Podenco Canario
Encyclopedia
Podenco Canario is a breed
of dog
originally from the Canary Islands
. The Podenco Canario is still used in the Canary Islands today in packs as a hunting dog
, primarily used for rabbit
hunting. The word "podenco" is Spanish for "hound". "Canario" means "Canarian" or "of the Canaries
".
approximately 55 to 64 cm (21.7 to 25.2 ins) for males, females slightly smaller. Sizes vary with the terrain on which the dog hunts. The short, dense coat
should be some shade of red, white, or a combination red and white, depending on the island and, in some cases, the specific area on some of the islands. There should be no other colour on the coat, or; indeed; anywhere on the body; as even the dog's nose, claws and skin are always a shade of red, and they are even known to "blush" when excited. The neck is long, the head is longer than it is wide, and the large ears are carried fully up. The long tail is usually seen low set but can be raised. The tail is not carried too high when moving. The dog should move in an extended and agile trot. Faults
, which indicate that a particular dog should not be bred, include aspects of appearance as well as structural faults that would impede the dog's ability to move and hunt, such as cow hocks and crossing of the fore and hind legs at a trot.
of northern Africa, who may have brought the dogs there as a food source.
Diverse recent genetics studies have concluded podenco is a type of dog very related to the rest of European hunting dogs and they are not more primitive than most of them.
s (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are a serious pest in the islands, where they were introduced (first on La Palma
) in the 16th century. Rabbit hunting with the Podenco Canario is a hugely popular sport, yet can in no way significantly alter the rabbit populations. The Canary Islanders who hunt with podencos often treat their dogs terribly, keeping as many as fifteen in a small cage and feeding them irregularly and infrequently. At the end of hunting season many hunters abandon their animals; some kill them outright. Females are not spayed and unwanted pups are usually killed via drowning, gunshots or abandonment. Hunters are often selfish and careless, often damaging agricultural areas..
The Podenco Canario is recognised by La Real Sociedad Canina de España (R.S.C.E., the Spanish Kennel Club) as an indigenous breed and is recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
as breed number 329 in Group 5 Spitz and primitive types, Section 7 : Primitive type - Hunting Dogs, Spain. In North America the breed is listed with the United Kennel Club
as a hunting dog in the Sighthound & Pariah Group
. The breed is also recognized by a number of minor registries, hunting clubs, and internet-based dog registry businesses. Exported from its homeland, it is promoted as a rare breed
for those seeking a unique pet.
states that the typical behaviour is "nervy, agitated, and of an enthusiastic dymanism" a typical high-key hunting dog. Dogs of this breed that are aggressive should obviously not be bred, but there are many others that make wonderful pets, as they are notably loyal and gentle in a way that is similar to the greyhound.
Ibizan Hound
, Cirneco dell'Etna
, Portuguese Podengo
, and the Thai Ridgeback
.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
originally from the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. The Podenco Canario is still used in the Canary Islands today in packs as a hunting dog
Hunting dog
A hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...
, primarily used for rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
hunting. The word "podenco" is Spanish for "hound". "Canario" means "Canarian" or "of the Canaries
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
".
Appearance
The Canarian hound is a slender and lightly built but sturdy dog, of medium size, with height at the withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
approximately 55 to 64 cm (21.7 to 25.2 ins) for males, females slightly smaller. Sizes vary with the terrain on which the dog hunts. The short, dense coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
should be some shade of red, white, or a combination red and white, depending on the island and, in some cases, the specific area on some of the islands. There should be no other colour on the coat, or; indeed; anywhere on the body; as even the dog's nose, claws and skin are always a shade of red, and they are even known to "blush" when excited. The neck is long, the head is longer than it is wide, and the large ears are carried fully up. The long tail is usually seen low set but can be raised. The tail is not carried too high when moving. The dog should move in an extended and agile trot. Faults
Fault (dog)
The term fault is used in animal breed standards to describe an aspect of appearance or temperament that is considered detrimental to the breed type of the animal's breed. In dogs, faults have to do with the externally observable qualities of the dog such as appearance, movement, and temperament...
