Portuguese Podengo
Encyclopedia
The Portuguese Podengo is an ancient multi-sensory hound (sight and scent) breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

 of dog from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

. The Podengo comes in three sizes that are not interbred - small (Pequeno), medium (Medio) and large (Grande), each size with two hair coats (smooth and wire coat) and its own unique temperament.
All three sizes love to hunt, its tradition in their native country.
Typically, the dogs hunt in a pack
Pack (canine)
Pack is a social group of conspecific canids. Not all species of canids - notably the red fox - form packs. Pack size and social behaviour within packs varies across species.-Species which exhibit pack behavior:...

 with their human companion following them on large tracts of land with lots of game.
Their hunting style is of an independent nature, with the dog(s) forging ahead with the hunter within their site range (which can be many acres). When game is found, they will kill it and bring it back to the hunter or wait for the hunter to catch up and shoot it.
Each is capable of hunting game that is appropriate to their size and temperament. (Pequeno-rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s, Medio-rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s and wild boar, Grande-deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...

 and wild boar).

It is a healthy breed and the Pequenos average lifespan is approximately 15–17 years. The Médios live to be approximately 12–15 years.
  • The Portuguese Podengo in the UK is represented by The Portuguese Podengo Club of Great Britain, and the Podengo Pequeno was recognized by the Kennel Club in 2003. The Breed Standard was approved on January 1, 2006. The Podengo Pequeno was transferred from the Import Register into the Breed Register on January 1, 2008 at the Kennel Club. The Podengo Pequeno now has its own breed classes at Championship Shows and Open Shows (the other sizes are in the process of being included). The Podengo Pequeno was shown at Crufts for the first time in 2009. There are approximately 500 Podengos (primarily Pequeno) now resident in the UK.


  • In Europe, the Podengo is classified by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
    Fédération Cynologique Internationale
    Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

     (FCI) as Group 5: Spitz and primitive type, Section 7: Primitive type hunting dogs. The FCI breed standard, which originates in Portugal, governs all types and varieties of the Portuguese Podengo.

  • The United Kingdom registers the most Podengos, followed by Finland, the United States, and Portugal.

  • In both the United States and the UK the Portuguese Podengo is classified in the Hound Group.

  • All Podengo types are hardy, intelligent and lively dogs, excelling at agility and making fine companions. Loyal and fearless, Podengos are also good house guards and are amenable to training by dog experienced people and those that enjoy primitive (unrefined, "less domesticated") dog behavior.

Types and varieties

There are three sizes of Podengos: Podengo Pequeno, Podengo Medio and Podengo Grande,

Within each size type are two varieties: smooth (also referred to as smooth coat) and wire (also referred to as wire coat, wirehaired, longhaired or rough coat).
All of these types are called 'Portuguese Podengo' as a 'breed,' although none of these six types are interbred.
  1. Portuguese Podengo Pequeno (Smooth)
  2. Portuguese Podengo Pequeno (Wire)
  3. Portuguese Podengo Medio (Smooth)
  4. Portuguese Podengo Medio (Wire)
  5. Portuguese Podengo Grande (Smooth)
  6. Portuguese Podengo Grande (Wire)


In its home country, the Podengo is referred to as Small, Medium or Large Podengo.
It is acceptable for the hair description to come before or after the 'type' name.

In the United States, the American Kennel Club split the Podengo Pequeno from the other two sizes as a separate breed. This was done primarily to prevent the interbreeding of the Pequeno with the Medio.

General information

The Grande (large) was developed for deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...

 and wild boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...

 hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...

. It will exhaust and hold down the prey and await the hunter's gun. The Grande is now very rare in its home country.

The Medio (medium) was developed for rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

 chasing, flushing, hunting and retrieval. Its hunting style includes catlike stalking and, similar to the Ibizan Hound
Ibizan Hound
The Ibizan Hound , pronounced "I-bee-zan" or "I-beeth-an", is a lean, agile dog of the hound family. There are two hair types of the breed: smooth and wire. The more commonly seen type is the smooth...

, it often jumps above the prey before landing on or near it to flush it out of dense brush, rock crevices or burrows. It will dig if necessary to flush prey.

The Pequeno (small) was also developed for flushing rabbits from cover. It is also a good mouser and was probably kept on board explorer ships when the Portuguese initiated the European worldwide explorations in the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the United States, the United Kennel Club (UKC) represents the breed as shown in Portugal and all FCI countries—the three sizes, all with two coat varieties—as one breed. The American Kennel Club (AKC) has divided the breed into the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno and the Portuguese Podengo (includes the medio and grande size). This breed Portugese Podengo is represented by the American Portuguese Podengo MedioGrande Club. The current proposed standard for the breed is available at: www.podengo-mediogrande.com. The Pequeno entered the AKC Misc class in January 2011. The Portugese Podengo (which includes the Medio and Grande), needs to be at 150 to move to Misc.

