Ancient and rooted in Andalusian tradition, we find one of the emblems of the most rural Andalusia in the emblematic podenco andaluz, the which should not be confused with the Spanish or Iberian Podenco. Did you know that podencos already accompanied the Egyptians more than three millennia ago? In this breed file on our site we want you to discover all the characteristics, the temperament or the care of the Andalusian Hounds. Keep reading!
Origin of the Andalusian Hound
The Andalusian Pondenco is one of the Spanish dog breeds most popular in its country of origin and belongs to the greyhound group. Developed in Andalusia, in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, these dogs descend from the ancient Egyptian dogs that arrived thanks to the Phoenician traders who arrived in the peninsula, it is estimated that the podencos arrived in our peninsula more than 3,000 years ago.
Due to the terminology, there is often confusion when speaking of the Andalusian Hound, the Spanish and the Iberian Hound, although the truth is that originally they were the same breed, today the evolutionary changes of the breeders have managed to create these differentiated races. Despite how old the breed really is, it was not recognized by the Royal Canine Society of Spain until 1992, which is the date on which the first official breed standard. Likewise, it has not yet been recognized by the FCI, Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
Characteristics of the Andalusian Hound
The podencos have a graceful and stylized morphology The sizes vary a lot, as we find three varieties depending on size, thus, podencos within the small size weigh between 3 and 8 kilos and their height at the withers is between 32 and 41 cm for females and between 45 and 42 in males. The medium-sized ones weigh between 6 and 16 kilos and the males measure 43-53 cm and the females 42-2. Finally, the large podencos weigh between 6 and 27 kilos, with a height at the withers of 53-61 cm in females and from 54 to 64 in the case of males.
Its body is robust as well as stylized, with a short, wide back and quite marked and strongly developed musculature. His chest is solid and his abdomen rounded in the part of the belly, without presenting wrinkles or folds. Reaching legs proportionate to the body and strong muscles. The tail is saber-shaped and of medium length.
The podenco's head is elongated and square in shape, with a slightly subconvex snout, with a straight profile and finished in a medium, rounded, honey-coloured nose. He has round cheeks, a developed and very strong jaw and small round eyes with a lively and shrewd look, the colors of which are usually hazelnut or honey tonesThe ears are triangular and medium set, ending in a point, although rounded.
There are also three varieties depending on the coat, which can be Sardinian type (hard and long), Sedeno type (silky and long) or smooth (short and thin). Regardless of the length of the hair, it lacks a woolly undercoat and is shorter on the extremities and on the head than on the back or belly.
The colors of the coat can be cinnamon or white, other colors are not accepted, although within these there may be different shades, in the case of white can be ivory, matte or silver, while cinnamon can range from a very light tone to a burning cinnamon.
Character of the Andalusian Hound
These dogs are known for their sociability and intelligence, being the Andalusian Hounds very affectionate, with a balanced and measured character and temperament. Being animals that for centuries have played a fundamental role as hunting dogs, we will observe typical characteristics of a hunting dog, being always alert and reacting extremely quickly.
Hounds are extremely loyal to their own, they will be ready at all times to protect and ensure the well-being of their family, both human and like an animal to defend her from any danger. That is why they can be distrustful towards strangers, although unless they feel threatened they are not aggressive towards them.
Care of the Andalusian Hound
This dog breed has a very high capacity for adaptation, so it can live in small apartments or rural houses. In any case, you will need a comfortable space in which to sleep, fresh and abundant water at all times and a quality diet, whether based on one of the best market feed or homemade diets for dogs, always prepared and supplemented by the veterinarian.
Care of the coat will be easier in individuals with short hair, even so, in general, we will brush it at least once a week. On the contrary, we will space out the bath more, doing one approximately every one or three months.
We will offer you between 3 and 4 daily walks, as well as physical exercise or initiation to some dog sportIt can be interesting to stimulate them with smell exercises and intelligence toys to improve their enrichment and well-being. To finish, just point out that we are talking about a sociable dog by nature, who hates spending time alone, so we will guarantee that he is never alone for more than 6 or 8 hours at a time.
Training of the Andalusian Hound
The puppy should remain with its mother and siblingsuntil it is approximately two and a half months old, to guarantee a good puppy socialization If this is not the case, it is very likely that in their adult stage the individual will present fears and insecurity. At this stage we will teach him the basic rules of the home, not to bite excessively or to urinate in the newspaper, since they will not be able to urinate in the street yet.
Later on, being incredibly perceptive and attentive dogs, they will easily learn to urinate outside or basic obedience commands for dogsAll this added to physical exercise and the necessary walks will help us keep our Podenco Canario relaxed and fit, with a positive state of well-being. Likewise, obedience will help us guarantee good communication and the safety of the dog.
He alth of the Andalusian Hound
Andalusian Hounds have a fairly solid he alth, being generally he althy and resistant animals. They do not have known congenital diseases of the breed, nor are they prone to serious illnesses. However, something that can happen especially in summer is that our podenco suffers heat stroke or thermal shock. To avoid this, we must ensure that they have a cool place at their disposal and sheltered from the sun, in addition to always having fresh and clean water at their disposal.
When it comes to specimens that perform hunting tasks, injuries such as sprains or dislocations of the knee or elbow can occur, especially, although damage can occur in any of their joints, being important in these casesgo to the vet as soon as possible to prevent the injury from getting worse as well as to establish a treatment to prevent our animal from suffering pain or permanent sequelae. Like other podencos, it has been observed that these dogs are somewhat more sensitive than other breeds to allergic reactions, so we will consult our veterinarian whenever we observe abnormal symptoms.
We will make regular veterinary visits, every 6 or 12 months, to detect and treat he alth problems early. Likewise, we will follow the vaccination schedule for dogs and regular deworming, always prescribed by the specialist.
