Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Template:Short description Template:Infobox organization
The Template:Langx (Template:IPA; FCI; Template:Langx) is the largest<ref>FCI: the largest canine organisation of the world, FCI.be</ref> international federation of national kennel clubs and purebred registries. The FCI is based in Thuin, Belgium and has 98 members and contract partners (one from each country).
History
The FCI was founded in 1911 under the auspices of the kennel clubs of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Its objective was to bring global uniformity to the breeding, exhibiting and judging of pure-bred dogs.Template:R It was disbanded in World War I and recreated in 1921 by Belgium and France.Template:R Since its foundation the FCI's membership has grown to include kennel clubs from the majority of countries worldwide, with members in Europe as well as Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania.Template:R
Function
The purpose of the FCI is to make sure that the pedigrees and judges are mutually recognised by all the FCI member countries. In contrast to national kennel clubs, the FCI is not a registry and does not issue pedigrees to individual dogs, with the issue of pedigrees and record keeping of breeders and breeder addresses the responsibility of the national canine organisations recognised by the FCI.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
At present the FCI recognises 356 breeds, with each breed being considered as the "property" of a specific country, usually based upon the country where the breed has first originated. These breed "owner" countries write the breed standard of the specific breed, with the breed standard being a detailed description of the ideal type of the breed, in partnership with and under the oversight of the Standards and Scientific Commissions of the FCI. The FCI is responsible for publication and maintenance of these breed standards,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> along with the translation of breed standard into the four working languages of the FCI (English, French, German and Spanish).<ref name=":0" /> The FCI breed standards act as the reference for the judges at shows held in the FCI member countries, as well as maintaining the qualification and license of judges in dog shows in FCI member countries.<ref name=":0" /> For breeders, the FCI breed standards are used as the reference in their attempt to produce top-quality dogs according to the ideal type as set out by the FCI.<ref name=":1" />
The FCI is considered to the largest kennel club in the world with only Africa and the Middle East poorly represented, partly through the absence of national kennel clubs or purebred registries in countries of these regions. In Europe, only the United Kingdom, Kosovo and Bulgaria are not represented by the FCI. Likewise, in the Americas only the USA and Canada are not members.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The official purebred registries in North America that are not members or contract partners of FCI include the American Kennel Club (AKC), Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) and United Kennel Club (UKC), and in Europe, The Kennel Club (TKC) of the United Kingdom.<ref name="FCI-stats 2022">Template:Cite web</ref> Despite not being members or associates, the FCI has a long standing agreement (or "Letter of Agreement") for mutual recognition of pedigrees under outlined circumstances, and cooperation between the FCI and the AKC, TKC and the CKC of the USA, United Kingdom and Canada respectively. In addition, the TKC and the FCI have agreements regarding the mutual recognition of judges. In contrast, the FCI does not recognise the UKC and no agreement is in place.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
According to AKC's Denise Flaim, crafting a workable standard is a challenge, and the "FCI standards typically have a greater number of disqualifications, which are sometimes subjective, and their impact on a dog's career is not as dire."<ref name="Flaim-standards">Template:Cite web</ref> In contrast, the FCI takes a stronger line on certain issues compared with some non-member national kennel clubs, particularly the AKC and UKC, regarding general animal health and welfare. Unlike the AKC and UKC, the FCI has moved towards banning the practices of ear cropping and tail docking in breed standards, as well as forbidding the entry of dogs with cropped ears and dock tails from being shown in dogs shows in FCI member countries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition, the FCI takes a stronger stance on improving the health of dogs as opposed to the appearance of dogs in situations where a breed's health is impacted due to severely restricted gene pools, or concerning brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.[1]
Breeds
The FCI automatically recognises all registered breeds recognised by any of its member kennel clubs; therefore its list of recognised dog breeds includes breeds not known outside of their country of origin.Template:R The FCI divides the breeds it recognises into ten groups based on various discriminators such as appearance or role:Template:R
- Sheepdogs and cattle dogs (except Swiss cattle dogs)
- Pinschers and schnauzers - molossoid breeds - Swiss mountain and cattle dogs and other breeds
- Terriers
- Dachshunds
- Spitz and primitive types
- Scenthounds and related breeds
- Pointers and setters
- Retrievers - flushing dogs - water dogs
- Companion and toy dogs
- Sighthounds
FCI members
The FCI has members, associates and partners in 98 countries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Country | Member club's name |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Federación Cinológica Argentina<ref name=FCI-America>Fédération Cynologique Internationale, "FCI members and contract partners, The Americas & Caribbean", www.fci.be, retrieved 24 December 2018.</ref> |
| Armenia | Armenian Dog-Lovers' Association<ref name=FCI-Europe>Fédération Cynologique Internationale, "FCI members and contract partners, Europe", www.fci.be, retrieved 24 December 2018.</ref> |
| Australia | Australian National Kennel Council<ref name=FCI-Rest>Fédération Cynologique Internationale, "FCI members and contract partners, Asia, Africa & Oceania", www.fci.be, retrieved 24 December 2018.</ref> |