Appearance

  • WIRE COAT

The WPP is a small-sized type with a rough coat. The single coat (without undercoat) does shed but not very
much.
  • SMOOTH COAT

The SPP is a small-sized type with a dense smooth coat with undercoat that is low maintenance. It naturally sheds dust and dirt and dries very quickly.

The height for the Portuguese Podengo Peqeuno is 20–30 cm (8-12 inches) and weight is 4–6 kg (9-13 lbs). Dogs should not exceed the maximum height.

Temperament

Both kinds of Podengo Pequeno are small, friendly, hardy, lively and intelligent companions. They are very active and usually good with children and other animals when socialized from an early age. They enjoy time with their human family.

Like their Medio relatives, they are very watchful and observant and will bark when something gets their attention. They enjoy running and sunshine and must have a secure enclosed fence.
The Podengo Pequeno is trained well with positive techniques and should be kept on leash all of the time during training as they can be quite autonomous and have their own ideas about what constitutes proper behavior. They can be remarkably silly in the home, running around and jumping off furniture with abandon, therefore care must be taken to not allow them free roam of the house or hurting themselves by jumping from too high a perch.
A walk with many Pequenos can be a delight and they will continually come back to the owner to make sure they are coming along.

History

The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno accompanied Portuguese explorers on their ships for ratting purposes after the Portuguese completed the reconquest
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...

 of their country from the Moors in the 13th century.

Wire Coat Pequenos were first shown in the United States in 2001 when Chicharro de Viamonte, owned by Marilyn Piurek and Kip Bergstrom, was exhibited at an ARBA show in Boston. He was the first Podengo to ever be shown in the United States and the first Podengo Pequeno champion in ARBA and Rarities. Smooth coat Pequenos were first shown in the United States in 2003.

Wire Coat Pequenos were first imported to the UK in 2002. The smooth coated Pequeno followed in 2004.

Most (75%)of the purebred Portuguese Podengos in the United States consist of the Pequeno size, and most of these (85%) are of the wire coat variety.

Appearance

  • WIRE

The WPM is a medium-sized type with a rough coat that functions as an air conditioner in the hot weather. This coat was preferred in the South of their native Portugal, which is very warm. The single coat (without undercoat) does shed but not very much.
  • SMOOTH

The SPM is a medium-sized type with a dense smooth single layer coat that is extremely low maintenance. It naturally sheds dust and dirt and dries very quickly. For that reason the Smooth Coat variety is preferred in the North of their native Portugal, which has rainy winters. The single coat (without undercoat) does shed but not very much.

Temperament

Both kinds of Podengo Medio are friendly, hardy and intelligent companions. They are very active and usually good with children and other animals, including livestock, especially when socialized from an early age.

They are watchful and observant and will bark when something gets their attention. Most enjoy digging and need a secure fence, optimally enclosing their own yard. As they are very agile, regular fencing might not be enough, as they are excellent jumpers and climbers. The best way to address this is with a high enough fence to prevent jumping and a "fence" below the ground, preferably of hardware cloth.

When trained, Podengo Medios can have good recall when not on leash. While hiking with them, they generally stay in visual distance and "check" on their owners frequently, always being aware of their position (although that can mean a few acres away). Of course, they must be trained with a reliable recall first.

They are an enthusiastic, trainable dog. This led them to star in a number of movies in the 1990s and 2000s, including Dante's Peak
Dante's Peak
Dante's Peak is a 1997 disaster film directed by Roger Donaldson, written by Leslie Bohem, and starring Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton and Charles Hallahan. The film portrays the effect of a volcano erupting near a small town in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The film is loosely...

, Three Wishes
Three Wishes (film)
Three Wishes is a 1995 drama-fantasy film directed by Martha Coolidge and starring Patrick Swayze, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Joseph Mazzello.-Plot:...

, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is the 1996 sequel to the 1993 film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Directed by David R. Ellis, the film features the three animals from the first film, Shadow the Golden Retriever , Sassy the Himalayan cat , and Chance the American Bulldog Homeward...

, Zeus and Roxanne
Zeus and Roxanne
Zeus and Roxanne is a 1997 family comedy/adventure film directed by George T. Miller. The film revolves around the friendship between the title characters, a dog and a dolphin, respectively. The film stars Steve Guttenberg and Kathleen Quinlan.-Cast:...

