Отправлено: 27.01.16 14:55. Заголовок: Peter Gatt заводчик питомника Tal-Wardija о фараонах.

Peter Gatt заводчик питомника Tal-Wardija(Мальта) о стандарте, судействе и разведении фараонов.
Пока публикую оригинал с его сайта http://www.kelb-tal-fenek.com, позже переведу как время будет.
К сожалению Peter Gatt более не разводит фараонов, но в свое время его питомник был одним из лучшех, а собаки красивыми. Что крайне сложно сказать о нынешних мальтийских собаках.

Примечание: Красным выделены его комментарии к стандарту.

The FCI Pharaoh Hound Breed Standard - a Proposed Amendment

The present version of the FCI breed standard No 248 has been adopted by the Federation Cynologique Internationale, 13, Place Albert I - B-6530 Thuin (Belgium) on September 15, 1997. It is based on the original breed standard which became effective on June 24, 1987 by a decision of the FCI Annual General Meeting in Jerusalem.

It is important to know that the contents of the current breed standard still correspond with the text which has been adopted in the early 1970'ties by the British Kennel Club. Therefore it is a breed standard which has been written by foreign authors, who only had a very small and non-representative number of specimens available to take pattern from.

The following amendments are our own personal suggestions, with which many enthusiasts might or might not agree. They are not exhaustive by any means, and further additions / amendments might well be possible. We would like to see them as a contribution to a necessary discussion about the future of the breed.

PHARAOH HOUND

FCI-Standard No 248 / 15.09.1997 / GB
A change of the name to ‘KELB TAL-FENEK’ is desirable. This is the original name used in Malta and expresses the origin as well as the purpose of the breed. A connection of the breed with the dogs of ancient Egypt has never been proved.

ORIGIN: Malta
Correct as it is.

PATRONAGE: Great Britain
Responsibility should be given to the country of origin, Malta. This to be in line with the FCI rules and regulations.

UTILIZATION: An alert keen hunter, hunting by scent and sight, using his ears to a marked degree when working close.
Include ‘Highly active and tireless. An alert...’
The Kelb tal-Fenek is the epitome of endurance and stamina. This fact is completely ignored from the standard.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.: Group 5, Spitz and primitive types, Section 6, Primitive type. Without working trial.
It should be possible to test the working abilities of the breed e.g. by lure coursing trials.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Medium sized, of noble bearing with clean-cut lines. Graceful yet powerful. Very fast with free easy movement and alert expression.
Eliminate the word ‘very’ - one would associate the term ‘very fast’ with a Greyhound or Whippet. I do not consider the Kelb tal-Fenek to be very fast, rather being fast and agile. Last sentence to read ‘Fast and agile with free easy movement and alert expression’.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: Alert, intelligent, friendly, affectionate and playful.
Amended to read ‘Alert and intelligent. Somewhat aloof of strangers but otherwise friendly, affectionate and playful.’ The aloofness of strangers is very much a requisite when hunting in Malta. The dog is otherwise very friendly with people he has become acquainted to.

HEAD: Foreface slightly longer than skull. Top of skull parallel with foreface, whole head representing a blunt wedge when viewed in profile and from above.

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Long, lean and well-chiselled.
Stop: only slight.
Eliminate the following:-
‘Top of skull parallel with foreface.’ This is actually an inaccuracy. Top of skull is set at a slight angle to foreface, never parallel. In other words the imaginary line between the two would in fact meet at a point aft of the occiput.

Insert the following:- ‘fine wrinkles appear on top of skull and on stop when dog is alert, indicating an intelligent expression’. This is a fine point which is completely omitted in the standard. It is not as pronounced as the Basenji, but an important fact notwithstanding. It is mentioned in the Basenji standard, so why not in the Kelb tal-Fenek’s?

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Flesh coloured only, blending with coat.
Mouth: Powerful jaws with strong teeth. Scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Correct as is. However, it has recently come to our notice that a few dogs abroad have missing teeth. This is highly undesirable for a hunting dog. Should be amended to read "Powerful jaws with strong, full set of teeth".

Eyes: Amber coloured, blending with coat; oval, moderately deep-set, with keen, intelligent expression.
Correct as is.

