I first heard about the plight of Podencos when applying for my very own rescue mini version, the Podenco Maneto back in May 2021. The wonderful AA Dog Rescue were asking for adopters for Kira (aka Kiki-Dee) and myself, my husband and most importantly our daughter instantly fell in love with this cute and dare I say odd looking pooch. So, I'm here to convince you why you should own a Podenco and/or to donate to one of many Spanish rescue centres inundated with unwanted dogs.
ADOPT, DON'T SHOP!
"Podencos are often referred to as ‘Invisible Dogs’ or ‘The Great Forgotten’. They are the most abused dog in Spain. Bred to hunt and kept, usually chained, in squalid conditions - these ‘working dogs’ are not protected by Spanish law. It can be difficult to imagine the suffering they endure, hidden from view.
What most people don’t know about this little known and misunderstood breed is that they are one of the oldest breeds of dog in the world, descending from the ancient Pharaoh Hounds of Egypt.
There are three main types of Podenco in Spain. The small Podenco Andaluz of the mainland, the medium size Podenco Canario from the island of Gran Canaria - both used for rabbit hunting, and the very recognisable Podenco Ibicenco or Ibizan hound from the island of Ibiza - used for rabbit, deer and wild boar hunting.
The most accepted origin of the Podenco Andaluz, found mainly in the south of Spain, is that it was brought by the Phoenicians to Iberia (Spain). It is possible they bred the original Pharaoh hounds and with the Basenjis of Africa. It is believed that today that the Ibicenco and Canario Podencos are the purest form of the breed in that they were isolated for hundreds of years on these islands." Credit: Hope for Podencos
