The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

Let me introduce you to the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno (PPP), a small rabbit-hunting sighthound that uses scent and sound with equal proficiency. While a couple of writers in the dog world dismiss the PPP as a true sighthound, let me assure you that they are every bit as cunning, clever, and deadly as their larger brethren! They hunt in packs, with little to no intervention from the hunter. This is an extremely intelligent breed that learns fast, gets bored easily, and is always thinking.

One version of the Podengo origin is North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula by the first Muslim dynasty. Another refers to a possible provenance from the dogs of the pharaohs. The similarities of the heads of the Basenji, Pharaoh Hound, and Cirneco dell’Etna cannot be discounted. The Podengo-type dogs found in the basin of the Mediterranean are due to the merchants who traveled the coast from North Africa to Greece, the Italian Peninsula, France, and the Iberian Peninsula.

Rabbits and hares were the favored game of the common people, which made the Podengo fairly popular. Fast forward to modern times, the Pequeno is the smallest of the Podengo type, with the Grande the tallest and the Medio (the American Kennel Club [AKC] named them simply Portuguese Podengo) as the medium size. The latter two share the same Breed Standard with the exception of size, while the Pequeno Standard differs slightly as they are not a square breed but rather 20 percent longer than tall.

They come in two coat types: smooth and wire. The smooth coat is short, tight, and luxurious. The wire, while not a true “terrier” coat, is rather hard and lacks an undercoat. The coats are surprisingly easy to keep clean, repelling dirt almost like Teflon! The two coat types are judged together, with preference to neither. Like most hounds, they are easily distracted by scents and sounds in a grass ring and find indoor rings a bit boring. They despise being told what to do and prefer to figure stuff out on their own.

For this reason, there are very few that compete in Obedience. They excel in Agility and Fast CAT, and they can compete in Lure Coursing events but certainly not at Whippet speed. Our Standard describes them as ideally between 8 and 12 inches at the shoulder, but there is no DQ (Disqualification) for size, as both ends are useful in the hunt. There is room for varying “styles,” like most breeds, and the smooth coats can appear to look quite different than the wires to the untrained eye, so it is beneficial to those new to the breed to see as many of both coats as possible. No coat type is preferred over the other.

The head is described as wedge-shaped, or a four-sided pyramid when viewed from the top or in profile. The base is large, with a pointed muzzle, and the nose is slightly truncated. The skull is flat, and the planes are slightly divergent. There is also room for slightly different styles of headpieces, as the muzzle is described as shorter than the skull, and you will see a fair range of heads in a class. This is further noticed between the two coats.

The Standard describes their movement as “light and lively,” with no mention of reach or drive, and should be judged accordingly. This does not mean to suggest that they are slow or lazy. They are exceptionally agile and quick when chasing down quarry. For show ring evaluation, the Standard is how they should be assessed: “light trot, easy and agile movements,” not raced around at Mach 10 and not admired for “reach and drive.” Faster is not more correct. They should move parallel coming and going; however, I have noticed many do tend to converge ever so slightly.

A judge who desires constant “ears” will be disappointed in most PPPs, as they simply don’t feel motivated to alert over and over for the same reward—as if it’s somehow beneath them.

The breed is considered “rustic” and should never be over-groomed. Our Standard is clear: “Dogs whose coat has been altered by excessive sculpting, clipping or artificial means shall be penalized so severely as to be effectively eliminated from competition.”

They can be a bit aloof to strangers but should not be overly shy or aggressive, as that is a DQ. So are eyes of a different color, under or overshot bites, folded or hanging ears, and brindle, tri-colored, black and tan, or solid white coats.

The preferred colors are yellow or fawn, light to dark. They can be solid or with white markings, or white with markings of the above colors. Black or brown, as solid or with white, are acceptable. Pigment should be as dark as possible, but always darker than the coat color.

The Pequeno is loyal, alert, clean, and protective. They can be a bit barky, bossy, and jealous, but generally prefer the company of their own kind and those they love. They can be good with kids and cats if raised with them, and if the kids and cats are good with them! They do have a high prey drive, however, and should not be left unattended with kids or small animals.