Ears: Medium high set; carried erect when alert, but very mobile; broad at base, fine and large.
Should include the following:- ‘tips are slightly curved backwards when viewed from side’. An important fact which should be included in the standard.

NECK: Long, lean, muscular and slightly arched. Clean throat line.
Long is relative. How long is 'long'? Insert ‘long enough to allow hunting with nose to ground whilst travelling across terrain at speed, without impeding movement.’

BODY: Lithe with almost straight topline. Length of body from breast to haunch bone slightly longer than height at withers.
Croup: Slight slope down from croup to root of tail.
Brisket: Deep, extending down to point of elbow. Ribs well sprung.
Belly: Moderate cut up.
Include ‘deep brisket extending down ALMOST to point of elbow’, never TO point of elbow.

TAIL: Medium set- fairly thick at base and tapering (whip-like), reaching just below point of hock in repose. Carried high and curved when dog is in action. Tail should be not tucked between legs. A screw tail undesirable.
‘Curved tail’ can be misinterpreted. One should restrict this by inserting the word ‘’slightly’ curved (sickle shaped)...’.

Eliminate ‘tail should not be tucked between legs.’ This posture indicates the dog’s aloofness with strangers. Quite natural for this dog’s occasional reserved nature.

Delete ‘A screw tail is undesirable’ and insert ‘A curled tail is undesirable whilst a screw tail is a definite fault.’

LIMBS:
FOREQUARTERS: Forelegs straight and parallel.
Shoulders: Strong, long and well laid back.
Elbows: Well tucked in.
Pasterns: Strong.
Include ‘Pasterns strong and almost straight.’ In Malta most pasterns are in fact almost straight. This is probably due to the local terrain. Heavily angulated pasterns are frequently being seen abroad and should heavily penalised.

HINDQUARTERS: Strong and muscular. Limbs parallel when viewed from behind.
Stifle: Moderate bend of stifle.
Second thigh: Well developed.
Limbs are never parallel when viewed from behind. Delete and insert the following:- ‘when viewed from behind, dog should stand at 5 min to 1 covering good ground.’ This is an important feature indicating that the dog is constantly ready for the sprint.

FEET: Strong, well knuckled and firm, turning neither in nor out. Paws well padded. Dewclaws may be removed.
Correct.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: free and flowing; head held fairly high and dog should cover ground well without any apparent effort. Legs and feet should move in line with body; any tendency to throw feet sideways, or high stepping 'hackney' action highly undesirable.
Delete ‘head held fairly high’. This is never done when the dog is hunting, the opposite is in fact true. The dog’s nose is 90 percent of the time glued to the ground. If this is a judge’s requisite so be it but it should not be a requirement of the breed standard.

COAT:
HAIR: Short and glossy, ranging from fine and close to slightly harsh; no feathering.
Correct.

COLOUR: Tan or rich tan with white markings allowed as follows:
White tip on tail strongly desired. White on chest (called „the star").
White on toes. Slim white blaze on centre line of face permissible.
Flecking or white other than above undesirable.
Include the following:- ‘lighter coloured blaze on shoulder blades. Darker coloured strip running from occiput through neck, back, and up to base of tail.’

HEIGHT:
Dogs: ideally 56 cm (22-25 ins = 56-63,5 cm),
Bitches: ideally 53 cm (21-24 ins = 53-61 cm).
This description is totally incorrect giving a height of 22 - 25 ins for dogs but ideally 56 cms, and 21 - 24 ins for bitches but ideally 53 cms. One can only ask - which is the ideal size? The standard for the Podenco Ibicenco states that ‘in the countries of origin „size" varies between"... etc’. Why can this not also be correct for the Kelb tal-Fenek? Replace with ‘In country of origin size varies between 53 cms to 70 cms (21 ins - 27 ins). However overall balance is the overriding factor’. The actual size of the Kelb tal-Fenek in its country of origin does in fact vary within these figures shown. I find no logical reason why dogs in this size range should be penalised especially when they are well balanced overall.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
No correction needed.

N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
No correction needed.

 Отправлено: 27.01.16 14:58. Заголовок: О судействе фараонов..

