The Cirneco dell’Etna

The Cirneco dell’Etna has been present in Sicily for over 2500 years and shares a common origin with the Pharaoh Hound and other breeds throughout the Mediterranean basin. As a hunter of small mammals and fowl, the Cirneco is a hardy, compact dog that was successful in hunting under adverse conditions—think high heat, on rugged terrain formed by volcanic lava, and with little food or water over extended periods of time. The affix “dell’Etna” is derived from Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe.