Pharaoh hound
Pharaoh’s eyes are always amber and should complement the coat colour. White markings on the chest, toes, tail-tip, centre of the forehead, and the bridge of the muzzle are accepted, but not required. The only colour accepted by most kennel clubs is red though the shades of red colour vary, and accepted shades range from a tan to a deep chestnut and all shades in between.
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The coat can also be glossy and short in most cases. The texture varies from silky to somewhat hard and it must never be so profuse as to stand away from the dog’s skin. The coat is fine and short with no feathering. Mainly seen on the back or sides of the dog. Most commonly seen is any solid white spot on their neck, back, or shoulders. They usually come in tan or chestnut colours. The Pharaoh Hound’s ears are very large and point upward when alert. When the dog is in motion or is excited, the tail is carried up either level with, or loosely curled above, the back. It has a long, fine, straight tail that reaches down to a bit below the point of the hocks, and has a whip-like shape. The back legs are moderately angled, parallel to each other, and must be balanced with the forelegs. Its shoulders are long and well laid back. It has a deep chest that extends down to the elbows and a moderate tuck-up. It has a long, lean, and muscular neck that is slightly arched. Its eyes are oval with a keen, alert, and intelligent expression. The skull resembles a blunt wedge, and is long and chiseled with only a slight stop and a snout of good length. Its head is elegant without being fine or extreme. Its build is one of strength without bulkiness or excessive musculature. AppearanceĪt first glance, the Pharaoh Hound appears both graceful and elegant as well as powerful and athletic. The modern Cirneco is a Sicilian breed of similar structure and appearance to the Kelb tal-Fenek, but somewhat smaller (43–51 cm (17–20 in)). Some have taken this to refer to the Kelb tal-Fenek. In 1647 Giovanni Francesco Abela, in his Della Descrittione di Malta isola nel Mare Siciliano: con le sue antichità, ed altre notizie, wrote “… we have the dogs called Cernechi, much valued for rabbit-hunting, which are often in demand as far away as France, mainly for steep and stony mountain terrain”. A recent DNA study suggests that the breed is not of ancient origin, but a moderately recent development from various other breeds. As the English-language exonym suggests, it is sometimes claimed that the Pharaoh Hound descends from the dogs shown in the tomb paintings of Ancient Egypt.
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The Kelb tal-Fenek is a traditional breed of rural Malta. It is the only Maltese dog breed with international recognition. It is classified by the FCI in its “Spitz and primitive” group and shows similarities to other Mediterranean breeds in that group such as the Cirneco dell’ Etna, the Podenco Andaluz, the Podenco Canario, the Podenco Ibicenco and the Portuguese Podengo. In Maltese it is called Kelb tal-Fenek, which means “rabbit dog” it is traditionally used for hunting rabbit in the rocky terrain of the Maltese Islands. The Pharaoh Hound is a Maltese breed of hunting dog.