О судействе фараонов.

Judging the Kelb tal-Fenek

My love for the Kelb tal-Fenek started when I was quite young. Since my childhood I have had various opportunities to be invited for a hunt. Today, I am an active keen hunter, and therefore I am well engaged in the breed. In our family we presently own three Klieb tal-Fenek, which we successfully show and which are also used for hunting wild rabbits. I am also a promoter of the Kelb tal-Fenek overseas, and have exported nine puppies from my kennel "Tal-Wardija” to Denmark, Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden and the USA to inject new blood - which I believe is imperative for the breed’s future.

I act as a judge for field trials for hunting dogs in Malta as well as in local Kelb tal-Fenek speciality shows. I have judged Klieb tal-Fenek at breed specialities in The Netherlands, Sweden and the USA.

During these past years I have attended and participated in many dog shows around the world and I am quite dismayed at the judging situation. There are many judges who, in my opinion, really understand the Kelb tal-Fenek and judge the breed with a superior ability. However a large number of judges unfortunately judge this breed as they do any other breed, not taking into account that the Kelb tal-Fenek is a unique breed and as such should be judged specifically on these grounds.

Some major faults that are not being highlighted in the breed include:
- straight front
- Serious lack of under-jaw
- Over-angulated rear

Let us begin with the first major fault. First of all, let me remind you all that the KTF is a hunting dog used in Malta to hunt rabbits over rough and rocky terrain. It therefore requires the agility of a properly formed front for ease of movement. A straight front, caused by a lack of forechest, looks absolutely inappropriate on the Kelb tal-Fenek, and makes the dog incorrectly constructed. This would automatically make its movement restrictive on the land that it hunts, and therefore a bad hunter – not being able to perform the work it was originally bred to perform. In the show ring, side movement should easily reveal this fault.

The lack in under-jaw is unfortunately being seen too often in the show rings. This shortcoming makes the dog look snipey. A dog with a lack of under-jaw will not be able to perform the task of catching rabbits, since it lacks the power of bite to catch and kill its prey.

Over-angualtion at the rear is also being seen more and more in the show rings. The reason is quite obvious. A dog with an over angulated rear is much more eye catching, and looks stunning in the show ring. Breeders have altered the breed for this purpose - and this is not correct. We have to realize that the Maltese terrain requires a dog whose hunting abilities are based on high intelligence, stealth, agility, sight, hearing, and lastly speed. Therefore its construction requires a moderate bend of stifle, not an over angulated one. One must be aware that the Kelb Tal-Fenek's hunting ability is directly related to this. An over-angulated dog would certainly lack the necessary agility and therefore risk ending up with broken legs.

Other points that I have noticed in the show rings, which were not brought to light by the relative judges, include:
- Elbowing out
- Dogs too broad / wide (not slim)
- Incorrect set ears

Elbowing out indicates a massive and powerful dog. The Kelb Tal-Fenek is not such a type. It should be of “Sight Hound” construction, but of slightly heavier build – and the emphasis here is on “slightly”!

Again a broad Kelb tal-Fenek cannot be “lithe” in construction. Incidentally, “lithe” is a requisite of the breed and is commonly being ignored. The word “lithe” in the Oxford dictionary means, “to be flexible, nimble and agile”. Certainly no broad or heavy dog would enjoy these attributes. I have also seen many critiques where judges commented favorably on a “perfectly straight top line”. This is totally incorrect. A Judge writing similar remarks certainly does not know the breed. The standard calls for “an almost straight top line”. The almost straight top line gives the breed the required agility and flexibility – hence “lithe”.

Incorrectly set ears do not constitute any reduction in hunting prowess. But it does deduct from the perfection of the breed. They should be “medium high set” according to the standard. In other words at “5 minutes to 1” and not at “10 minutes to 2”, as in the Podenco Canario. Lets face it – an esthetically formed head is much more pleasing to the eye.

There are many other features (faults) within the standard that judges fail to highlight. I will not delve into these, not because they are not important, but because they are, maybe, not as blatant as the above-mentioned faults. Also, if I were to discuss further points, this article would not be only a three-page article. Let me however make one point absolutely clear – the perfect dog has yet to be born! As breeders, we should all be conscious and acknowledge our dogs’ faults. We must constantly endeavor to breed only according to recognized basic principals and breeding ethics – always for the benefit of the breed.

