Alopekis
The Alopekis is a small, ancient, primitive landrace of dog from Greece and adjacent regions of the Balkan peninsula. Alopekis have prick ears, a curved tail, and a double coat. Alopekis were bred as a multipurpose farm dog, functioning as a hunting dog, watchdog and shepherd. The dog is found throughout Greece but is most commonly seen in northern Greek regions with a lot of farmland and villages, such as Serres, Drama, Xanthi, etc. Critically endangered, the exact number of specimens that remain today is unknown.
This breed is not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
Etymology
The Ancient Greek word ἀλωπεκίς means 'mongrel between fox and dog'. Ancient sources like Aristophanes also them as "Κυναλώπηξ", which has the same meaning. The dog has many additional names including Alepuditsa, Alepudoskylo, Venetaki, Zacharoskylo, Moropa, Bombis or Bouboudi, Tsoupi or Tsupaki, and Fneli / Fnoudi.History
The domestication of the Alopekis dog in Greece dates before the Mycenaean era., i.e. 1750 B.C. The earliest depiction comes from the post-Paleolithic / Neolithic era. It is an engraved pithos from Thessaly that bears a scribble with the characteristic silhouette of an Alopekis and is in the archaeological museum of Athens. This find places the breed in the same historical period and geographical area as the Pelasgians. This is the oldest depiction of a dog in Greece. A similar find was also found in Rafina and dates from the Early Bronze Age.Ancient Greek classical authors mention the breed, including Aristotle, Xenophon and Aristophanes. Xenophon describes the Alopekis as one of the two main Greek examples of hunting dogs in his work Cynegeticus. Ancient authors including Xenophon believed that Aopekis were created by mating dogs and foxes.
The Alopekis has experienced a massive reduction in population, in part because of the mass sterilization of dogs in some regions to reduce the number of strays. There are still small populations in Northern Greece. Greek native groups are now working to preserve the breed.
Description
Appearance
Alopekis are small, fox-like, relatively short-haired with wedge-shaped head, erect ears and sickle-shaped tail. Their body is longer than their height. Alopekis are classified as primitive dogs: they have regular dentition and a mesomorphic, symmetrical build and body type, with an arched or semicircular tail. Typical individuals do not show dwarfism. Their bodies are robust and their limbs are not markedly shortened. Breed proportions indicate a model of progressive downsizing through evolution, adaptation, and artificial selection.Alopekis average high at the withers and weigh an average of. The breed has three types of double coat: a) a short, hard, and smooth coat, b) semi-long, tufted, rough coat and c) semi-long, hard, wiry coat. The coat is usually never thin, sparse, soft and silky, nor is the protective-insulating undercoat missing, because this is a robust small-medium sized breed of general utility that should be able to live outdoors comfortably. The coat is easy to groom and the texture and quality of the coat helps keep it clean. Alopekis are very clean by nature and clean themselves frequently and diligently. All colors and color combinations are acceptable, except for the absence of pigment. The most common colors are white, black, brown and bicolor, and less often whitish, pale yellow and other colors.