Portuguese Podengo
Watch our video about the Portuguese Podengo!
The Podengo is the National Breed of Portugal. Podengos actually come in three sizes: small, medium and large, but only the small are recognised by the kennel club in the UK.Group: Hound
Size: Small
Coat length: Short
Grooming required: Once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Small or Large House
Garden size: Small/Medium
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 30 minutes per day
They are a well proportioned and muscular dog. All sizes of Podengo come in two coat types: smooth and wiry. The smooth coat type is much older, the wiry was created by mixing with other breeds. They usually come in fawn (all shades from light to dark) often with white patches. They can come in yellow but not plain white.
All three sizes were bred for hunting, what prey they hunt depends on their size. Generally they hunt in packs and flush out their prey. They then either kill it or wait for the huntsman to catch up and kill it. As Podengos are all hunting dogs, they have a keen sense of sight and smell. They can all be a little wilful but are intelligent and very trainable.
The Portuguese Podengo has a tendency to return to their owner when out on walks to check that they are still following. All sizes make loving companion dogs with their owners but the small and medium are naturally more friendly and sociable with strangers, children and other animals. They all need plenty of exercise so regular walks are important, the medium type is probably the fastest. They also like to dig and are good jumpers so fencing would need to be secure.
None of the types present any problems with grooming, in fact the breed standard states that they are not trimmed, even for the show ring. For both coat types, an occasional groom with a comb or brush is all that is needed. They are generally very hardy and healthy.