Those of you who read Galgo News will know that I have travelled into Spain on several rescue missions with the French association L'Europe des Levriers. Besides galgos, we have brought out many podencos, travelling to their forever homes. This is the translation of an article written by preisdent Beatrice Monnet on the EDL website.
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L’Europe des Levriers bringing podencos to France
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Podencos – cruel treatment by the Spanish hunters
Podencos suffer severe maltreatment at the hands of the Spanish hunters – abandoned, starving, caught in snares, ends of their noses chopped off to make them look like a pig, chained through the mouth to a wall, stoned to death……………..some have even had 'shot' still inside them, where they have been hit as well as the rabbits!Here's a few examples.
I make no apologies for posting all these pictures together, let's start off Podenco Post by showing some of the horrors perpetrated against these loving and affectionate dogs, some of whom found loving homes eventually, one who sadly did not, murdered at the hands of a 16 year-old thug.
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Podenca Estrella, survivor of the Jaen killing station
I've fostered quite a few podencos, mostly the rough-haired type, from mainland Spain. One of the most beautiful stories is that of Estrella. In December 2009 I posted a picture on Galgo News of 3 galgas and a podenca in a cell in the killing station in Jaen. Rescue of the 3 galgas was arranged but somehow the podenca was overlooked. I received an appeal from across the ocean in Canada – the podenca is still in Jaen, can you get her out?
So the wheels were speedily set in motion and the podenca was rescued and taken to a refuge. An association with whom I work closely, L'Europe des Levriers, then agreed to help get the podenca from Jaen to Madrid, from where I could collect her, along with other galgos we were bringing out to France for rehoming. So there we were, at the beginning of February 2010, meeting up with Estrella – as the podenca had been named – to bring her home to foster.
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Podenco Orito – the podenco of the Malaga peninsula
There is little known about the Podenco Orito so the information which follows is a translation from an article in Spanish.
Maybe because there are too few of them, and only in very specific areas of Andalucia, the so-called “Podenco Orito is not recognized as an Andalusian Podenco and was almost completely eradicated. Luckily, some hunters kept them as valued hunters of rabbit, and so now it is recognised as a ‘new Spanish breed’.
In farming jargon “Orito” is any animal including a dog which has black or brown fur with chocolate colored reflections of gold, ‘oro. ” Proponents of these dogs, which have always existed in Andalusia, see the word “Orito ‘, gold, synonymous with value, quality. When people began to officially recognize the Podenco Orito as a breed, the differences between the colours of the coats and sizes of dog – in some places there were even completely black dogs – the locals always called them ‘oritos’ and they were very effective to hunting rabbits.
But for whatever reason, these dogs, the podenco coloured chocolate brown or black with reddish brown markings, were excluded from the new Andaluz Podenco standard. This exclusion, in a world dominated by the standardization imposed by the breeds and pedigrees, meant the death penalty for the Orito. The Orito “was no longer a Podenco” and many hunters began to ignore them.
However, a number of hunters and farmers were dissatisfied with this decision and continued to hunt and breed them and have thus saved the Orito from extinction. They have la Asociación Nacional del Español Ibizan Orito Orito Podenco andwant the breed to be officially recognised as a breed by la Real Sociedad Canina.
Gaspar Jiminez breeds Oritos – the downside is he is also a hunter – and his passion for these dogs goes far back, long before he had a licence for a gun. He started hunting for rabbits for food, using a Podenco left behind in an abandoned farmhouse. He says. ‘In recognizing the breed Podenco Andaluz, a serious mistake was made because it did not take into account the Podencos occurring naturally in the different regions of Spain. The Orito was always present on the banks of the Genil (Granada) and the Guadalhorce, Malaga, because they were the best to hunt the rabbits in these extreme conditions of weeds and moisture.’
