The
Ibizan Hound, also called Podenco Ibicenco,
is an agile, deer-like, elegant and athletic
hound that has a long, arched neck, long
wedge-shaped head, amber eyes and very
large, triangular ears which stand up
when the dog is alert. The teeth are exceptionally
healthy. The rose or flesh-colored nose
has a slightly convex shape called "Roman
nose." The body is fine-boned, but not
as slender as in many other sighthounds.
The Ibizan Hound has flat, sleek muscles
without any heaviness. The front legs
are perfectly straight all the way from
the elbows to the ground. Dewclaws may
be removed or left natural. The tail is
long and slender, hanging low when the
dog is relaxed and carried a bit higher when
the dog is alert. The Ibizan Hound is
"hare-footed," with long toes. There are
three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired,
long-haired, and wire-haired. The most
common is the smooth-haired and the long-haired
is very rare. The wire-haired has a longer
coat of rough hair that is softer textured
than the other two varieties. Colors are
white & red, white & tan, or solid
white or red.
Temperament
The
Ibizan Hounds, sometimes called "Beezers"
by their fanciers, are quiet, clean, playful
and polite. Good with children, gentle,
sensible and sensitive. Protective and
somewhat independent. They will hold back
watchfully with strangers. Once they decide
the stranger means no harm, they will
relax very quickly. Be careful with small
pets such as rabbits, cats and rodents;
the Ibizan Hound is bred to hunt these
creatures. Cats that are raised with the
Ibizan Hound will fit in just fine as
part of the "family pack," but it will
chase and possibly kill a cat it does
not know. As in all breeds, the Ibizan
Hound should be well socialized with other
dogs, other animals, adults, and children.
If you have an adult Ibizan Hound
and would like another dog, it is suggested
that you get a puppy. Beezers are pack
animals by nature, so introducing a puppy
to the household is easier. An Ibizan
thinks its humans are their pack, so any
addition (human or baby) must be introduced
slowly. Ibizans are members of the family.
They cannot be kept as kennel dogs. They
love their humans, are as clean as a cat,
and respect the rules of a household.
This breed blushes when they get excited,
as does the Pharaoh Hound. Ibizans like
to learn and do so very quickly. They
are trainable, but tend to be willful
and get bored easily. Provided they have
been properly trained, they can participate
in many types of dog sports. These dogs
are very sensitive to the voice of their
handler and a friendly request will always
achieve more than a gruff command. This
breed tends to have large litters.
The
Ibizan Hound is hardy and strong, but
can have allergic reactions to drugs,
including insecticides and flea powders.
Some lines seem to be prone to seizures.
The Ibizan Hound has a genetic propensity
for Axonal Dystrophy, nerve and muscle
disease.
Living
Conditions
The
Ibizan Hound will do okay in an apartment
if it is sufficiently exercised. They
are moderately active indoors and will
do best with at least a large yard. The
Ibizan Hound can jump very high from a
complete standstill, enabling him to easily
jump most fences. An incredibly fast dog,
the Ibizan Hound can be extremely difficult
to re-capture. They are sighthounds, meaning
they hunt by sight rather than scent.
Ibizans have selective hearing and an
independent nature. They will take off
running and WILL NOT come back until they
feel like it. The strong chase instinct
and lack of caution in traffic can lead
to disaster. A large fenced area is best
for regular exercise. Breed Club literature
suggests at least 40X60 feet. The breed
is quite sensitive to cold, as his coat
is not very protective.
Exercise
This
breed requires a great deal of exercise.
If there is not a good-sized fenced-in
area for them to run, it should have at
least two to three long walks a day. This
breed should get a chance to stretch its
legs with a nice run once a day. They
will highly enjoy retrieving for you and
will also enjoy running alongside your
bicycle, but don't do this until your
dog is fully grown as it can harm a young
puppy. Do not let this breed off the lead
unless you are in a secure area. This
independent sighthound is extremely fast
and it will take off and not come back
until it is good and ready to. They are
extremely hard to recapture. Keep in mind
that the Ibizan Hound can jump very high
from a complete standstill, enabling him
to easily jump most fences.
Life
Expectancy
About
10-12 years.
Grooming
There
are three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired,
long-haired, and wire-haired. Neither
variety requires much attention. The shine
on the coat of the smooth-haired can be
kept in good condition by occasionally
running a rubber glove over it. The wire-haired
do not need hand-plucking. All can be
groomed by an occasional brushing. Check
at frequent intervals that the ear passages
are clean and keep the claws short. This
breed is an average shedder.
Origin
Several
examples of Ancient Egyptian art, some
from 5000 years ago, depict dogs closely
resembling today's Ibizan Hound. This
sleek hunting greyhound may have been
brought to the islands off the coast of
Spain from Egypt by Phoenician traders
in about 700-900 BC. The breed became
common on the island of Ibiza and other
nearby islands and were used there to
hunt rabbit and other small game. The
Ibizan Hound is a very fast dog that can
hunt on all types of terrain - working
by sight, hearing and smell. It can also
be used in nocturnal hunting. He is a
steady pointer when he discovers game,
and can also retrieve very well. Spanish
hunters run these dogs in packs. Today
the breed's chasing instincts can flourish
in the sport of lure coursing. The Ibizan
Hound is also a delightful companion and
show dog. This breed is very similar to
the Pharaoh Hound, but the Ibizan Hound
is larger and can have a multi-colored
coat. The Ibizan Hound was fully recognized
by the AKC in 1979.