I have intentionally not included any photos of any dogs to illustrate these faults. I have done so in order not to offend. This article is, in fact, not intended to hurt or insult any breeder, nor is it meant to do any injustice to any judge. The purpose of this article is solely to bring to light certain deficiencies in the method of judging the breed, so that future judging might be performed appropriately and more concentrated on the genuine breed type, for the ultimate benefit of the Kelb tal-Fenek itself.

A knowledgeable specialist judge once told me, “They have changed the breed”. This comment hit me hard, since I realized the intensity of his words. Let us, as breeders, put a stop to breeding malpractice forthwith for the benefit of the Kelb tal-Fenek.

My appeal is truly honest and sincere. “Let us, as breeders, avoid the ruin of this wonderful breed through selfishness, romancing and wishful thinking. Let us not change the breed, as we know it today, solely for the purpose of winning at the show rings. We could otherwise risk the loss of the Kelb tal-Fenek as it has been bred in Malta by countless generations throughout the centuries”.

To all judges my plea is on similar grounds. “As judges, we have an obligation - an obligation to promote the correct type in accordance with the breed standard. We should award the correct type of dog, and be honest in our critique with all dogs. Unless we do so, we will unwittingly be instigating a change in the make up of the breed – something, I am sure, that all judges are not prepared to do”.

Peter Gatt

 Отправлено: 27.01.16 15:01. Заголовок: О судействе фараонов..

О судействе фараонов на курсинге.

Judging the Kelb tal-Fenek at Lure Coursings

REMARK: When judging the hunting skills of the Kelb tal-Fenek during a lure coursing, it is of utmost importance to remember that lure coursing shows only one aspect of the breed’s hunting abilities. The chase by sight only plays a secondary roll in the Kelb tal-Fenek's work in the country of origin, Malta.

In the Maltese Islands, the Kelb tal-Fenek is used for searching and announcing hidden rabbits in an extremly rough terrain. Most hunts take place during the night. The sense of smell, the fine ears, and the dog’s ability to learn about the behaviour of its prey are the most important factors for the success of its work.

A complete live chase (hunting up, chasing by sight, kill) rather is an exception during the hunt with a Kelb tal-Fenek than the rule. The following proceedings are more frequently seen:

- Dog surprises a rabbit – dog chases the rabbit by sight – rabbit flees into hiding – rabbit shelter is covered with a net – a ferret is set after the rabbit – fleeing rabbit is caught in the net
- Dog announces a hidden rabbit – rabbit shelter is covered with a net – a ferret is set after the rabbit – fleeing rabbit is caught in the net
- Typical rabbit shelters (e.g. cracks) are covered with nets – a dog discovers a rabbit and chases it – rabbit tries to escape into a shelter and entangles in the net

Due to the complexity of its hunting tasks, the Kelb tal-Fenek has a great ability to learn. He must be able to adjust himself on the terrain and on the behaviour of his prey. For example, he must know:

- where to search for his prey
- which signs indicate the presence of a hidden rabbit (smell, sounds)
- where a rabbit might bolt in flight from the ferret
- where it will try to flee to
- which escape route it will probably choose
- to find possible hiding places of the rabbit after loosing sight on it (not only by scent – the rabbit has only a very slight smell – but also by interpretation of the terrain)
- how to get an advantage by observing the work of the other dogs

Before a Kelb tal-Fenek is used for hunting in Malta, he has always to undergo a training period together with other, experienced dogs. Usually, the Maltese hunters use well co-operating pairs of one male and one female, in some cases also larger packs of dogs.

In the lure coursing field, the ability of learning is indicated by the way how the dog recognises the coherence between certain marks of the field surface and the way of the lure and how he adjusts his own hunting actions to this facts. This ability of learning should not be misinterpreted as a lack of enthusiasm or as laziness, since it is one of the very few aspects of the Kelb tal-Fenek’s manifold hunting abilities, which can be tested both in real hunting as well as in lure coursing.

