Founded in 1911 on May 22 by the Netherlands, France, Austria, Germany, and Belgium, the FCI, or Federation Cynologique Internationale, strives to help maintain the integrity of dog breeds across these various European borders. Like so many other dog breeding clubs, the FCI works diligently to set guidelines for breed qualifications as well as to preserve the registrations of dogs in the 80 member countries. As an international Kennel Club, the Federation Cynologique Internationale is an organization that is available for members that speak four different languages French, Spanish, English, and German. By providing registration for 335 recognized dog breeds, the FCI helps to let owners know about the latest news in the dog world, about other members and their particular dog breeds, as well as helping to continue clean lines of breeding.

The History of the FCI

The background of the FCI is limited because of its fairly modern creation. While the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium all came together to found the club in 1911, the pressures and the problems of World War I nearly caused the club to fold before it got a fair chance to begin. In 1921, the Society Centrale Canine of France and the Society Royale Saint-Hubert of Belgium helped to recreate the organization and it has thrived ever since.

Set up much like any other professional organization, the Federation Cynologique Internationale have several different branches to its structure:

A general assembly of participants

Compulsory commissions (Scientific, Legal, Standard)

A general and executive committee

Other non-compulsory commission bodies

The Purpose of the FCI

The main purpose of the Federation Cynologique Internationale is to help encourage the breeding and the proper use of purebred dogs within these European nations. By providing a clear set of standards for each particular breed, breeders and owners of purebreds will be able to determine the lineage of their dogs, while also be able to compare their dogs against the standards as created by the kennel club. This allows for consistent breed measurements in breeding and in dog shows. Each owner country is responsible for writing out their own standards for the breeds they recognize and show results are based upon those standards.

What the Federation Cynologique Internationale Does

The Federation Cynologique Internationale helps to input the results of dog shows into their computer system in order to give awards for the various measurable categories: Working, Obedience, International Beauty Champion, Race, and Agility. They also keep track of the judges who are licensed to measure the qualities of each show participant as well as keep track of updated standards in all languages. The FCI also maintains the schedule of show events for the dog owners, while also helping to maintain the protection of the kennel names.

Unlike other kennel clubs, the Federation Cynologique Internationale does not register dogs, nor does it issue any pedigrees.

Under the watchful eye of the Federation Cynologique Internationale, dog breeds across Europe have been maintained for nearly a century and will continue to be guarded.