Apparently, when it came to the recognition of the Podenco Andaluz, breed promoters were faced with an obstacle, which was the Podenco Portuguese breed, which has existed as a breed since 1954. It can have a black pigmentation of the coat and so the Federacion Internacional Cinológica decided to exclude Podencos not all white or cinnamon-colored.
Without a doubt, by their morphology and character, there are differences between the Podencos, but between them there is a strong racial likeness.
Gaspar Jiminez is convinced the Orito is the ancestor of all existing Podenco breeds on the Iberian Peninsula. “The Orito is clearly a Podenco, perfectly proportioned, stately and brave; the Orito can adapt to any surface, no matter how wet or how hard it is, and is strong in all conditions. What other dogs cannot reach, the Orito always will. “
The Spanish mainly use them for hunting rabbits and partridge, but they are also good for pest control and for hunting wild boar.
The Orito has a primitive character but once they mature after about 12 months of age, there is a radical change and then they are very docile and obedient.
What the main differences with the other Podenco types? All podencos, the Ibicenco, the Canario, Andaluz, the Cirneco Portuguese, have upright ears, have similar proportions and morphology, but the Orito is a dog” very conditioned “for difficult terrain, with lots of weeds and moisture , and in fact he has an undercoat that protects him, his skin is harder and the morphological and craniofacial features are very harmonious.
According to measurements taken by the team of Mariano Herrera, University of Cordoba, where about 115 Podencos Orito dogs are registered, racial perfection “is great.” 94 percent of females would have an ideal morphology for the work they perform, but in males this percentage dropped to 76 percent, so he predicts a bright future for these dogs.
La Asociación Nacional del Ibizan Orito Español has already contacted the Spanish association as regards the recognition of the Podenco Orito as a breed.
In the past it was very common to see an Orito with a mainly black or chocolate brown coat with blonde eyebrows, blonde legs with socks, blonde around the mouth, blonde or even white on the chest. Later this type of Ibizan disappeared, but now the numbers of the IPodencoOrito are reportedly increasing. This species is native to the area north of Malaga.
In 2009 the first breed meeting of the Podenco Orito was held. During that meeting, many veterinarians gathered data from the Podenco Orito present, such as blood tests, measurements, hair research, photos, etc. This was the first step to getting the Podenco Orito recognized as a breed by the Sociedad Canina Española. This is also known as “Podenco Archidones”.
Previously, the Orito of the Podenco Andaluz was excluded by default, because examination of the Veterinary Faculty of Cordoba showed that there was no consistency with previous studies on the Podenco Andaluz. No surprise, if we assume that all the Podencoss defined in the area around the Mediterranean do not have the same origin, none of the varieties already approved (Podenco Portugues, Podenco Canaria, Ibicenco, Pharaoh Dog, Cirneco, Podenco Andaluz), have a similar coat. Therefore, it can be assumed that the Podenco Orito descended from ancient crosses with other dogs of the peninsula.
To prevent extinction of this type of Podenco and striving for recognition of the Orito as a breed, a union has been formed la Asociación Nacional del Podenco Orito Español and there are currently approximately 400 registered with the association, although it is know that there are far more unregistered.
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Podenco Maneto – a big personality on little legs!
The Ibizan Maneto: a strong loyal little dog; yet another podenco type not recognized by the FCI, only the RSCE (La Real Sociedad Canina de España). In 2004 the Podenco Maneto was recognized as an indigenous race in Spain. There is no scientific evidence of how old the breed is, but there are several dogs that resemble Manetos depicted in photographs and paintings from the 19th century. The breed originated in Andalusia in southern Spain; in particular, the regions around Cadiz and Malaga are considered the cradle of the birth of the Ibizan Maneto race.
The Maneto could simply be described as a Dachshund Podenco; weighing between 8.5 to 11.5 kg. The recognized colors are different shades of red and white. They have the characteristic large upright ears of a Podenco with the characteristic Dachshund legs. They are used for hunting rabbits like their cousin the Ibizan Andaluz. It is believed that the Ibizan Maneto emerged from the medium Podenco Andaluz. Controlled by inbreeding within the breed to maintain pure bloodlines, breeders have produced the mutated gene in this breed to the point that it’s an obvious characteristic of the classification of the breed.
