Podengo Breeder, Falcao Portuguese Podengos, Show dogs, Puppies in Florida

The Podengo Pequeno is a small primitive hound that was developed and is still used to hunt rabbits in packs or individually. They are designed to run over rock piles and under thick brush where the larger sized Podengo’s cannot. Their feet are flexible and soft like a cat so they do not wear their nails down. Bi-Monthly clipping is necessary. Although they resemble terriers, they are NOTHING like a terrier. They are Hounds and they will come back, unlike most hounds.

Few people will discuss the downside to owning a breed, especially a Rare breed like the Podengo. They are NOT suitable for all homes and family types! No single breed is right for all families regardless of claims to the contrary. Well intentioned people have added Podengos to their homes or kennels only to discover they were the wrong breed for their particular situation. As unfortunate as that is, it does happen especially when Promoters of the Breed aren't completely honest with you about owning one.

Regardless of how much heavy Socialization you do, when a Podengo encounters something that upsets them, no amount of encouragement will change their mind. They have to learn to deal with it and move on. This breed was/is bred to Hunt, not spend weekends at dog shows or be on display in large venues with hundreds of people touching them. Put yourself in the dogs position for a moment. Just imagine having some stranger stick his hands in your mouth who was just touching the backend of the previous person in line. Then imagine them grabbing your backend and expecting you to be happy about it. Talk about personal space invasion!

If the things I listed above are not a problem for your family to live with, then you might be a Potential Podengo owner. Now that you are aware of this breeds "quirks", I'll discuss the breed so you can get a better idea of what a Podengo is. Make sure you click though my Video collection so you can see what my dogs are like in various situations.

Why I love Podengos & no longer have German Shepherds:

Tough, Hearty (big) dogs in small package
Watchful - Excellent watch dogs
Playful - Love a good game of "hide & seek", Tug-o-War, ball or frisbee play
FUNNY - They do the silliest things and will keep you laughing every day. Even when they're naughty, they do it in a funny way.
Endearing - There is something about this plain, simple, basic dog that captures everyone they meet.
Loving - Love their families and circle of friends, love to be on your lap, in your bed, sit with you on the couch, share snacks etc.
Intelligence - They are SUPER Smart, are easily trainable and eager to learn new things
Keen Senses - Super sensitive hearing, smell and eyesight.
Speed - They reach incredible speeds for such a small dog with little legs
Easy Keepers - They eat small amounts of food, are clean, can be kept in most home types when exercised properly.
Get along well - They get along with most dog breeds and thrive on dog company. Males & Females of all ages get along very well with each other. Small arguments can occur & they are very noisy but rarely is there ever any damage caused.
Bark but NO Yap - They are watchful so they will bark when necessary but not to hear themselves make noise like many small breeds.
Quiet - They are very quiet and content to sleep at your feet most of the day.

The wires are often mistaken for terriers because they resemble a small terrier but that is as far as the comparison goes. The wire or Longhair is not as coarse as a terrier and when they change coats the loose hair combs out very easily. I use a simple fine toothed flexible plastic comb. You will see a distinctive dark hair line develop along the center of the back when the coat is beginning to change. The dying hair clumps together and forms a part down the center of the back. The coat is progressive and must be combed out at least weekly especially when it starts to change.

Notice the photo to the left; there is a distinct dark line running down Sultan's back. This is new hair growth. The old coat came out during regular combing.

*This combing out of changing hair is called Tidying* They can molt large sections of hair or it can slowly loosen and continue to fall for weeks at a time. There is no need to strip (using a striping knife) as the coat will comb out. The only grooming necessary for a Podengo is weekly combing to remove any loose hair that may be present when the coat starts to change. The wires do not have an undercoat so they cannot tolerate very cold temperatures or wet weather for long periods of time.

They are hounds, not terriers, so they spend a great deal of their day sleeping unless disturbed. Since they are hounds, they do have brief flurries of activity at various points throughout the day or if they are disturbed in some way. These flurries are short-lived bursts of energy unlike other breeds that go non-stop all day long. Podengo’s are content to find a nice soft place to curl up and take a nap. Often times they choose a nice couch, your lap or your bed. Of course the current state of the bedding they intend to use is never good enough so they must rearrange it to meet their needs. Podengo puppies however are bundles of energy and enjoy playing all out in-between naps.

This is a primitive breed that has a wide range of diversity regarding type, color and temperament. They are devoted family members, sensitive, tolerant and love a good game of tug or ball play. Some Podengos, typically females, are very friendly and loving towards all people while some, typically males, are more reserve when they initially meet new people. A Podengo prefers to get to know someone and decide if they want that person’s attention or not. They do not care to have strangers force their attention onto them. They are primitive or Feral like in nature especially with strangers. If you watch the "Dog whisperer" Cesar, you'll understand how to initially meet a Podengo. Always possess calm, assertive behavior when meeting dogs, especially when meeting a primitive breed such as the Podengo. The Alpha dog or Pack leader does not use Baby talk or squat down. This is a Pack breed and they interact with humans as they would with another dog in their pack. As Cesar says: Be the Pack Leader

Podengos are very alert and have extremely sensitive hearing. Their ears are highly mobile as they pick up faint sounds around them. Their hearing and sense of smell is much more acute than my German Shepherds.

This is a highly intelligent breed so they are able to figure things out very quickly. They have extremely high food drives and will do just about anything for a treat. They take to training very quickly and thrive on regular mental stimulation much the same way a border collie does. They can have a willful streak to them so early leash training is essential. They will comply with most requests but often times they just tolerate them. They definitely let you know if they like what you’re asking them to do or not. They are extremely expressive and fun loving little dogs. They love all other breeds and they’re always looking for another dog to play with. They are a pack dog and prefer to be in the company of other dogs even though they truly enjoy human attention and companionship. A Podengo just won’t develop properly unless there are other dogs around for them to interact with. Podengo’s are hearty little dogs that get along well with most large breed dogs, although I would be quite worried if they were allowed to play with St. Bernard’s due to the size of the paws! They are very tough dogs, so don't mistake them for a toy. They WILL guard their food from other dogs no matter the size. I always feed mine separately as there is no need to have a spat during dinner time. They might argue with one another at times but nothing serious will come of it unlike terriers or shepherds. Podengo’s absolutely love children of all ages. They make wonderful playmates for children and offer excellent companionship for elderly people. Very few breeds of dogs are as versatile as the Podengo these days due to targeted breeding programs for various sports. They are safe, playful, funny, fun-loving clowns that brighten up the lives of everyone around them. They will play ball and tug-o-war, bark if someone comes to the door and provide you with constant companionship. They require minimal grooming, very little food, no health concerns and they are not snappy like most small breeds.