Podenco Post

Category: Advice

  • What to consider when adopting a dog – Protectora Scooby

    Podencos make you smile 400
    From Protectora Scooby

    ‘All dogs are wonderful beings and amazing life partners but as much as we like animals, not everyone has to square up with our character and lifestyle, so it is best to be informed about the characteristics and necessities of the animal race/breed (if we know which one it is) before adopting him and above all, it is very important to be advised by the people who care and know them before taking the final step to expand your family with a four-legged companion.

    Many times people adopt dogs or cats because of how beautiful they are physically or because they follow a fashion, regardless of the character and needs of the chosen animal and that adoption generally ends in failure.

    This is said, to all of you who are thinking of sharing your lives with a dog or cat we encourage you to do so, but always responsibly and after meditating on it a lot.

    There are lots of animals in Scooby waiting for someone to give them a chance.

    adopciones@scoobymedina.org

    www.scoobymedina.org

  • All Rescue Dogs are Different

    pi”>Podenco in the mountains 400
    FROM Rebecca Hanlon – Canine Behaviour Practioner

    Adopting a dog is a wonderful feeling for us. Full of excitement and the idea of saving a life. But the experience is not the same for them.

    I often see posters stating the 3-3-3 rule. For the first 3 days they are totally overwhelmed but will then start feeling a little calmer. After 3wks they start to feel safer and more at home and then after 3months they have properly settled in.
    This idea, at least, makes people realise that moving to a new home is a massive, life changing event for dogs and that they need time to settle in.

    However, I find it a little too prescriptive and can set everyoneup for disappointment.

    (more…)

  • Dealing with fear in rescued dogs

    Beryl David 400 03 04 2011
    Many years ago on one of my many trips into Spain with French association L’Europe des Levriers we were asked to take a fearful galga who had been in foster in Southern France and was not improving. So Carmela came into my life and home. At 4 years old she had found herself dumped in a perrera, rescued by the association’s vice president in Spain, passported and blood tested and into foster in France.

    At the time we had a French lurcher, 2 other galgos and a small podenca. So plenty of company for Carmela to give her confidence. She was fearful of my husband – not surprising as most Spanish rescued hunting dogs are fearful of men – whatever do the hunters inflict on them?! She would exit the farmhouse into the enclosed courtyard following the other dogs but coming back inside was a different matter. All the doors had to be open and we humans had to hide out of sight. Eventually she would rush in like a tornado. Frequent shaking if my husband appeared, even though he doesn’t look Spanish, only eating food if we were out of sight.

    (more…)

  • Separation anxiety and fear with Podenca Rosely

    Rosely garden 400
    Regular readers will know that at the beginning of December I adopted Podenca Andaluz Rosely, who had spent most of her 8 years breeding babies for a hunter. She had no experience of life in the big wide world and came full of fear. Not the first time I’ve had to deal with a fearful Spanish hunting dog – as my galga Carmela, rescued from a perrera at 4 years old, was traumatized on arrival at our home. It took 2 1/2 years before she became what I would term ‘a normal dog’ if there is such a one!! So once again we’re having to deal with a dog fearful of life as a whole, and men especially. Once again my husband has to cope with a dog backing off from him, hiding under the table and so on.

    A strong part of a podenco’s character is loyalty and Rosely has it in abundance towards me! Which initially caused problems insofar as I do voluntary work 2 mornings/week and she had to get used to me disappearing for a few hours. The kitchen door into the rest of the bungalow had to be kept shut and she was only allowed into the garden to the toilet on lead. Night times were a problem too, and for the first time in my 70+ years of living with at least one dog, she is allowed to sleep on a bed beside my own – NEVER on my bed!

    (more…)

  • Canine Idiopathic Vestibular Disease – in older dogs

    Link to the website explaining the problem and what to look out for.

  • Podenco Friends – Bella on the mend

    Bev Bella 400 30 3 2022
    From Bev Farmer.

    ‘After a thorough assessment at our vets Bella’s neurological responses are good pupils equal and reacting normally. Did a full blood panel and everything is fine no indication of any infection, kidney liver function normal.

    They are treating her for canine idiopathic vestibular syndrome (see separate post) Bella is coming up to 11 years old but she is a very fit and active dog you would never know she is a senior. She had 5 injections at our vets and they have sent her home with 2 types of antibiotics and Prednisone. With instructions to keep a close eye on her that she doesnt have a fall and hit her head, however to encourage her to walk on a lead.

    She is kind of out of it at the moment, I took her for a potter round the paddock on a lead, she turned her nose up at her normal dinner, so got some chicken and rice cooking for her.

    (more…)

  • Separation anxiety in dogs – what to do

    Rosie tout seule 400
    My recently adopted podenca Rosely (Rosie) is my shadow. Which is great to a certain extent, but not good when left. I’ve never had a dog with separation anxiety problem, probably because most of my dogs have had companions. However, when Rosie first arrived, she did not have a housemate, so we had the howling and door scratching when left at night. I’ve never allowed dogs in bedrooms but now we’re in a bungalow, I’ve given in and Rosie has a bed at the side of mine for overnight sleeps.

    I do a couple of mornings voluntary work with Riding for the Disabled and also an animal charity shop. On both occasions she showed serious signs of distress – luckily my other half was at home with her.

    Her new housemate blind Podenco Bo arrived a week later and so over the weeks during the 3 months she has now been with us, she has adjusted to being left with him, although my other half says she sits at the patio doors looking for me. The greeting I get on my return home is wonderful, I must say.

    So I’m slowly working on her separation anxiety but can now appreciate what a problem it must be for those people who are not able to have more than one dog.

    Here’s a link to an article by the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the UK based animal rescue charity.

  • PACMA on the draft change to the Penal Code – no good for hunting dogs

    PACMA 26 2 2022 400
    ‘As you may know, in recent months there has been a considerable stir around possible changes in the Penal Code that would affect the penalties for animal abuse.

    The reforms that are projected in its draft are very far from meeting the expectations of animal activists; not even with those of current social feeling. The abusers will continue without stepping on jail.

    Killing and mistreating animals will remain a game.

    The maximum sentence for assault on an animal resulting in death is 24 months; just the minimum to avoid going to prison. The potential prison saturation could lead the judges to decide to change the sentence for a fine, whose bureaucratic process has also been streamlined. Many may become insolvent.

    (more…)

  • To the Galgueros of Spain

    Animal Abuser poster 400

  • Alternative therapies for dogs

    Many prescription medications have side effects. Many natural remedies can provide a safer alternative. This link takes you to an article discussing the subject. Aalthough it’s American, the weblinks therein are very interesting.

    My galgo Polar had a damaged hind knee and I was able to find a canine physiotherapist who use the same treatment on him as I had after my broken shoulder operation. I also used CBD oil for pain relief for him instead of Metacam.