


They require a great deal of exercise in order to stay fit and happy. If you live in an apartment in a city, the Podengo might not be the breed for you.

Podengos will do best in a rural or suburban home where they have plenty of room to run and a safe, fenced in yard to accommodate their love of the outdoors. They are best suited for owners who have experience with these types of breeds, as they are less domesticated than say, a Golden Retriever or a Pug might be, and require a special type of training and consideration in order to make good companion animals. Because of their long history and because they have remained relatively unchanged throughout the centuries, they still retain what some people would call “primitive” dog behavior, which makes them both an extremely special and unusual breed. They hunt everything from rabbits to wild boar, and make excellent guard dogs. Whatever the coat type, they make great hunters and are skilled at tracking and hunting a variety of game, big and small. Podengos can trace their history back to the 5th century in Portugal and come in two varieties: smooth and wire haired. Popular in their native land as well as in Portuguese immigrant communities around the world, they are a multitalented breed that excels both as a pet and as a hunting companion. Podengos are a type of hound that comes from Portugal. In the United States, they are considered a “hound”, while in the United Kingdom they are labeled a “primitive breed.” In Portugal, on the other hand, they are still regarded as a “spitz” breed. The Portuguese Podengo is a lively, intelligent, hardy breed that makes a happy, healthy and fun companion for all ages and lifestyles.Podengos are classified all around the world as different types of dogs. The Podengo is versatile and adaptable and just as happy with city or country lifestyles.įamilies, couples or singles who would like to share their life with the ideal companion dog. There is a need for some exercise and mental stimulation to satisfy their instinct to learn. Their single coat does not shed much so a regular bath and brush will remove loose hair and a regular nail clip will keep nails short.

The small Portuguese Podengo is a robust, healthy and hardy breed with low care requirements. They get on well with all other animals, large & small. The small Podengo is a pack oriented breed and thrives in the company of other dogs, other pets & their two legged family. Colour ranges from a rich red to a light sandy fawn with or without white trim. The small Portuguese Podengo has a lively, intelligent expression with pricked ears and a body that is well proportioned, muscular and agile. They do not bark excessively but will bark to alarm. The small Podengo make wonderfully loyal companions and are fearless and protective of their family. They are very attentive, so they are easily trained. They are a loving breed and love to please their human. They are entertaining & enchanting and there is never a dull moment when there is a Podengo around. The small Portuguese Podengo is a clever, active and agile dog with a happy disposition and a great personality. The Podengo is now also a great companion & it excels in obedience, agility, lure coursing and other performance sports as well as being used as therapy dogs.īreed Personality, Characteristics & Temperament The small Podengo also travelled the world, keeping rodent numbers down on the ships of the Portuguese explorers, including Magellan and Vasco da Gama, from the 15th century on. The breed has an acute sense of smell, sharp vision, and keen hearing and uses all of these senses along with speed, agility and endurance in a unique hunting style. The Podengo has developed over many centuries to be specifically suited to the rigors of the Portuguese climate and terrain, resulting in an exceptionally healthy, versatile, natural rabbit hunter able to flush rabbits from dense brush and rock crevices. It is a primitive type hound whose origin is thought to be from dogs such as the Pharaoh Hound from Egypt, brought by Phoenicians and Romans to the Iberian Peninsula in ancient times. The Portuguese Podengo is the national breed of Portugal.