| Austria | Österreichische Kynologenverband<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Azerbaijan | Kennel Union of the Republic of Azerbaijan<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Bahrain | Bahrain Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Belarus | Belarusian Cynological Union<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Belgium | Union Royale Cynologique Saint Hubert<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Bolivia | Kennel Club Boliviano<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kinološki Savez u Bosni i Hercegovini<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Brazil | Confederação Brasileira de Cinofilia<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Bulgaria | Bulgarian Republican Federation of Cynology<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Chile | Kennel Club de Chile<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| China | China Kennel Union<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Colombia | Asociación Club Canino Colombiano<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Costa Rica | Asociación Canófila Costarricense<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Croatia | Hrvatski Kinoloski Savez<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Cuba | Federación Cinólogica de Cuba<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Czech Republic | Českomoravská kynologická unie<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Denmark | Dansk Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Dominican Republic | Federación Canina Dominicana<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Ecuador | Asociación Ecuatoriana de Registros Caninos<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Egypt | Egyptian Kennel Federation<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| El Salvador | Asociación Canófila Salvadoreña<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Estonia | Eesti Kennelliit<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Finland | Suomen Kennelliitto<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| France | Société Centrale Canine<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Georgia | Fédération Cynologique de Géorgie<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Germany | Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Gibraltar | Gibraltar Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Greece | Kennel Club of Greece<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Guatemala | Asociación Canófila Guatemalteca<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Honduras | Asociación Canófila de Honduras<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Hungary | Magyar Ebtenyésztők Országos Egyesülete<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Iceland | Hundaræktarfélags Íslands<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| India | Kennel Club of India<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Indonesia | PERKIN Perkumpulan Kinologi Indonesia<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Ireland | Irish Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Israel | Israel Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Italy | Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Japan | Japan Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Kazakhstan | Union of Cynologists of Kazakhstan<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Kyrgyzstan | Union of Cynologists of Kyrgyz Republic<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Latvia | Latvijas Kinologiska Federacija<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Lithuania | Lietuvos kinologų draugija<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Luxembourg | Fédération Cynologique Luxembourgeoise<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Macedonia | Kennel Association of Republic of Macedonia<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Malaysia | Malaysian Kennel Association<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Malta | Malta Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Mexico | Federación Canófila Mexicana<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Moldova | Uniunea Chinologică din Moldova<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Monaco | Société Canine de Monaco<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Montenegro | Kinološki savez Crne Gore<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Morocco | Société Centrale Canine Marocaine<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Netherlands | Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied in Nederland<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Nicaragua | Asociación Canina Nicaragüense<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Norway | Norsk Kennel Klub<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Pakistan | Kennel Club of Pakistan<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Panama | Club Canino de Panama<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Paraguay | Paraguay Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Peru | Kennel Club Peruano<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Philippines | Philippine Canine Club<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Poland | Związek Kynologiczny w Polsce<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Portugal | Clube Português de Canicultura<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Puerto Rico | Federación Canófila de Puerto Rico<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Romania | Asociația Chinologică Română<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Russia | Russian Kynological Federation<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| San Marino | Kennel Club San Marino<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Serbia | Kinološki savez Srbije<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Singapore | Singapore Kennel Club<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Slovakia | Slovenská kynologická jednota<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Slovenia | Kinološka Zveza Slovenije<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| South Africa | Kennel Union of Southern Africa<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| South Korea | Korea Kennel Federation<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Spain | Real Sociedad Canina en España<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Sri Lanka | Kennel Association of Sri Lanka<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Sudan | Sudanese Kennel Club Association<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Sweden | Svenska Kennelklubben<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Switzerland | Société Cynologique Suisse<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Taiwan | Kennel Club of Taiwan<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Thailand | The Kennel Association of Thailand<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
| Turkey | Köpek Irklari ve Kinoloji Federasyonu<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Ukraine | Ukrainian Kennel Union<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Uruguay | Kennel Club Uruguayo<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Uzbekistan | Kynological Federation of Uzbekistan<ref name=FCI-Europe/> |
| Venezuela | Federación Canina de Venezuela<ref name=FCI-America/> |
| Vietnam | Vietnam Kennel Association<ref name=FCI-Rest/> |
FCI partners
| Country | FCI partner | Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) | 1 April 2009<ref name="Members & Partners">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| United Kingdom | The Kennel Club (KC) | 1 May 2017<ref name="Members & Partners"/> |
| United States | American Kennel Club (AKC) | 5 November 2005<ref name="Members & Partners"/> |