
The first smooth Pequeno came to the United States in 1995, and the first wire in 2001. They are considered an integral part of the Portuguese people’s survival through the centuries and are still widely popular there today. The Podengo is one of the 10 National Dogs of Portugal. The smooth coated variety is the traditional breed, whereas the wire coated is the result. Their coats are either short and smooth or longer and wired. Podengos were also adept at protecting from rodents and they accompanied Portuguese ships - possibly spreading them to other ports. As a breed, the Podengo is divided into three size categories that are not interbred: small (Pequeno), medium (Mdio) and large (Grande). The Portuguese Podengo is an ancient sight and scenthound from Portugal divided into three size categories that are never interbred: Pequeno (small), Médio (medium) and Grande (large). Look at those growth plates - lots of room to grow. They are said to use their hearing to hone in by calling to each other with a single yip (called the Maticar). For a while we would wait and watch for her ears to go up - but they were so darn cute out to the side we really had mixed feelings. The dogs hunted together using first their sense of scent, then hearing, to locate and flush small animals from crevices and dense undergrowth. The podengo medio and the podengo pequeno, on the other hand, were developed for rabbit hunting. Primarily a dog of the nobility, the grande is now the rarest size in Portugal as interest in boar hunting has waned.

“Podengo” has been used at least since the 16th century to mean any pack hunting dog. The podengo grande was developed to aid in hunting deer and wild boar. Different sized dogs gradually became specialized to hunt different sized prey, with the smallest dogs hunting small game for their peasant owners.Īlthough the original dogs had smooth coats, ideal in Portugal’s wet north, wiry coats flourished in hot, dry southern Portugal where brambles were particularly abundant.

Their ancestors were brought by the ancient Romans and Phoenicians to the Iberian Peninsula over 2,000 years ago.

The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno (pronounced peh-KEN-oo) is the smallest of three Portuguese Podengo breeds, the other two being the Medio and Grande. Portuguese Podengo Dog Breed Watercolor Sketch Hand Drawn Painting Silhouette Sticker Illustration Sublimation EPS. Although the Medios closest relative, the Podengo Grande. Search Articles: Submit Search Close Search Favorites The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno is a small purebred known for being affectionate, lively.
