Cyprus Breeds


By Sonia Kelveri  Philippou


                                           


Kypriakos Lagonikos hunts  hairs or small game . It’s courses
also and hunts the game mainly by sight. His nose is nevertheless
noteworthy. Kypriakos Lagonikos is especially skilled in coursings and
race tracks, yielding good results particularly in longer distances as is a
stayer dog. He is also a very good companion and a loyal watch dog.

Kypriakos  Lagonikos is an original hunting breed. His origin  not only
goes back to the times when the Otomans conquered the country but
according to archeological findings this type of sighthound dog exist
since 1400 B.C in Cyprus.


Kypriakos Lagonikos gives the impression of strength; bone structure
and musculature very strongly developed. Is elegant but at the time is
very sturdy. In its appearance, it is a lot similar to some Asiatic
sighthounds  who are it’s ancestor with clear power shows it has
adapted to the hard and dry grounds of Cyprus especially in summer
time.

What is really noticeable is the archetypal colour that exists in
Kypriakos Lagonikos, a black and tan. The tan markings on the legs are
brindle.

This breed , used to exist , among other sighthound breeds, mainly in
the area of Mesaoria, A flat valley , quite dry almost in the centre of
Cyprus , that lies on the borders mainly from Nicosia to Famagusta and  
Kyrenia mountains . The word "Mesaoria" (sometimes spelled
"Mesarya"), means "between the mountains" in Greek. For the most
part, the Mesaoria is a flat, bare plain, with few trees except for those
planted as windbreaks  . Due to deforestation much of Mesaoria is
covered with calcium carbonate that has been compacted in to hardpan.
The combination of the soil and the high temperatures that can reach
over 40 degrees in summer  made hunting difficult for many breeds.
The locals used the Kypriakos Lagonikos for hunting purposes only and
kept very strong hunting bloodlines that could survive the unfriendly
and hard environment.  
It is interesting to study how locals kept the bloodlines  alive until today
after the Turkish invasion in 1974. In the area of Mesaoria there were
lots of small villages and the local villagers were breeding not only
Kypriakos Lagonikos but also another breed who has it’s origin back to
the dessert  fringed Salukis called Mallouroftas.
But according to the locals the Kypriakos Lagonikos was and is until
today  of higher respect and  esteem  because of their versatile
capabilities  in hunting and their hardiness.
In 1974 most of the locals abandoned their homelands letting the
Turkish troops take over. Mr. Andreas Panayi Hadjigavriel (Stakos), a
local from the village of  Ashia            left his home and all his
belongings to the Turks and moved as a refugee to Achnna. He managed
to take him , with him his wife , his children and 2 of his beloved dogs (
a pair) few photos and some documents, to a village across the so
called green line (border). His heart was still at his home, his yard, his
dogs that inherited from his grand father. A grand father that gave him
the dogs under the promise that he will pass them over to his own
grand son. His grand father also inherited the dogs from his own
grandfather and so on. He decided to take a risk and over 7 years he
kept sneaking to the occupied Cyprus, putting his own life in danger to  
try to bring his dogs to the Greek side. He was sure that his dogs could
survive and hunt for themselves. He called for help and made  a group
of supporters from his area that owned dogs before 1974 to bring back
and save the Kypriakos Lagonikos.
After 7 years of risking his life he managed to bring many dogs and
continue to breed.

Mr. Andreas Panayi Hadjigavriel has records from his grandfather about
dogs. The son of Astrapi ( thunder) was Sifounas ( typhoon) and the
daughter of Sifounas was Kataigida ( storm) and so on.

Today on the island there are more than 300 dogs. They are bred still
by the Mesaoria people and it is almost impossible to buy them. They
are bred for them, they are bred to preserve the breed , to hunt and to
keep save the local inheritance and legend.

In  early 2004, Mrs. Eva Maria Kramer a famous specialist sighthound
photographer came to Cyprus and studied the breed. She took a lot of  
photos and saw this breed in real work and was amazed. Mr. Stelios
Makaritis an all rounder judge from Greece helped
Mrs. Sonia Philippou a Cyprus Judge to go round various villages and
measure and took detailed  records of around 50 Kypriakos Lagonikos .
For 5 years I was trying to study the breed and convince the breeders
to let the Cyprus Kennel Club to record the breed. It was not an easy
thing to achieve as these breeders were so protective over them. But at
the end she gained their trust and let her go with them to see them
working. A hunting work which is a piece of art. A traditional ritual
saved through the centuries. Usually 2 men (father and son – in the the
case of Mr. Andreas his son Fotis goes with him) go out hunting with the
pack (must be 7-8 dogs together out hunting) The one goes on one side
of the valley and the other on the other side to send the dogs with the
command ‘’ Houri” a derivative of the ancient greek word thoria which
means to see. Nowadays Mr.Andreas grandson: Andreas Junior who is
only 7 years old goes out with them to be taught the secrets of this
amazing archeatypal breed. After all his grandson will inherit all the
dogs as a tradition.
Zari
Kypriako Maliaro
Kypriakos Lagonikos