Description: The Cirneco dell Etna is a small hound type dog. The dog is fine and in good body proportion. The head is not wide and the muzzle is long and finely elegant. The height for the dog is about19 inches and 18 for the bitch. At first look they are very close in appearance to the Pharaoh Hound but they are smaller and have a square outline, different ear set and the coloring is different. This is a sleek dog that has a good muscular body, and fine bones but is strong and agile. The coat is a wonderful chestnut and tan color. They have sharp pricked ears and these are triangular in shape. The Cirneco dell Etna is a hardy breed.

History: This dog comes from Sicily, an island part of Italy. They have lived on this one island for thousands of years the first time it appeared in writing was in 1533 on a bylaw in Sicily. The breed origins lie in Egypt as the pricked eared dog discovered along the Nile dating back around 4000 BC. They are believed to have been brought to Sicily on the trade routes of that time. This dog adapted to the dog we see today with the lack of open spaces and little food caused the miniaturizing.

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This dog has been on coins from the 3rd and 5th centuries BC, some 2500 years ago. It is believed that this dog came from the area of Mount Etna. This dog was used for hunting rabbits and hares. The Cirneco dell Etna is rarely seen outside of Sicily but in 1932 the dog was brought to the notice of the Italian Hunter’s by Dr. Maurizio Migneco a vet. The dogs plight was taken up and 26 years later Donna Agata spent years finding and breeding the right dogs to get back to type and the first breed standard was set in 1939. Over the last 50 years the breed has been restored and some have found life as exported dogs to Europe and the USA.

Temperament: This is a very hardy dog that is agile and graceful. They make good household dogs and love to be with the family. This dog will need good daily exercise and walks are a must, to burn off their energy. They will have to be kept on the lead as this is a hunting dog and when they hunt you will find it hard to stop them. They cope well with hot weather and can work for long hours. Socializing this breed well will help them with any shyness that they may have and to cope with new situations. Training in basic commands will help the dog to know that you are the pack leader and this helps the dog. The mix you get with this dog is one of being playful and very curious mixed with being vigilant and they can be dominant. This is not a dog to have if you have other pets such as rabbits or mice but can be good with cats if given time and your good leadership to leave the cat alone, do not trust this until you are 100%. While training and indeed at other times the dog will respond to tone of voice, so you need to drop the tone lower for the word “No” as this will help the dog to know you are the boss. Firm but not harsh training works best, with praise for the job well done. They will need good fencing in the garden as the hunting instinct is natural, and they have this. They cope with the cold but may need a coat as they come naturally from a hot country. They will love to have a blanket to snuffle under at night time.

Health issues: The Cirneco dell Etna has good health over all.

Grooming: This dog needs little grooming and a brush over the coat weekly will be fine. A hound brush can be used to give a good shine.

Living conditions: The Cirneco dell Etna can live in an apartment if they have the right amount of walking and mental exercise daily. The garden needs to be medium and have good fencing as this is a hunting dog and will chase a cat.

If you can't find a local breeder in your area don't worry, many breeders are using the major airlines like American, Delta, Continental and Northwest airlines for shipping their puppies.

At this time the airlines will ship puppies to the following States: Alabama AL - Alaska AK - Arizona AZ - Arkansas AR - California CA - Colorado CO - Connecticut CT - Delaware DE - Florida FL - Georgia GA - Hawaii HI - Idaho ID - Illinois IL - Indiana IN - Iowa IA - Kansas KS - Kentucky KY - Louisiana LA - Maine ME - Maryland MD - Massachusetts MA - Michigan MI - Minnesota MN - Mississippi MS - Missouri MO - Montana MT - Nebraska NE - Nevada NV - New Hampshire NH - New Jersey NJ - New Mexico NM - New York NY - North Carolina NC - North Dakota ND - Ohio OH - Oklahoma OK - Oregon OR - Pennsylvania PA - Rhode Island RI - South Carolina SC - South Dakota SD - Tennessee TN - Texas TX - Utah UT - Vermont VT - Virginia VA - Washington WA - Washington, D.C. - West Virginia WV - Wisconsin WI - Wyoming WY - Hawaii HI.