The following remarks refer to the five main criteria of the most common judging systems for lure coursing (FCI, ASFA, Windhund-Sportordnung (Germany)).

ENTHUSIASM
Behaviour on the Start: The dog becomes extremly enthusistic in sight of the prey. The criteria “enthusiasm” in the best sense of the word can therefore already be judged when the dogs are brought to the start.

Desire, pressure on the lure: Each experienced specimen will not exactely follow the track of the lure. This will only happen in very young, unexperienced dogs. The desire is shown by the way the dog tries to find the optimum position to cut the way of the lure already during the run. This will especially happen if the boundaries of the field indicate that the lure will soon change its direction. The dog learns very quickly that – different from the hunt on living game – he has no influence on the actions of the lure, and he will also learn that the lure will always remain within the boundaries of the field.

Running style, behaviour on obstacles: The dog runs free and enthusiastic (but never as deep and stretched as a Greyhound or Whippet), and he often shows his hunting enthusiasm by a typical, crying chase barking (in Maltese called „kurriera“). The running style of the dog shall express attentiveness and readyness for a quick turn. The dog jumps over obstacles without hesitation, as long as this is necessary to achieve a good position in follow of the lure. However, if the surface, the boundaries of the field or the position of the second dog require a tactical way of running which leads the dog to skip an obstacle, this shall not be judged as a lack of hunting desire or courage.

Behaviour when loosing sight on the lure: When the dog looses sight on the lure, he must start an intensive search. This can be shown by a circular search over the field, but also by trying to find the best position to get a survey over the field. In search for the lure, the dog can even stop or stand on his hind legs, to get the optimun sight over the field. A permanent strain and the continuous motion of the ears show that the dog has not given up hunting.

Attempts to catch the lure in the run: The dog will try to catch the lure whenever he gets the chance for it. Due to the smallness of the hunting terrain in Malta, the Kelb tal-Fenek is not a breed which will try to tire his prey.

Behaviour when catching the lure: The dog will directely catch his prey, whereas he will run on the side, slightly behind the lure when it begins to slow down, and he will lower his head and try to catch the lure with his mouth. After the lure has stopped, he will try to hold the lure both with his mouth and with his feet. The breed hunts in pairs or in packs, however, they do not show a pronounced order of precendence when catching a prey. Usually, both dogs will catch the lure. It might happen that a dog defends his prey against his competitor.

INTELLIGENCE
Interpretation of the field surface: The ability to „read“ the surface of the field is an outstanding feature of the breed’s hunting behaviour. In lure coursing, the dog shows his ability to learn by the way he recognises the coherence between certain, typical characteristics of lure coursing fields and the motion of the lure. The dog will soon learn that the lure will always remain within the parameters of the field and that it will never pass fences, cordon tapes, hedges, bushes, edges of a forest, lines of parking cars, spectators etc. The attention of experienced dogs might temporarily be drawn upon looking for such characteristsics of the field. If it is obvious to the dog that the lure will soon change its direction (since it e.g. is running towards a fence) an experienced dog will look for possibilities to cut the way of the lure in a wide range, and he will try to get an optimun position for catching it.

By his fine sense of hearing, the dog is also able to locate the sound of the line in the grass. If he has once noticed that this sound is an indicator for the running way of the lure, he will also include it in his attempts to cut the way of the artificial prey.

If the dog’s eyes are not always fixed on the lure, this should not be punished as a lack of attention, as long as it is obvious that the dog tries to find indications for the next actions of the lure - this is a sign that the dog has learned about the behaviour of its prey. A dog, which does not use such chances and only follows the lure in a straight line, should be rated lower than a dog which tries to get into the optimum position by continuous, intelligent interpretation of the field.

Hunting intelligence: In a real hunt, the dog will always try to prevent the rabbit from escaping into rough, unclear terrain (e.g. bushes). But in lure coursing, he will soon learn that certain forms of terrain (high grass, reed, ploughed land) are typical boundaries of a lure coursing field, which will never be crossed by the lure. Therefore it can be expected that the dog will hedge the opposite site, since he knows that the lure will change its direction before reaching such natural boundaries.

