The FCI, full name Fédération Cynologique Internationale, is the Organization that unites the dog breeding associations of various countries, the International Canine Federation, one of the foundational institutions of international dog breeding. Its headquarters are in Belgium.
The purpose of the Federation is described in paragraph 2 of the statutes:
“The purpose of the FCI is to promote breeding and the use of healthy dog breeds in the countries joined to it, whose physique must comply with the relevant standard, and based on the breed's characteristic traits must meet their intended use; to support the free flow of canine and cynological (cynology is the science dealing with the formation, anatomy, and behavior of dogs) information between countries, as well as to organize dog shows and tests.”
The Hungarian member organization of the FCI is the National Federation of Hungarian Dog Breeders Associations.
The website of MEOESZ: www.kennelclub.hu
The FCI Organization was founded on May 22, 1911, by the Kennel Clubs of 5 countries with the aim to support and promote the breeding of purebred dogs by any means deemed necessary.
The 5 founding countries:
* Germany (Kartell für das Deutsche Hundewesen und Die Delegierten Kommission)
* Austria (Osterreichischer Kynologenverband)
* Belgium (Société Royale Saint-Hubert)
* France (Société Centrale Canine de France)
* The Netherlands (Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied in Nederland)
This was the first time in history that dog lovers worldwide united. The Federation ceased to exist at the beginning of World War I, and then in 1921 it was re-established by “the Société Centrale Canine de France” from France and “the Société Royale Saint-Hubert” from Belgium. The new Statutes were adopted on April 10, 1921, and on March 5, 1968, the FCI was legally recognized as a legal entity by decree.
Since 1954, the FCI office has been located in Thuin, Belgium. This is a historic town, near the French border, and the heart of the dog world beats in this small Belgian town.
The Organization celebrated its 100th anniversary, the Centenary European Dog Show, in 2011 in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, organized by the Dutch Kennel Club.
The FCI Organization has divided dog breeds into ten different groups, based on appearance or role.
The ten groups:
• Group I: shepherd and herding dogs
• Group II: schnauzers, pinschers, guard and protection dogs, mastiffs
• Group III: terriers
• Group IV: dachshunds
• Group V: spitz and primitive types
• Group VI: scenthounds and related breeds
• Group VII: retrievers, flushing spaniels
• Group VIII: water dogs
• Group IX: companion and toy dogs
• Group X: sighthounds
The FCI includes 86 members and contractual partners as well. The members themselves handle the training of judges and the issuance of pedigree certificates. The FCI guarantees mutual recognition of each other's registries and judges between the joined Organizations.
The FCI has so far accepted 358 breeds. Each breed belongs to a certain country, which as the “owner” provides the detailed description of the breed to be bred, i.e., the standard (description of the ideal type of the breed) in cooperation with the FCI. This contains the description of the breed's ideal type. The description is translated within the FCI into the language of the respective country and thus issued, and the updates are also done by the FCI. These standards form the basis of the evaluations at the exhibitions organized by the FCI and guide breeders to breed with the best dogs or to produce the best dogs.
Every dog breeding organization affiliated with the FCI organizes international shows, competitions and working tests. The Organizations continuously forward the results of international shows and working tests to the FCI, where the incoming information is recorded in a computer system. After earning a certain number of awards, the dog is entitled to bear the FCI-conferred titles of International Beauty, Show or Working Champion. These titles must be confirmed by the FCI.
The FCI also registers all international judges appointed by the different member organizations.
The governing body of the FCI:
By 2011, almost 100 national Kennel Clubs had joined the FCI, whose central office is located in Belgium. The FCI informs the representatives of different countries via circular letters. This information covers all branches of dogs and applies to all competitions and exhibitions. The FCI publishes its news online every two months, which can be read in four languages on the www.dogdotcom.be portal.
Kenel Clubs are united into national Organizations.
The Kennel Club of Great Britain, the Canadian Kennel Club, and the American Kennel Club operate independently and are not members of the FCI. These three national Kennel Clubs have concluded an agreement to recognize each other's pedigrees.
The FCI consists of 5 sections:
– Europe
– America
– Asia
– Africa
– Oceania and Australia
The most activities take place in the European section.
The FCI works with Committees, and the management company is represented in these Committees.
The responsibility of the FCI:
Recognition of different members by country, creation of unified regulations that every Kennel Club member must comply with, and harmonization of national regulations. Distribution and coordination of international exhibitions and championships. Approval of breed standard descriptions (which apply uniformly to all member countries).
Allocation of the World Dog Show and Euro Dog Show annually to one member Organization. Organizational activities and other events in the field of hunting.
The official website of the FCI – FCI logo, source: fci.be
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