The Maneto is an expert at hunting in dense brush, they are also used in narrow canyons; a are particularly suited for detecting and retrieving the prey, both on land and in water and are often combined with the Ibizan Andaluz during the hunt, as they can go where the bigger dogs cannot. Manetos also often work closer to the hunter than the Andaluz. The Maneto is used for both prey detection and killing, and also retrieves the prey when it has been shot.
They hunt in packs where they help each other to detect the rabbit. They are not particularly fast, given their short legs, but they work quietly and methodically. Once they detect a prey, they stop and bark, then the other dogs move in quickly to continue the hunt.
But Maneto is not just a hunting dog, they also have a reputation as very sweet family pets which adapt easily to family life. They also love being with their owner and keen for affection. They like to sleep in your bed and your feet warm during cold winter nights, and they will gladly do anything for you as long as they are rewarded with a tasty reward. This is a dog well suited to family life because they are very kind to their own families. Another major advantage of the Maneto their short legs as they cannot use whirling drumsticks come to your face while playing, like their older cousins often do! They are affectionate to their family, but may be reluctant and suspicious of strangers; however their natural curiosity and openness prevails after a while.
Especially in the beginning it is very important to a lot of time to spend with your Maneto to build a good relationship. It is a very independent and intelligent dog, with a strong temperament and character and probably see themselves as superior to other dogs, therefore it is important to Scialise the Maneto with many different breeds.
The Maneto have hunting in their genes, that is, it is not something they learn, so even if you adopt a puppy, the hunting instinct could be arounsed when exposed to certain stimuli. You have to practice and train the dog, call him to you, make contact, encourage him to follow you. The advantage of their short legs is that they can’t get away from you too quickly! If you are looking for a loyal friendly dog, then the Maneto is the perfect temperament for you.
Description
A narrow head in the shape of a cone and half as wide as long; a slightly pronounced stop; the colour of the nose and lips varies from honey-coloured to pink. It has big ears which can be folded; the legs are short and very muscular; height to withers approx 35cm and 11.5kg weight; convex back. Permissible colors are red and a little cinnamon to white.
He is very effective for hunting birds, especially partridge and quail, and the collection of ducks on the water, he is one of the most important collectors of small game in all mountain areas and areas with dense vegetation and shrubs.
All in all, the Podenco Maneto makes a very good family pet, very intelligent with a good memory, loyal, well balanced and affectionate. Give them a chance.
Copied by kind permission of Podenco World
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Podenco Campanero – one of the big guys
The Ibizan Campanero is not recognized by the FCI. Researchers in Spain see, based on scientific research, the Ibizan Campanero as a race. Certainly it is a large variation Podenco Andaluz.
The Ibizan Andaluz Podenco Campanero is one of large size with a shaggy white coat, he is seen by hunters as the jewel in the Ibizans because of his incomparable way of hunting. The official standard of the large size pPdenco Andaluz states that the height to the withers for males is 54 to 65 inches and females 53 to 61 cm. The Campanero has a smooth, compact construction, high intelligence, is noble, very sociable and always alert.
To achieve a Podenco with a heavier build (skeleton) for hunting larger game, it is believed that in the distant past a Podenco was crossed with a Mastiff and the result was a Podenco Campanero. It is a lively dog with a balanced character, very loving, submissive, loyal and faithful to his boss. This podenco type has an excellent sense of smell, does not tire quickly, is able to quickly search and is not intimidated. It is mainly used for hunting deer and wild boar.
“An ideal hunting companion, protector of the estate, a good companion in the solitude of the mountains, loyal to his last breath.”