, Secondhand Lions
Secondhand Lions
Secondhand Lions is a 2003 American dramedy film written and directed by Tim McCanlies. It tells the story of an introverted young boy who is sent to live with his eccentric uncles on a farm in the U.S...

, Can of Worms
Can Of Worms (film)
Can of Worms is a Halloween Disney Channel Original Movie. It was released in 1999, and is based on the novel of the same name, which was a Young Reader's Choice Nominee in 2002 and a nominee for the 2001 Rhode Island Children's Book Award. The film was shot in Vancouver, British...

 and Soccer Dog: The Movie
Soccer Dog: The Movie
Soccer Dog: The Movie is a 1999 film that follows a dog who has an uncanny ability to play soccer.-Plot:The movie begins with a now grown-up Alden telling the story of his childhood in an orphanage, and how his parents set him on the steps of the Pelton Orphan home. He says that 'soccer was the...

.

History

The Portuguese Podengo Medio, both smooth and wirehaired, has existed, unregistered, in the United States for decades in small numbers with Portuguese-Americans in private home settings, where they have been used for traditional rabbit hunting. They were never really popularized outside of their immigrant homesteads. They are attractive, nice family dogs, with a touch of mischief. The first group of Podengo Medio fanciers met in the US in the early 90's via the early internet Gopher (protocol) system and rec.pets.dogs.breeds.

Registered purebred Smooth Podengo Medios began being shown in America in 2004 and registered purebred Wirehaired Podengo Medios began being shown in America in 2005.

The first Wirehaired Podengo Medio to be shown in North America was AM/CDN Ch Evita V.D. Kleiheuvel, owned by Mary Dixon at a United Kennel Club show in Belleville, Michigan. Evita became the first WPM United States Champion (with United Kennel Club
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...

) and the first Canadian Podengo Champion (with Canine Federation of Canada). The first Podengo Medio born in North America was Ch Marcos de Retrouvaille and was bred by Dixon.

The first Podengo to earn an American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...

Tracking Dog title (on February 17, 2008) was Jolena De Retrouvaille WM, bred by Dixon.

Still rare, breeders in Portugal primarily breed for rabbit hunting, not pets. They are hunting dogs, often kept in kennels, not in homes. The idea of Wirehaired Podengo Medios being kept more as house pets began with breeders in Europe. This has been attempted in North America with varying success.

Appearance

  • WIRE COAT

The WPG is a large-sized type with a tough but even temperament and a rough coat that primarily functions as a briar-protectant when hunting wild boar.
The single coat (without undercoat) does shed but not very much.
Registered WPGs are very rare, even in its home country and is not yet available to export.
  • SMOOTH COAT

The SPG is a large-sized type with a dense smooth single layer coat that also functions as a briar-protectant when hunting wild boar. The registered SPG is still rare in its home country, with very few individuals available for export.

Temperament

Both kinds of Podengo Grande are known to be tough, hardy and intelligently observant animals. They must be socialized very well and carefully by a primitive breed-experienced handler. They are used primarily for hunting wild boar in large packs, where they are released from kennel trucks and sent to chase the boar to its den. They then continue to harass it until it emerges in its attack mode. The dogs then jump in and attach to the boar from all angles and dispatch it swiftly. The waiting hunter can then retrieve the prey.

They will be good guardians and require a securely fenced yard (at least 6 ft tall).
They enjoy digging dens, also, like their other Podengo relations. It is most closely related to the Podengo Medio, in fact, Podengo Medios which grow too tall for the Medio standard may be classified as Podengo Grandes. This arrangement does not exist in any other way within the Podengo group.

Training will be firm but fair with the Podengo Grande as it must have respect for its handler and be amenable to training.

History

The Portuguese Podengo Grande may have existed, unregistered, in North America with Portuguese-Americans in private home settings, where they have been used for deer and wild pig hunting.

The first Podengo Grande was imported to the US in 2008 and the first litter born in 2009 as well as the import of 4 Grande of the wire coat. 2010 brought the second litter of Grande

Breeders in Portugal continue to breed primarily for hunting and the PG is kept and raised in kennels.

There is a unique system currently in place in Portugal where unregistered dogs (denoted by the kennel club of Portugal as R.I. or 'Initial Registration') may be evaluated by breed experts and used in a breeding program. Succeeding generations, also evaluated by said experts, may eventually result in a 3 generation pedigree of known, evaluated, 'R.I.' dogs which would thus create a full pedigree for certain formerly "RI" Podengos. This process is carried forth under rules established by the CPC and is not exportable to other countries as it relies on the presence of indigenous wild specimens of the breed.

In the United States the American Kennel Club (AKC) has determined that the Medio and Grande size together are to be called 'Podengo' as one breed.
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