MISSION AND ETHOS

DicasaMarziali's mission is going between the people interested in dog and that part of the farming world which is still very traditional and that is the last defence in order to preserve the dog's zootechnical genetic heritage. After the rising of the consumerism and the globalisation, because of our tacit approval, we involved ourself in the fading process of our traditions and of the all things unwritten that have been passed from one generation to another. As a consequence of this, we and the generations before us, we all together have seen the dismantling of our culture and identity.

We can easily see somewhat similar to the decline of Roman Empire and the rising of the Middle Ages: nowadays, it is about a really cultural middle ages indeed. It becomes obvious the falling down of the Italy's zootechnical genetic heritage, also because of the cultural xenophilia by those who don't recognize themselves in their own history. The Italian dog breeds are just some victims of this falling down process. I don't know what quote in particular: just to start, it comes to my mind the Italian Molossian (When I say this, I mean two different varieties of this breed: Italian Cane Corso and Neapolitan mastiff), that was the symbol of power and fighting tradition in many ancient and important houses, but also the only one help for the poor people so as to do the daily working: shepherds, manor farmers, butchers, merchants, and, sadly, also gangsters called “guappi”.

What about now? Nowadays there are two different breeds: the first provided with the shape and the disposition of the Boxer dog, and the second with fatness and untimely senility. The first is a “flat dog” and the second a dog suitable for the retirement home; They are both born to take a rest!!! Anyway, they have in common only one purpose, just like they were one: to defend something ... once they were used to defend people and take care of animals and things, nowadays they are used to defend their breeders from inflation (as a way to fight the deprivation). At the end of the day, it's always a matter of defending wealth!!

A very dear friend of mine once said to me that the value of a man does not depend on good intentions, but on everyday deeds. I did agree with him. I have always tried to remember this rule since then, doing my best so as to my intentions and my deeds can go hand in hand . Coherently to this way of thinking, me and a group of people who are very interested in breeding, we all together are trying to carry on a project of preservation breeding in order to preserve the features of some dog breeds that unfortunately are in decline because of some profit-oriented breeders, who are blinded by sparkling trophies and drawn by the smell of money. Maybe this is a too simple way to explain this: as a matter of fact, I don't think this is only about greed and catwalk's vainglory. I have found that often many of these breeders have got inner vacuousness, inferiority complex and they are not able to be accepted for what they are, because they can't consider themselves just like all other members of the society.

So, the dog becomes the way to take a revenge: he must give their poor existences a sense and bring them glory and, why not, even money, in order to get satisfaction.

But, be careful: in this way, the dog has no more value by its own, but only as the result of a selection made by these breeders who have trouble minds that make them consider themselves as a God, being committed to arrive as close as possible to their goal: create the Perfect Dog. At times, it means creating a standard dog useful to win dog shows, on other occasions that means creating a tough dog, which can take part in fighting competition so as to win.

Who cares if such a strong consanguinity, used to create types as much homogeneous as possible, makes dogs unhealthy and damages their character, and makes fall their life expectancy and their quality of existence!!! Who cares if dogs get no more able to work and to live!! The most important thing for them (The breeders) is to achieve the Perfect Dog: How many times I have heard these words!!!

Unfortunately, these are often the people who have the fate of the recognized dog breeds cynognostic heritage in the hands. Nowadays, at which the commercial use of dog and the passion for foreign dog breeds rule, I humbly try to carry on this project: the promotion of the Italian working dog breeds, particularly the promotion of the Abruzzese mastiff, Italian Cane Corso and Cane Toccatore , by studying, researching and genetic improvement, although I am doing this with a critical point of view which I can't hide. All I am trying to do, it can't exist regardless of the awareness on cynognostic; I hope that some of you can understand the value of the Italian dog breeds and of the zootechnical heritage that still staying in the rural parts of Italy.

Relaying on this web site, the articles, your mail and photo reportages, I hope I can make my humble contribution to launch this awareness campaign about Italian cynognostic heritage, and even to emphasize the hidden world of dog lovers and rural environments and to give all those people who are interested in knowing this fascinating reality the opportunity to get in contact with.