Overview
The Ibizan Hound, or Podenco Ibicenco, is one of the old Mediterranean podenco types, kept on the Balearic islands to course rabbits over rocky ground. It is tall and lean with huge upright ears, a red and white coat in smooth or wire texture, and a bouncing, high-stepping gait. Unlike a Greyhound it uses all its senses to hunt and can clear a six foot fence from a standstill.
They are sweet, sensitive dogs at home, quiet and a little clownish. Outdoors they switch into hunting mode, and the gap between the two can surprise a walker who has only seen the dog on the sofa.
Exercise and walking needs
Ninety minutes a day with the chance to sprint is ideal. They need to run flat out regularly, but a secure field with high fences is the only safe place to do it. Between sprints they are content to trot along on a lead.
They feel the cold badly with their thin coat and almost no body fat. A coat in winter is normal and so is a shorter walk on a frosty morning.
On the walk
- Jumping: Assume any fence under two metres is an invitation. Check field boundaries carefully and never leave the dog unattended near a wall.
- Recall: Once a rabbit or cat has been seen, recall is gone. Keep the dog on a lead or long line in anything but a secure enclosure.
- Other dogs: Usually gentle and sociable, especially with other sighthounds. Can be unsettled by rough play from heavier dogs.
- Sensitivity: They respond badly to harsh handling and shouting. Quiet, calm cues work far better than a raised voice.
Tips for professional walkers
- Use a sighthound harness or a wide fishtail collar; a narrow collar slips straight over that head.
- Walk early in winter only if the dog is well wrapped up, and keep moving.
- Check the thin skin for scrapes after any run through brambles.
- Avoid roads with the dog off a lead entirely, even for a moment; the acceleration is immediate.
What to ask the owner
- Where, if anywhere, does the dog run free, and how high are the fences there?
- Does it chase cats or small dogs, and what is the plan if it does?
- Does it wear a coat, and at what temperature do you put it on?