DOGS 101 PORTUGUESE PODENGO SERIES

Podengos carry their ears erect and forwards when excited or alert. They are broader at the base before tapering to the tips and set obliquely and high on a dog's head. Ears are triangular shaped being large and thin to the touch. Podengos always have an alert expressive look about their eyes. Their eyes are moderately large and set obliquely on a dog's face with the eye colour matches a dog's coat which means they can be a light to dark brown. Their muzzles are quite blunt giving the impression of being wedge-shaped and lips are thin being tight fitting and black in colour. Their occipital bones are very slightly pronounced and stops are moderately well defined. They have fine lean heads with either slightly arched or flat skulls. They are nicely proportioned and have a bit of a Pharaoh Hound look about them. The small Portuguese Podengo is a sturdy dog that boasts being slightly longer in the body than they are tall. Height at the withers: Males 20 - 30 cm Females 20 - 30 cmĪverage height: Males 4 - 5 kg Females 4 - 5 kg

DOGS 101 PORTUGUESE PODENGO SERIES

The Medium sized Podengos starred in many television series and films which includes Three Wishes Dante’s Peak and Zeus and Roxanne.

The Portuguese Podengo hunts by smell sight and sound in packs or on their own.

Podengos can have either a smooth or wire coat.

The breed gained Kennel Club recognition in October 2003.

The first small Portuguese Podengo arrive on British shores in 2002.

Podengos have been around since the 15th Century.

The breed comes in 3 varieties small medium and large.

Their name “Podengo” means “rabbit hunter or warren hound.

The Podengo is Portugal’s national dog and are renowned for being wonderful family pets.

Is the Portuguese Podengo a vulnerable breed? No they are a very popular breed in their native Portugal and they are finding a big fanbase in the UK too but puppies can be expensive.

However anyone wishing to share their homes with a Portuguese Podengo would need to register their interest with breeders and agree to being put on a waiting list for the pleasure of doing so. Over recent times the Portuguese Podengo has found fanbases in other countries of the world which includes UK and although their numbers remain quite low they are slowly rising with more well-bred dogs being registered with The Kennel Club every year. The same year in 2003 the smallest of the three dogs was introduced to the UK. The first wired-haired Podengos were exhibited in the States in 2001 and two years later smooth coated dogs were introduced to America too. The breed has existed in Portugal since the 16th century but it's the small Podengo that has remained so highly prized and dogs are still used to hunt by sight scent and sound. They have also always been highly prized as companions and family pets thanks to their kind and affectionate natures being especially good around children and the fact they are very good watchdogs regardless of their small size. Smooth haired Podengos were used in northern Portugal where the climate is that much wetter whereas wired-haired dogs were popular in the hotter and therefore drier regions of the land. Over time three sizes emerged with each of them having two coat types. What is known is that the small Podengo (Pequeno) has been around in Portugal since the 15th Century and that they have always been highly prized for their ability to go down burrows after their prey. Podengo translated from Portuguese means 'warren hound' or 'rabbit hunter' and these fast quick witted dogs were given their name because they proved to be skilled at the job they were asked to do. They quickly became highly prized hunting dogs and more particularly when it came to chasing and catching rabbits even when they went down a burrow. These little dogs from Asia Minor were taken by Phoenician traders to many Mediterranean and north African countries during 700 BC.

The Portugues Podengo is thought to be a descendant of the Pharaoh Hound of ancient Egypt and that they were taken to Portugal by Phoenician traders.

Dogs 101 portuguese podengo