, which indicate that a particular dog should not be bred, include aspects of appearance as well as structural faults that would impede the dog's ability to move and hunt, such as cow hocks and crossing of the fore and hind legs at a trot.
History
The Podenco Canario is found on all of the Canary Islands and descends from a very ancient type brought to the islands in antiquity, and, isolated there, remains an example of the very oldest breeds. It is thought to have originated in Egypt and North Africa, and brought to the Canaries by the very earliest human settlers on the islands. Linguistic and genetic analyses of the descendants of the earliest known human inhabitants of the Canary Islands seem to indicate a common origin with the BerbersBerber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
of northern Africa, who may have brought the dogs there as a food source.
Diverse recent genetics studies have concluded podenco is a type of dog very related to the rest of European hunting dogs and they are not more primitive than most of them.
Current use
RabbitRabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are a serious pest in the islands, where they were introduced (first on La Palma
La Palma
La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands. La Palma has an area of 706 km2 making it the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands...
) in the 16th century. Rabbit hunting with the Podenco Canario is a hugely popular sport, yet can in no way significantly alter the rabbit populations. The Canary Islanders who hunt with podencos often treat their dogs terribly, keeping as many as fifteen in a small cage and feeding them irregularly and infrequently. At the end of hunting season many hunters abandon their animals; some kill them outright. Females are not spayed and unwanted pups are usually killed via drowning, gunshots or abandonment. Hunters are often selfish and careless, often damaging agricultural areas..
The Podenco Canario is recognised by La Real Sociedad Canina de España (R.S.C.E., the Spanish Kennel Club) as an indigenous breed and is recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
as breed number 329 in Group 5 Spitz and primitive types, Section 7 : Primitive type - Hunting Dogs, Spain. In North America the breed is listed with the United Kennel Club
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...
as a hunting dog in the Sighthound & Pariah Group
Sighthound & Pariah Group
Sighthound & Pariah Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by the United Kennel Club to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. Sighthound & Pariah Group dogs are not all of the same dog type and may even be of different species or subspecies The Fédération Cynologique...
. The breed is also recognized by a number of minor registries, hunting clubs, and internet-based dog registry businesses. Exported from its homeland, it is promoted as a rare breed
Rare breed (dog)
Rare breed is any breed of dog that is small in number. Since dogs have greater genetic variability than other domesticated animals the number of possible breeds is vast...
for those seeking a unique pet.
Health and temperament
No diseases or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed. The breed standardBreed standard (dogs)
A breed standard in the dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific externally observable qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed...
states that the typical behaviour is "nervy, agitated, and of an enthusiastic dymanism" a typical high-key hunting dog. Dogs of this breed that are aggressive should obviously not be bred, but there are many others that make wonderful pets, as they are notably loyal and gentle in a way that is similar to the greyhound.
Similar breeds
Breeds also listed in Group 5/Section 7 include theIbizan Hound
Ibizan Hound
The Ibizan Hound , pronounced "I-bee-zan" or "I-beeth-an", is a lean, agile dog of the hound family. There are two hair types of the breed: smooth and wire. The more commonly seen type is the smooth...
, Cirneco dell'Etna
Cirneco dell'Etna
The Cirneco dell'Etna is a small breed of dog originally from Sicily. This hound was historically used to hunt rabbits and can work for hours without food or water. The breed also has a keen sense of smell and is primarily built for endurance over harsh terrain such as that of Mount Etna...
, Portuguese Podengo
Portuguese Podengo
The Portuguese Podengo is an ancient multi-sensory hound breed of dog from Portugal. The Podengo comes in three sizes that are not interbred - small , medium and large , each size with two hair coats and its own unique temperament.All three sizes love to hunt, its tradition in their native...
, and the Thai Ridgeback
Thai Ridgeback
The Thai Ridgeback is an ancient breed of dog. The breed was formerly unknown outside of Thailand, but is gaining notice in the Western world. The Thai Ridgeback is one of only three breeds that has a ridge of hair that runs along its back in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat...
.