Judging the Ibizan Hound

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, May 2014 issue.

Judging the Ibizan Hound

More and more judges are getting the opportunity to evaluate high-quality entries of Ibizan Hounds. Since the entrance of the breed into AKC regular competition in 1979, overall consistency, soundness, head and body type, and size have improved as our breeders have worked to produce exhibits who can function in the field and fit our standard in the show ring. “Clean-cut lines, large prick ears, and light pigment give it a unique appearance,” “bred for thousands of years with function being of prime importance,” “lithe and racy,” and “deerlike elegance combined with the power of a hunter.” These are from the General Appearance section of the Ibizan Hound Standard. If this is the impression you get from an Ibizan in front of you, you are likely looking at a good example. The Ibizan is a moderate sighthound with exceptional ears.

After the ears, the Ibizan’s front construction and characteristic movement make the dog unique. This is described in statements throughout our standard. Here are some of them: • A rather upright upper arm. The shoulder blades are well laid back. • A suspended trot with joint flexion when viewed from the side. This construction is unique to the Ibizan Hound. The Ibizan’s return of the upper arm does not match its shoulder layback, so the elbow is properly placed further forward than on a “normal front.” The deepest point of the chest, at or to the elbow in depth is therefore set behind the elbow. At the elbow, the chest is rising to the prominent sternum and is 2 ½ inches above the elbow. This front produces our special front movement, described in our current standard as “with joint flexion.” What we want is to see the wrist joint flex with each reaching step in the front.

This has also been described as “lift.” “Joint flexion” and a “rather upright upper arm” are not an excuse for lack of reach or unsoundness. They help our breed trot and gallop high, an adaptation to hunting in high brush and rough terrain. Ibizans still get good reach in front, they just do it with joint flexion. Ibizan ears are certainly a distinctive feature. Our old standard described the ears as an “elongated rhomboid truncated at ⅓ of its longer diagonal.” That was a little too geometric, but it did describe an ear which is more than simply “large and pointed.” That is what we want in ear shape rather than just triangular. One good description is that the ear should be wide open. Our standard asks for ear height 2 ½ times the width at the base.

Those are some big ears. We want that! We don’t want judges to make the competition into a test of who can hold their ears up the longest. See them once, at the end of the down and back, or as I do in the first line-up, and then judge Ibizans by their overall type and their function as the powerful hunter they are. Also, please remember our described size range: 23½ to 27½ inches for dogs, and 22½ to 26 inches for bitches. 80% or more of our current exhibits are near or over the top of these measurements. While sizes just over the norms are OK, be sure not to fault what may be the only properly sized dog in your ring, the smaller one. Most of our standard is excellent in its descriptions. It emphasizes that we have 2 coat types, smooth and wire (1 to 3 inches in length), and that neither is preferable. It also states that any combination of red and white in the coat is equally desired.

The Ibizan head, described in the standard as “a sharp cone truncated at its base,” adds to the elegance of the breed. This description is in contrast to the Pharaoh Hound head with “the foreface representing a blunt wedge.” When examining the Ibizan (or any sighthound), always approach from the front with your hand underneath the dog’s head. Coming down from the top will cause any sighthound to lean back. See the erect ears and evaluate expression at least once during the dog’s time in the ring. Strength and balance are part of characteristic Ibizan movement along with joint flexion. Emphasize those aspects of the breed which characterize our unique, elegant, powerful hunting hound, bred with function being of prime importance.