Breed typical co-operation: The Kelb tal-Fenek hunts for its own success, but he takes the actions of his partner into consideration for achieving the most promising position in the field. An experienced specimen of the breed will always try to catch its prey by choosing the shortest and most efficient way. If a faster and less experienced dog closely follows the lure, or when the boundaries indicate a specific way of the lure, he will (probably in a very wide range) try to cut the way of the lure. The successful attempt to get the prey in an easy and efficient way is a sign for the dog’s ability to learn and shall not be misinterpreted as lazyness.

AGILITY
Skill: In the country of origin, the breed hunts in an extremly difficult terrain. Therefore it has the ability to turn very quickly and efficiently.

Change of direction: Experienced dogs will not follow each turn of the lure. Due to its ability to interpret the field surface, to take the actions of the partner into consideration and to foresee the next actions of the lure from the boundaries of the field, the dog might act in a wider range and he might not follow each action of the lure.

ENDURANCE
In the country of origin, the breed works throughout the whole night in a very continuous and intensive way. Therefore, the requirements of a lure coursing parcours are no exceptional demands for this breed. It can be expected that the dog shows the same co-ordinative abilities (agility, skill, acceleration) in the last part of the parcours as in the beginning.

SPEED
In the difficult Maltese terrain, not always the fastest dog gets into the most advantageous position for catching the prey, but rather the most agile, most attentive and most intelligent specimen. The Kelb tal-Fenek will never run as deep and stretched as a Greyhound or Whippet. To preserve the breed typical hunting abilities, it is very important not to over-emphasize the criteria „speed“ in lure coursing judging, since an extremely fast specimen would have nearly no chances to survive a hunt in the country of origin without injuries.

Jan Scotland

 Отправлено: 27.01.16 15:06. Заголовок: О разведении фараоно..

О разведении фараонов.

Why breed the Kelb tal-Fenek?

I am often reminded of how much time and effort goes into building a successful breeding program when examining the pedigrees of the top performing dogs at local and Foreign Shows. Here in Malta, hunting ability has been and will always continue to be the place breeders turn to, in order to evaluate and prove their breeding program and bloodlines. Contrary to the Maltese, competent breeders overseas seek to understand the strengths and weaknesses of all the dogs in a four-generation pedigree and carefully evaluate each dog in the pedigree of a potential mating.

Breeding Ethics

The goal of any breeding programme should be to the protection and preservation of the breed. Breeders have an ethical responsibility to do everything they can do to ensure that future progeny are free of both physical and performance faults. He or she must also be willing to eliminate breeding stock from his program that exhibits substandard traits.

A responsible Kelb tal-Fenek breeder should be focused on preservation of the breed and should be knowledgeable about reproduction, nutrition, wellness and care, early behavioral development, and breeding ethics.

Common Breeding Techniques

Breeders may seek to improve the qualities of a bloodline by utilizing one of five more common breeding techniques:
- outbreeding,
- linebreeding,
- inbreeding.
- Incest breeding
- Intermediate breeding

Outbreeding is the mating of dogs, which are not at all related to one another. This is the common way of breeding in wild living canides, since each young male will be expelled from his pack when it reaches sexual maturity.

Linebreeding is the mating between slightly related dogs. In this case dogs are chosen for their special attributes to obtain certain type/s.

Inbreeding is the mating between dogs, which are related. That means that at least one ancestor is present on the side of both sire and dam. Inbreeding is breeding between relatives of 2nd to 4th grade in straight or side line within the first four generations. e.g. uncle to niece, nephew to aunt, cousin to cousin, grandparents to grandchildren. In essence, this type of breeding is less often practiced in most breeds, however due to circumstances beyond control, this is NOT the case in the Kelb tal-Fenek.

Incest breeding is probably the lesser know but also, unfortunately, frequently used within the Kelb tal-Fenek breed. It is the mating between parents and children or between brother and sister, i.e. 1st grade relatives. Incest breeding as well as continued inbreeding and linebreeding is quite risky, since it increases the danger of hereditary diseases. For that reason, many national kennel clubs give permission for incest breeding only exceptionally.

Intermediate breeding is the single introduction of “outside” blood (obviously) of the same breed into a line, which has been established through inbreeding.

