Kokoni

A Greek dog, although some believe they originated in Malta. It was once thought they were a different variety of the Alopekis; although that’s not the case, the two breeds are closely related.  They date back hundreds of years. Their history is depicted across ancient wall decorations, vases, coins, and other pottery pieces. These show that the Kokoni breed was primarily a companion to women and children in the aristocracy.  As well as being companions to the aristocracy, they were used as hunting dogs, helping to find and capture small game. They also rid the house and barns of pests and occasionally were used to herd livestock.  At the same time, a number of this breed lived a very different life as strays on the city streets of ancient Greece.  Today, this breed is still far more popular in Greece than it is in the rest of the world. It actually isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs except the Greek Kennel Club.