| Sardinian Shepherd Dog Fonni's Dog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other names | (Pastore) fonnesu Cani sardu antigu Cane de acapiu Cani fonnesu antigu 'Ane de 'onne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin |  Sardinia (Italy) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Breed status | Not recognised as abreed by any majorkennel club. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheSardinian Shepherd Dog orFonni's Dog (Sardinian:cane fonnesu orcani sardu antigu;Italian:pastore fonnese) is anancientlandrace breed ofSardinian dog used as aherding,catching, andlivestock guardian dog.
Although there are depictions dating back to at least the mid-19th century, it is not recognized by theFédération Cynologique Internationale.[1] It has gained a recognition of theAlianza Canina Latina.[2]
Thebreed, which isindigenous to the island, was founded with approximately 170 specimens gathered from rural parts of inner Sardinia. The breed is, therefore, alandrace. Because of the large number of founders and the breed's genetic variability, the breed should enjoy relative freedom from genetic inbreeding. Most of the dog breeds are derived by a very small number of founders (for example, nine dogs were used as founders of theSiberian Husky) and therefore inbreeding tends to be high, resulting in a high incidence of illness due to gene mutations.[3]
The dog has a rough coat, which can be grey, black, brindle, brown or white. Height at the withers is about 56 to 60 cm for males, while females are a couple of centimeters shorter. A typical characteristic of the breed is the fiery expression of the eyes, whose position, unlike other dog breeds, is totally frontal, giving the dog a unique "monkey-like" appearance.[4]
Variability observed between individuals is likely due to the lack of selective pressures. There are, however, consistently strong commonalities across dogs from different locations, including characteristics such as amber eye color and the characteristic "monkey-like face". Thecoat, irrespective of color, has a typical coarseouter layer, as well as a woolly and denseundercoat. The hair on the head and hindquarters is typically short, while the face has longer furnishings around the eyes and a beard-like length around the muzzle and chin. Male dogs have a longer and thicker coat around the neck forming a mane.[4]
Approximately 15% of individuals are short-coated, and this is generally selected against in favor of the long-coated variety. Approximately 30% of individuals have anatural bobtail.[4]