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Podenco Andaluz – big dogs in a small body
The Ibizan Andaluz is one of the lesser known Podencos because the breed is not recognized by the FCI . In March 1992 the breed was recognized by Spain in the RSCE and attempts have been made to get the breed recognized internationally by the FCI. This is hard because the Spanish Andaluz Ibizan clubs struggle to help the owners of a Podenco Andaluz to register their Ibizan LOE (Libro de Origen de España). There are currently only 600 registered dogs, there are 2000 which need to be recognized by the FCI.
For a Podenco Andaluz to be recognized as pure bred, three generations require to be registered with the Portuguese LOE, who protest because they believe the Ibizan Andaluz is similar to their Podengo Português. Spain now looks to the standard of the Ibizan Andaluz, so perhaps a compromise will be reached soon.
The Ibizan Andaluz, the name says it all, is the Ibizan of the Spanish mainland. The breed is, in general, somewhat reserved with strangers, but to their owners they are are loyal, affectionate, obedient and respectful. They are never aggressive towards people. Officianados of this breed have never believed the report that a Podenco Andaluz attacked someone – even the large Ibizan Andalus; however one can imagine that a traumatised or abused Podenco Andaluz, when cornered, could attack to defend itself.
In Spain, the Ibizan Andaluz is used for hunting and has also a boss, the hunter, this would be called a one-man dog. However, in Andaluz the podenco lives in a pack, in a hunting kennel/barn and is never kept in the house. He knows no different. In an adoptive home with a family, he is perfectly able to love and share his friendship with the family. He will obey commands from other members in the family but strangers should approach him slowly; better to let him get used to them in his own time.
The hunting instinct is not always strong in a Podenco Andaluz but, as with all Spanish hunting breeds, it is not wise to allow them to roam freely in the first few months after adoption, as they need time to adjust to their new home and life.
Depending on the extent of the hunting instinct, the character of your dog, the degree of obedience, you can decide if your Ibizan will be walked without a lead. In areas with wild rabbits it is not wise because accidents will happen. The Ibizan is bred for hunting and hunting is in his genes, so it’s always a difficult balance between freedom and security. Yet I know a number of podencos which are walked loose on the beach and enjoy their freedom and podencos in the park freely play with other dogs. However, in an area with rabbits, the hunting instinct will take over. They almost always come back, but this may take several hours . The best place for a Podenco release is obviously a fenced area where they cannot run away, but where do you find one?
If a podenco itself could choose between a life in Spain on a short chain, vegetative in the burning sun, often without food or water, often abused , only being released for hunting for between 12 to 25 days or a life in a forever adopted home with love, care and attention every day food, long walks and an own basket where do you think a podenco would choose?!
In order to gain the trust of the podenco, one must first spend considerable time with their new dog. To create a bond with the dog, one must walk a lot with the dog on a lead, playing with the dog, etc. All contact between you and your new dog can enhance a happy and lasting relationship between you. A Podenco Andaluz in general, should learn a lot when it comes to live with you simply because it is not used to such a life. Be clear and firm, but do not use a hard hand as this is counterproductive. A quiet, friendly and consistent approach with positive reinforcement gets the best result. Grab a Podenco too hard and you may damage its trust in you forever.
The Ibizan Andaluz is just like the rest of the podenco’s, a hunting dog. The main prey are rabbits, but the Andaluz is a versatile hunting dog. It is primarily the Ibizan Andaluz Talla Grande used for hunting big game. . There are two different strains with regard to the Ibizan Andaluz. Een daarvan is gefokt voor de wilde jacht. One is bred for hunting wild. . These dogs detect the prey, the chase, killing the prey and bring it to the hunter. The other line functions more as a retriever and stays much closer to the hunter. . They find the prey for the hunter, who then shoots, after which the dog retrieves it for him. Most hunters use a variety of Spanish dogs, because they work together in order to surround the prey and to detect.