How is the KTF being bred in Malta?

The Kelb tal-Fenek, as probably everyone knows by now, is a very old breed. It is a known fact that the Kelb tal-Fenek has lived on the Maltese Islands since many centuries. The KTF is used in Malta for the sole purpose of hunting rabbits. It is therefore this hunting strain that the Maltese hunters and farmers were always striving for. It goes without saying that breeding in Malta was therefore never performed on the basis of only beauty but more on the basis of efficiency and hunting prowess. Add to this the fact that only the better performing puppies were kept, and the result is a breed with very strong hunting instincts.

The Kelb tal-Fenek in Malta is not recognized as a pet dog, but rather as another farm animal, capable of providing meat at the table through hunting. In the past, our Maltese forefathers had obviously no chance to take their dog to a vet in cases of diseases. Therefore, if and when a dog got sick, it had either to pull through on its own strength or else succumb to its infection or disease – survival of the fittest! In the long term, this archaic method, coupled with the breeding system used in Malta, has attributed the breed with a very healthy background and with a deeply rooted hunting instinct.

How is the KTF being bred out of Malta?

In order to understand this concept, we will have to learn about the short history of the breed as it was introduced into Britain and then throughout the World. Back in the sixties, some six dogs were exported into the U.K. In the few years that followed, these dogs were bred and interbred consistently. With the help of its Mythical name “Pharaoh Hound”, it was distributed throughout with relative ease. The “Myth” helped sell the puppies at good profits. It was as though the old Egyptian dog was re-discovered.

Throughout these 40 odd years of the Kelb tal-Fenek’s existence in Europe and America, I estimate that yet another 20 to 30 dogs were exported from Malta. Today, the world-count, (excluding Malta) for the KTF is certainly not more than about 4000 dogs. These dogs are the result of breeding within these 30 or so imported dogs. Obviously, inbreeding and incest breeding have taken place to a very large degree. These breeding techniques quickly expose both the virtues and faults of a bloodline. If there are any faults in a breeding program they will be exposed when bred heavily, typically for 3 or more generations.

A common misconception is that inbreeding causes high strung, nervous and aggressive dogs. This is simply not true. The temperament of a dog is determined by the genetic makeup of the parents plus the way the puppy is reared, and the fact that a line was bred closely will not alter the disposition of the offspring. A breeder who uses dogs with volatile temperaments as breeding stock is likely to have problems in their lines. In contrast, a breeder who uses dogs of sound temperament will produce dogs with sound temperaments, even if bred closely. It is however, also true that these breeding techniques have a devastating effect on the progeny as regards to health. Fortunately the Kelb tal-Fenek is still today recognized as being one of the healthiest breeds around. But for how much longer? I can only attribute this fact to the breeding method of the Kelb tal-Fenek as it was bred in Malta by countless generations.

I acknowledge the fact that there are a few breeders that are extremely worried about the future health of the breed. These breeders go to great lengths to search for unrelated, fundamentally sound breeding stock and of genetically clean lines. However, due to the very fact that all the Kelb tal-Fenek within Europe (outside Malta) and Northern America are related in some way or another, inbreeding will continue to take place.

Our way forward

Careful linebreeding has proven to be the best method to perpetuate desirable characteristics in most breeds. However, in the case of the Kelb tal-Fenek, close breeding on a strain for more than four generations will stagnate the line and make dramatic improvements of a strain more difficult because uniformity has been established in the line and the possibility of improvement is no longer possible. The decision to utilize an outcross breeding technique and go to a stud dog from a different bloodline is necessary to mix up the genes that have become uniform through linebreeding. The outcross technique will also help re-instate a certain degree of health qualities within the breed. The only alternative is therefore to go back to fundamentals. Malta has a vast choice of Klieb tal-Fenek. The introduction of new blood lines from Malta can only, but benefit the breed.

A Final thought

Remember the goal of any breeding program should be the protection and preservation of the breed. When selecting a puppy from a particular breeding, ask the breeder what he considers the strengths and weaknesses of both the sire and dam. A competent breeder understands the virtues and faults in both the sire and dam and looks to improve his stock through responsible breeding.

Peter Gatt