GROUP 4 - HOUNDS

Brief History
The Portuguese Podengo was developed long before written records of dog breeding were kept, meaning that very little of this breed’s ancestry is known with certainty. There is evidence of dogs of a similar style existing very long ago around the Mediterranean, being used as hunters of small game and as companions and these may have been the forebears of the breed.

The Portuguese Podengo is the National Breed of Portugal.

This breed comes in three varieties differing in size; small, medium and large and there are two coat types (Smooth and Wire) found in each size.

The largest, or grande, is extremely rare even in Portugal, and the medium is not very numerous. The small is the only variety in Australia.

Average Life Span
When considering a dog please realise that you are taking it on for its lifetime.

The average life span is 10 to 15 years of age.

Temperament
Lively, active, intelligent, friendly.

General Breed Description
All Podengos are very fast, agile and extremely durable dogs. They are similar to many other primitive hunting breeds in that they tend to form close attachments with their family and are known for their great loyalty. Some breed members have a tendency to become one-person dogs, but most will form equally strong attachments to all members of a family. These breeds vary tremendously in terms of affection level. While some are very openly affectionate, most are more reserved and those that have not been exposed to children from a young age may or may not be tolerant of them.

All varieties are used for hunting as watch dogs and companion dogs and can be used in a number of performance events such as agility, obedience, earthdog and lure coursing.

The most common colours are yellow and fawn in all shades from light to dark, either or without white markings or white with patches of these colours.

Coat and Care Requirements
The two coat varieties are smooth or wire, both of medium thickness. The smooth haired coat is short and those dogs are more adapted to a rainy climate because they dry quickly, however, the wire-haired coat is a bit longer and these dogs need a drier climate so as not to accumulate water inside the hair. Both coats are very easy to groom. They require brushing once or twice a week and should be bathed infrequently to preserve natural body oils, ideally once every three or four months. Other than that, this breed only needs the routine maintenance procedures required of all dogs such as nail clipping and teeth brushing. This breed is an average shedder that will regularly leave hair on furniture, clothes and carpets.

Size
SMALL:
Height: 20 to 30cms (8 to 12ins).
Weight: 4 to 5kgs.

MEDIUM:
Height: 40 to 54cms (16 to 2ins).
Weight: 16 to 20kgs.

LARGE:
Height 55 to 70cms (22 to 28ins).
Weight: 20 to 30kgs.

Health
All breeds have individual health issues. When speaking to breeders it is recommended you enquire about breed’s health and what health testing the breeder does. A rare breed outside of Portugal, there is almost no data available on the breed’s health. It does appear that this breed is very healthy.

Suitability
They are well suited to suburban family life with a fenced in yard. The small Podengo adapts easily to city and country living.

In Conclusion
Now you know a little more about this breed. If you have decided this is the dog for you and wish to investigate further, please contact the Breed Club or Dogs Victoria. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog events where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the breed and its needs. With any breed of dog, it is important to research and determine suitability for your lifestyle before committing to a puppy which will be a part of your family for many years to come.

Whilst many breeds are recommended for families, it is imperative that when children are with dogs they are supervised at all times. Basic obedience training is a vital part of dog ownership.

Dogs Victoria is about the responsible ownership of all dogs and in particular the preservation of pure breeds.

Link to Dogs Australia Breed Standard https://dogsaustralia.org.au/breed/detail/76