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Highgard

cirneco Dell'etna
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home to america's #1 Cirneco 

We are very proud to be the home of America's #1 Cirneco dell'Etna for the past 2yrs!

proudly partnered with Rockin' Heart 

Here are HighGard, we are proudly partnered with Rockin' Heart Ranch. At Rockin' Heart, Nancy is one of the best mentors and friend that you could ever ask for in the dog show world.

We cannot wait to see what the future holds for the both of us!

About

The sleek and sinewy Cirneco dell'Etna, the ancient coursing hound of Sicily, is an athletic hunter given to quick bursts of speed. As housedogs, Cirnechi are mild, low-maintenance companions cherished for their loyal and gentle nature. Standing under 20 inches, the Cirneco ('cheer-NEK-o'; Cirnechi is the plural) is often described as resembling a smaller version of the Pharaoh Hound, its cousin from the island of Malta. This slender but rugged hunter's coat ranges from light to dark tan or chestnut. The large, upright ears point up the alert expression of the eyes, whose amber or ochre color smartly complements the coat. In many ways, these lithe and leggy Sicilians are typical sighthounds: sweet-natured, independent and, of course, breathtakingly swift. It is said, though, that Cirnechi are a bit more trainable than the usual sighthound. These living artifacts of antiquity have sprinted into the 21st century relatively unchanged by-passing fads and fancies.

HISTORY OF THE BREED

It is thought that ancient Egyptians perfected “sighthounds” or “coursing hounds,” the canine clan of explosively fast hunters struck from the Greyhound template. In antiquity, offshoots of the “Egyptian Hound” were developed and bartered around the Middle East and Mediterranean basin.

A clue to the Cirneco’s origin is in its name: Cirneco is derived from a Greek word meaning “dog of Cyrene (Libya).” It is likely that the breed has existed in Sicily since its ancestors arrived on its craggy shores some 3,000 years ago in the holds of ships piloted by those master traders of the ancient world, the Phoenicians. As far back as 500 b.c., dogs resembling Cirnechi appeared on Sicilian coins.
For thousands of years Cirnechi (sometimes called Sicilian Greyhounds) have been chasing rabbit, hare, and game birds across the rocky slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. Don’t be fooled by the breed’s delicate appearance; the Cirneco dell’Etna is a tough and durable worker, able to go without food or water for hours on the hunt in the hot climate and rugged terrain of its homeland.

By the early 1930s, the Cirneco was on the verge of oblivion. Dr. Maurizio Migneco, a veterinarian, wrote a passionate article about the breed’s imminent demise. It caught the attention of a Sicilian aristocrat, Baroness Agata Paternó Castello, who spent the next 26 years reviving the breed in Sicily.

The Cirneco was recognized by Italy’s national kennel club in 1939, and the AKC recognized the breed in 2015.

-www.akc.org-

Cirneco Oculo-neurological syndrome (cons)

What is Cirneco Oculo-Neurological Syndrome (CONS)

Cirneco Oculo-Neurological Syndrome (CONS) is an inherited, autosomal recessive disease found in the Cirneco dell’Etna. It causes progressive vision loss due to retinal degeneration — which can lead to sudden blindness — along with neurological symptoms such as tremors, atypical seizures, and involuntary movements (paroxysmal dyskinesia). Disease progression is typically rapid. The condition was identified in the breed in 2024.1

While CONS may be clinically misdiagnosed as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), it is a distinct disease. It is caused by a specific single base pair deletion in the AMPD2 gene, which affects an enzyme essential for normal neurological function, resulting in both ocular and neurological impairment.


Genetic testing can determine whether a dog is clear, a carrier, or affected with CONS. According to data maintained by the Cirneco Foundation, as of June 14, 2026, 11.7% of genetically tested dogs are carriers of the disease.2

Although a statistically significant sample size has not yet been reached,2 genetic testing is strongly recommended — especially for dogs used in breeding. In the interest of breed welfare, the Cirneco Foundation encourages owners and breeders to submit their results to: health@cirnecofoundation.org


For more Information please visit: 

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10887799/

Cirneco Foundation: www.cirnecofoundation.org