In an interview with National Post’s Brian Hutchinson, Westminster’s 2016 Best in Show judge, psychiatrist and Preservation Breeder, Richard Meen, was asked what it was about “CJ,” the German Shorthaired Pointer whom he chose as his winner that appealed to him. His answer is perfect.
“Well for me, purebred dogs (represent) a history of mankind. Dogs were evolved to help man out, bred for very specific tasks. So when we’re judging dogs, we’re judging against the standard that describes what they were bred to do, in the country and terrain in which they were bred to do it…”
The Cirneco Dell’ Etna is such a breed. Bred to hunt small animals (primarily rabbits and birds), Cirnecos were “shaped” by the land in which they did their job. Rocky, volcanic and small agricultural parcels of land did not favor a large dog built for speed. Instead, the breed was called upon to enter and maneuver in tight spaces, so size is of such importance that there is only an inch and a half range of size to meet the breed standard.
Image source: National Dog Show official artist Chris Duke
Find the work of this talented artist here: http://www.chrisdukeart.com/art-of-dogs