Cirneco dell’Etna

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, December 2013 issue.

Cirneco dell’Etna

How do you pronounce it? “Cheer-neck-o dell’Etna.” “I’ve never heard of this breed before, Cheer-neck-o, what?” “Dell’Etna.” “Dell what?” “Etna, the volcano, the volcano in Sicily.” “Oh! Italy!” Welcome to the awakening of America to the Cirneco dell’Etna. The existence of the breed in Sicily for thousands of years and in homes of Sicilian immigrants outside of its native land was a well-kept secret in the US until 1995. In 1995, William Burkhart, an American resident in Switzerland, and Barbka Mencinger, from Slovenia, co-authored an article in Sighthound Review which brought the breed to the attention of the American dog-fancy.

As a direct consequence of that article, two Cirnechi bitches were imported in 1996 from the first available litter out of Slovenia, and the parent club, the Cirneco dell’Etna Club of America, was established the following year in Houston, Texas. For the next ten years, Texas was the little Sicily for the Cirneco dell’Etna in America. The breed is presently found across the country with just over 300 three-generation-pedigreed AKC-registered exemplars. The breed was a well-kept secret in its native land as well, having not made its debut outside of the hunting community in Sicily until 1939 when the first Breed Standard was accepted by the Italian Kennel Club. The addition of “dell’Etna” to the centuries-long identification of the breed as a “Cirneco” (again, “Cheer-neck-o”) was in reference to its area of highest concentration on the island of Sicily.

The first pictorial reference to the Cirneco dell’Etna, verifying its existence in Sicily for at least 2500 years, is found in coins minted between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC at Segesta and several other towns throughout Sicily. The coins depict exemplars of the breed which are very much in conformance with the Cirneco as it exists today and are usually accompanied by the image of Adranos on the reverse of the coin. Adranos is the God personifying Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Italy and Europe, for whom Dionysus is said to have built a temple in 400 BC on the southern slope of Mount Etna. The legend surrounding the Temple of Adranos maintains that it was guarded by a thousand Cirnechi that had the divine ability to differentiate between thieves and disbelievers, whom they attacked, and pilgrims to the temple, whom they guided, with particular benevolence to those showing signs of intoxication. In written form, the “Cirneco” is first labeled as such in 1533 within a Sicilian law prohibiting the use of “cirnechi” for hunting.

It was the imposition of penalties in an attempt to protect the prey for whom this breed was considered harmful. It is fairly well accepted, although not proven, that the Phoenicians disseminated the dog from the Nile, the dog depicted by the Egyptian Anubis throughout their trade routes in the Mediterranean and beyond. It is unknown whether the dog was transported primarily as a hunting tool for the Phoenicians or as a commodity in trade but, whether one or both, the value of the dog rested in its ability as an effective hunter. Artifacts from antiquity depict the objects of the hunt as small mammals, predominantly rabbits, but include wild boar.

Over the course of centuries, the dog from the Nile survived throughout the ancient trade routes by adapting to its displacement. In Sicily, there was little manipulation by man, allowing nature to dictate survival to an intelligent and hardy breed with no known genetic issues. The breed that is the Cirneco of today is capable of hunting small mammals and fowl for extended periods of time over rugged volcanic terrain. Although hunting rabbits is not uncommon for multiple breeds, including most classified as “sighthounds,” the Cirneco is very specialized in its form of hunting. The Cirneco’s abilities are honed for success in locating, flushing, following, and directing the hunter to the prey. The primary sense employed is scent; the Cirneco must be able to track the rabbit. Sight and sound are also well-developed and used in the hunt but should not be primary.

Although capable of running distances with great speed, the Cirneco, in fulfilling its function, is not typically required to experience large expanses of open land. The hunt is typically limited to encumbered areas—a riverbank, rocky slopes, forest, an agricultural field. The talents necessary in a well-trained hunter are acute dexterity and athleticism. Hybrid functionality in hunting is one of the most interesting aspects of the Cirneco. Two of the crossovers from standard classifications are retrieval and pointing. Although not normally trained to do so and not expected of a Cirneco, they are capable of retrieving, and the strongest hunters will enter water to do so. Of greater significance is that Cirnechi point, particularly when hunting fowl. Although there is the opinion that few Cirnechi employ this function, it has been our experience in the United States that most, if not all, Cirnechi “point.” As hunters, the instinct of the Cirneco must be respected within the parameters of our modern-day society.

The situations most frequently encountered are the introduction of a Cirneco to other pets as well as their ability to be run off lead. Cirnechi typically do well as members of a family that can include small mammals or even birds, but care and precaution must be taken when introducing them. When trained for hunting, the Cirnechi can and will respond to recall, but even those who have been well-trained should only be allowed off-leash in safe and secure areas. This primitive hunter, consummate athlete, and independent thinker is biddable, affectionate, responsive to gentle methods of training, and well-suited to family life.

Because it is an independent thinker, it requires creativity on the part of its trainer. It is a breed possessing a lively and active disposition, acutely perceptive, learning quickly and in need of mental stimulation and interplay with its family for its well-being. This hardy breed has no known genetic issues and lifespans can therefore surpass 15 years. The Cirneco is an excellent candidate for activities such as hunting, obedience, agility, tracking, and coursing. It is considered easier to train than some of its sighthound cousins and thrives with the opportunity to learn and have a function. After a day of work, the Cirneco relishes its role as a family member and bed warmer.