Unlike many other hunting breeds Podenco Andaluz requires no initial training for hunting, everything runs on instinct. The young pups have a dead rabbit to play with, just the instinct to generation. Then the young guns together with more experienced dogs that they show how the hunt for the most efficient way is implemented. Also by purchasing a puppy you can not beat the hunting instinct of a Podenco Andaluz around. As the hunt is conducted purely by instinct.
Everyone who adopts a Podenco should be aware that education requires much patience. An Ibizan Andaluz is very intelligent and learns quickly, but by his own wisdom, you will often be surprised. This means we must be inventive to our dogs to believe that they do things of their own free will. The training should be short, fun and conducted in a positive frame of mind. Otherwise they will get bored and find something else to amuse them. Because they are somewhat nervous, they must be trained with soft methods. An Ibizan who fells offended or unfairly treated may lose his relationship with his boss and it can be very difficult for the loss of confidence to be restored. An Ibizan remains loyal to his owner where he trust, but he can also choose to distance himself from someone who does not fulfill his expectations.
Personally I have only positive experiences with my dogs. After so many years I’m just more to love this breed. An Ibizan Andaluz much attention and confidence, so I think it is unwise to adopt a Podenco when working full time and the Ibizan left too. They are very sweet and affectionate, as Lili is just a lap dog who likes to sit on my lap all day. They have a lot of energy and get on very well with other dogs. They are certainly not always busy because they can also spend hours in their baskets or on the couch sleeping peacefully. Together in a pack, they can be perfectly fine but once in a while, they sometimes fight over a toy or chew stick, but that is rare. As with other breeds of puppies, they will chew a newspaper or shoe, but soon outgrow that.
They need some time to adjust to their new homes. Depending on the extent of the hunting instinct, the character of your dog, the degree of obedience, you can decide if your Ibizan runs off lead. In areas where there are wild rabbits, it is not a good idea because accidents will happen! The Ibizan is bred for hunting and hunting is in his genes, so it’s always a difficult balance between freedom and security. Yet I know a number Podencos who run free on the beach and enjoy their freedom and will play freely in the park with other dogs. However, in an area where there are rabbits, their hunting instinct will take over. They almost always come back, but this may take several hours …. The best place to release a podenco is obviously a fenced area where they cannot run away!
What would a podenco choose – a life in Spain in a short chain, existing in the burning sun, with hardly any food or water and abused, or a forever home abroad. He only hunts for 12 to 25 days! Whereas adopted abroad to a life with love, care and attention, every day food, long walks and its own basket!
In order to gain the trust of the Ibizan one must first spend considerable time with the new dog. To create a bond with the dog, one must walk a lot with the dog leash, playing with the dog, etc. All contact between you and your new dog can enhance a guarantee for a happy and lasting relationship between you. A quiet, friendly and consistent approach with positive reinforcement gets the best result.
The Ibizan Andaluz is a hunting dog, just like the rest of the podencos. The main prey is rabbits, but the Andaluz is a versatile hunting dog. They are also used for hunting deer, wild boar and birds. Primarily it is the Ibizan Andaluz Talla Grande which is used for hunting big game. There are two different strains with regard to the Ibizan Andaluz. One is bred for hunting game. These dogs detect the prey, chase, killing the prey and bring it to the hunter. The other type functions more as a retriever and stays much closer to the hunter. They find the prey for the hunter, who then shoots, after which the dog retrieves it for him. Most hunters use a variety of Spanish dogs, because they work together in order to surround the prey and to detect.
Unlike many other hunting breeds Podenco Andaluz requires no initial training for hunting, everything runs on instinct. The hunter introduces an early victim to a puppy. The young pups have a dead rabbit to play with. Then the young guns run together with more experienced dogs who show how to hunt in the most efficient way. Also by purchasing a puppy you cannot beat the hunting instinct, as the hunt is conducted purely by instinct.
