LENGTH: same length as the head.
SHAPE: of similar shape to a truncated cone; the muscles are visible;
especially along the crest of the neck.
SKIN: fine, taught and very close; no dewlap.
BODY
TOPLINE: straight, sloping from the withers towards the croup.
WITHERS: raised above dorsal line, narrow because of the convergence
of the shoulder blades; join harmoniously into the neck without any break
in the line.
BACK: upper profile straight, with moderately developed muscles; the
length of the chest part measures about 3 times the length of the loin;
the length of the loin reaches about 1/5 of the height at the withers and
its width is close to its length; muscles are short and firm but not very
conspicuous.
CROUP: upper profile rather flat, obliqueness below the horizontal
reaching around 45 degrees. The length of this lean and solid sloping croup
reaches about the third of the height at the withers, and its width is
nearly half of its length; muscles of the croup are not conspicuous.
CHEST: the length of the chest is slightly more than half the height
at the withers (about 57%) and its width (measured at the widest part)
is slightly less than the third of the height at the withers; the chest
reaches to, or nearly, the level of the elbow, but without going beyond
that level; the ribs are only slightly sprung, but never flat; the perimeter
of the chest, which is more than the height of the withers by about 1/8th,
determines a rather narrow chest
UNDERLINE: the lower profile corresponds with an evenly ascending line
along the belly without any sudden interruption. Belly lean and tucked
up, flanks of equal length to that of the renal region.
TAIL: low set, rather thick and equal thickness in its entire length,
reaching the point of hock or slightly longer, carried sabre fashion when
in repose, it is lifted over the back, trumpet fashion, when the dog is
alert; short hair.
QUARTERS
FOREQUARTERS: Seen in profile a vertical line drawn from the
point of the shoulder touches the tip of the toes. Another vertical
line, starting at the elbow joint and ending at half-length of the pastern,
divides the forearm and the wrist in two more or less equal parts. Seen
from the front, the limb must correspond to a vertical line lowered from
the point of the shoulder which divides forearm, wrist, pastern and foot
in two equal parts. The height of the foreleg from the ground to the elbow
is slightly more than half the height at the withers.
SHOULDER: the length of the shoulder blade must reach about 1/3 of
the height at the withers with obliqueness below the horizontal of 55 degrees;
the upper tips of the blades are close to each other; the angle between
the shoulder and upper-arm (scapula-humeral) measures 115- 120 degrees.
UPPERARM: its length is equal to half the length of the leg measured
from ground to elbow; the arm is almost parallel to the median plane of
the body, slightly oblique below the horizontal, with noticeable and distinct
muscles.
ELBOW: set at level or below the line of the brisket, parallel to the
median plane of the body; the angle between the upper arm and the forearm
(humeral-radial angle) measures about 150 degrees.
FOREARM: its length is equal to the third of the height at the withers;
straight and parallel; the cubital-carpal groove is well marked; bone structure
is light but solid.
WRIST: extends the straight line of the forearm; pisiform bone prominent
PASTERN: its length must not be less than 1/6 of the height of the
foreleg, measured from the ground to the elbow; wider than the wrist, but
flat and dry, the pastern is slightly sloping from back to front; bone
structure is flat and lean.
FOREFOOT: oval shaped (hare foot) with well knit and arched toes; nails
strong and curved, brown or fleshy pink nearing brown, but never black;
pads hard of the same colour as the nails.
HINDQUARTERS: Seen in profile, a vertical line, which descends from
the rear point of the buttock to the ground, touches, or just, the tips
of the toes. Seen from behind, a vertical line drawn from the rear point
of the buttock to the ground, splits in two equal parts the point of the
hock, the hind pastern and the hind foot. The length of the hind limb measures
about 93% of the height at the withers.
UPPER THIGH: long and wide. Its length measures the third of the height
at the withers; muscles are flat and the rear edge of the upper thigh is
slightly convex; its width (outer surface) is equal to ¾ of its
length; the angle between the pelvis and upper thigh (ileum-femoral angle)
measures about 115 degrees.
LOWER THIGH: of slightly inferior length to that of the upper thigh,
shows an obliqueness of 55 degrees below the horizontal. The covering muscles
are lean and very distinct; bone structure is light; the groove along the
Achilles tendon is well marked.
STIFLE JOINT: must be on the vertical which goes from the buttock to
the ground; the angle at the stifle joint (tibial-femoral) is about 120
degrees.
HOCK: the distance from the sole of the foot to the point of the hock
is not more than 27% of the height at the withers; its outer surface is
wide; the angle at the hock joint (tibial-tarsal) is about 135 degrees.
HIND PASTERN: its length is equal to a third of the length of the foreleg
measured from ground to elbow; of cylindrical shape and in vertical position,
thus perpendicular to the ground; no dewclaws.
HINDFEET: slightly oval with all the same characteristics as the forefoot.
GAIT / MOVEMENT: gallop, with intermittent trotting phases.
SKIN: fine and taut, colour varies according to that of the coat. The
mucous membranes and the skin of the nose are in the colours described
for the nose and must never show black nor be depigmented.
COAT
TEXTURE: hair smooth on the head, on the ears and legs; semi long (about
3 cm) but sleek and close lying on the body and the tail; hair straight
and of vitreous texture.
COLOR: a) self-coloured tan, darker or lighter shades or diluted
like Isabella, sandy colour, etc.. b) tan with more or less extensive white,
white blaze on the head, white mark on the chest, white feet, white tip
on tail, white belly; a white collar is less appreciated). Self-coloured
white or white with orange patches is tolerated; a tan coat with a mixture
of slightly lighter and darker hairs is allowed.
SIZE: males: from 46 to 50 cm. Tolerance up to 52 cm. females: from
42 to 46 cm. Tolerance up to 50 cm.
WEIGHT: males: 10 to 12 kg. females: 8 to 10 kg.
FAULTS: any departure from the foregoing points constitutes a fault
which when judging must be penalised according to its seriousness and extension.
ELIMINATING FAULTS: convergence of the skull/foreface planes; concave
foreface (dish-face); accentuated undershot mouth; black pigmentation,
even slight; totally hanging ears or bat ears; black nails; black pads;
tail curved over the back; self-coloured brown or liver; black or brown
patches; presence of black or brown hairs; height lower than 2 cm under
the minimum indicated by the standard for both males and females; height
exceeding 52 cm for males and 50 cm for females; brindle coat; black mucous
membranes.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: walleye, overshot mouth, total depigmentation.
NOTE: males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended
into the scrotum.
Revision of original FCI translation.
By Jane Moore
Approved by Italian Kennel CLub (ENCI)
July, 2001