I’m always pleased to hear from readers of my blogs, whether they are regulars or ‘one-offs’. I recently received this one, which is not from someone who has written before. Not sure where they got the first paragraph from because it isn’t one I’ve written, though I agree with its sentiment. We all know the last 2 sentences in the second paragraph are rubbish! Those hunters who do treat their dogs with respect are a very small minority and still get rid of them when they are no longer of use.

I wonder if you agree with their comments.

‘Alexander Schaub Clerigué
To:
banddbrennan@yahoo.co.uk

“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?!”

This is a very unfortunate and tendentious generalisation, many spaniards adopt podencos and give them a happy life within the family environment (that’s the case of my family and many others). Additionally, most of the Spanish hunters I have met treated their podencos with respect. You should reconsider the accuracy of that paragraph.

Alexander’