I always enjoy sitting in the garden and Chica, Bonita and Lili each sit in a chair at the table. If I go out, on my return they greet me as though I’ve been away for a year! I have the idea that people think podencos are very difficult, but it is probably only because of the hunting instinct, because they are very sweet, affectionate dogs, very loyal and with a heart of gold. They can be stubborn and somtimes a bit busy, but they are very sweet dogs.
Their eyes radiate such love; and those heads with so much expression, amazing ears that can assume any position, depending on how they feel. Look in the eyes of a beautiful Podenco and your heart will melt .. give them a chance because they deserve more recognition!
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Happy Endings, Cadiz – saving the podencos of Chiclana
Happy Endings is a small association in Chiclana, Cadiz, run by Margarita Gloerson, a Norwegian lady who could not stand by and see the abandoned, starving, injured podencos dying by the roadside. This is the story of Happy Endings.
'My name is Margarita Gloersen from http://www.happy-ending-final-feliz.eu/ in Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz. I have been working with dogs since I arrived Chiclana in 2005. I am from Norway, and when I came I just could not believe my day to day experiences with animals lying in the road, killed by cars and all the others just left to themselves with no chances to survive in the long run. Sooner or later they would become run over by cars, since all the trash bins are alongside the roads.
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Podenco Malagueno or Ibizan Malagueno
Little is known about this Podenco and it is not recognized by the FCI, but extensive scientific research has been done in Spain on the breed.
The Ibizan Malagueño is a race, variant or ecotype in the group of Iberian Andalusian podencos. It is a pure Spanish Andalusian podenco, perfectly adapted to the climate, the topography of the country and ultimately for hunting in the province of Malaga, particularly rabbits.
It is ideal for hunting rabbits, hunting alone or together in a pack, with a nervous demeanor and distinctive bark, it uses smell, sight and hearing. It is a natural hunting dog, modest, well proportioned and muscular, a practical hunter who do not see hunting as a game.
In the countryside, farmers and hunters contribute to the cultural enrichment by ensuring the survival of the Spanish water dog, the goat and the Ibizan Malaguenese Malagueño.Although not the Ibizan Malagueño is not internationally recognized, like the Ibizan Andaluz, we can refer to two important dates in the recent history of dog breeds, the National Symposium of Spanish breeds in 1982 and the International Symposium of Spanish breeds in 1992.
The group of native Spanish breeds Ibizan Divided is writing three categories depends on the size (small, medium and large, with three variations in ITS (short, long and shaggy), as described by the famous hunter Raul Bengoechea in articles published in 1961.
The Iberian, or Spanish Andalusian Ibizan has nothing to do with the Ibizan Hound or the Canario Podengo Portuguese nor the Cirneco del Etna. All these varieties can be derived from a distant common strain, but the differences are clear.
Podencos are named for the area where it occurs: Ibizan Campanero, Ibizan Gallego, Ibizan Alicantino, etc. They have Ibizan Andaluz in common in that they result from a particular region with some characteristics in common and also clear differences in build.
The Ibizan Malagueño cannot be compared with the medium Ibizan from other regions. After studying various morphological relationships within the same breed which are directly related to their hunting style and behaviour in the field, they all have different skills, which are complementary to the task of hunting on hard and dry ground.
So the Podenco Malagueño hunts with his head half down without touching the ground, with the head movement, the slow trot and slow zigzag movements. He walks back and forth, back and forth in constant contact with the hunter, and indicates with the movement of his tail any wildlife.
In summary, the Iberian Andalusian Podenco Malagueño is a medium sized dog who hunts with the use of hearing, smell and sight, with a rugged head carried higher in males than in females. It is a born hunter, of medium height from 44 to 50 cm. large ears, well proportioned and muscular body, with a good sense of smell, sight and hearing, perfectly adapted to the climate and topography of the land in the province of Malaga and specializing in hunting rabbits.
The Ibizan Malagueño is an infallible weapon for catching rabbits with its teeth without the need for shotguns.
This article is copied from http://www.podencoworld.nl