Original standard: Clube do Podengo Português
English translation: The Portuguese Podengo Club of America
Portuguese Warren Hound – Portuguese Podengo - Podengo Portugues
Origin: Portugal
FCI group 5, Spitz and Primitive types.
Section 7, Primitive type – Hunting Dogs.
Utilization:
Hunting dog, watch dog and companion.
Brief Historical Summary:
A primitive type. Their probable origin lies in dogs from Egypt and the Middle East brought by Phoenicians and Romans to the Iberian Peninsula in Classic Antiquity. The Moorish Invasion in the 8th Century brought another strain across North Africa that influenced the type. The Portuguese Podengo has developed over many centuries to be specifically suited to the rigors of the Portuguese climate and terrain, resulting in an extremely versatile, natural hunter. Portuguese Podengos have an acute sense of smell, sharp vision and keen hearing and they use all of these senses along with speed, agility and endurance in a clever hunting style. The Grande (Large) has been adapted for wild boar hunting. The Medio (Medium) hunts rabbits and the Pequeno (Small) flushes rabbits from burrows and rock crevices. The Pequeno also served as a ratter on the ships of the Portuguese explorers and traders from the 15th century on.
General appearance:
The head is wedge-shaped, with prick ears. Sickle shaped tail. The body has no exaggerations in any of its proportions. Sound, well-muscled frame. Very lively and intelligent, sober and rustic. The breed divides into three sizes: Grande, Medio and Pequeno (Large, Medium and Small); and in two varieties, Smooth Coat and Wire Coat.
Size and proportion:
Grande (Large) and Medio (Medium) - Their proportions are almost square. The former are large in build, the latter medium. Body length (measured from the prosternum to the point of the buttocks) is approximately 10% longer than the height at the withers. Pequeno (Small) - Small build, somewhat rectangular with the body length (measured as above) approximately 20% longer than the height at the withers. In all sizes, the depth of chest is one-half the height at the withers and the muzzle length is shorter than the backskull length.
Height at the withers and weight:
22 to 28 inches or 56 to 71 centimeters in the Grande (Large).
44 to 66 lbs or 22 to 30 kilograms in the Grande (Large).
15 to 22 inches or 38 to 56 centimeters in the Medio (Medium).
35 to 44 lbs or 16 to 22 kilograms in the Medio (Medium).
8 to 12 inches or 20 to 30 centimeters in Pequeno (Small).
9 to 13 lbs or 4 to 6 kilograms in the Pequeno (Small).
Head:
Lean, pyramidal (like a broad-based wedge) when viewed from the top or in profile. A large base and a very sharp extremity.
Expression: A bright, lively expression.
Eyes: Almond-shaped eyes, slightly oblique, not round or prominent. Eye color ranges from honey to brown, in accordance with the coat. Eye rims are preferably black, but always darker than the coat. Eyes of two different colors are a disqualifying fault.
Ears: Set obliquely and of medium length. Straight and mobile, held vertically or tilting slightly towards the front when attentive. Pointed, broader at the base, triangular and thin; longer than their width at the base. Bent or lopped ears are a disqualifying fault.
Backskull: Flat, almost straight in profile, prominent superciliary arches with a barely perceptible frontal groove. Relatively flat between the ears with a prominent occipital protuberance.
Stop: Barely defined.
Planes: The planes of the backskull and muzzle are divergent. Parallel planes are a fault and convergent planes are a serious fault.
Muzzle: Curved (in cross section) with a straight profile shorter than the backskull. Broader at the base than at the tip.
Nose: Tapered and obliquely truncated, prominent at the tip; which is preferably black, but always darker than the coat. A partial lack of pigment is a fault and a total lack of pigment is a serious fault.
Lips: Close fitting, thin, firm, even. Preferably black, but always darker than the coat.
Bite: Strong jaws with a scissor bite, and normal occlusion. Full dentition in the Grande (Large) size. An undershot or overshot bite is a disqualifying fault.
Cheeks: Lean and obliquely set.
Neck, top line and body:
Neck: The neck makes a harmonious transition from head to body. Straight, long, well proportioned, strong and well-muscled. Free from throatiness. A ewe neck or a severely arched neck is a fault.
Top Line: The top line, from ears to tail, is smooth and flowing.
Withers: The withers form a smooth transition between the neck and back.
Back: Straight and long.
Loin: Straight, broad and well-muscled.
Croup: Straight or slightly sloping, of medium size, broad and well-muscled.
Chest: Reaches down to the elbows. Long and of medium width. The sternum slopes back and upwards. Rib cage is slightly sprung and slanted. Moderate forechest.
Bottom Line and Belly: Slightly uprising bottom line; lean belly and flanks, slightly tucked up.
Tail: Of medium length, set rather high. Strong and thick with a thin, fringed under side. At rest, falls slightly arched between the buttocks down to the hock joint. In action, rises to the horizontal and is slightly arched or up to the vertical in a sickle shape. A curled tail is a serious fault.
Forequarters:
Upright when seen from the front and side, well muscled and lean.
Shoulder: Long, oblique, strong and well-muscled. An open angle of approximately 110.
Elbow: Parallel to the axial body plane.
Forearm: Vertical, long and muscled.
Carpus (Pastern joint): Lean and inconspicuous.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Short, strong, slightly slanting.
Forefeet: Oval with long toes. Strong, tight and slightly arched with short, strong nails and tough, firm pads.
Hindquarters:
Upright when seen from the back and side. Well-muscled and lean, running parallel to the axial body plane.
Upper Thigh: Long and of medium width and well-muscled.
Stifle Joint: A Femur-Tibial angle of approximately 135 .
Lower Thigh: Long, lean, strong and muscled.
Hock Joint: Of medium height, lean, strong with an open hock angle of approximately 135.
Rear Pastern (Metatarsus): Strong, short and straight without dewclaws. When stacked, the rear pasterns are perpendicular to the ground.
Hind Feet: Oval with long toes. Strong, tight and slightly arched with short, strong nails and with tough, firm pads.
Coat:
There are two varieties: Smooth Coat, which is short and very dense; and Wire Coat, which is long, rough and harsh, not as dense as the Smooth Coat, and without undercoat. Wire Coat has a distinct beard. Skin on both varieties is thin and close fitting. Coat is to be shown in the natural state, without trimming. Excessive grooming should be penalized. A silk coat is a fault.
Color:
Yellow and fawn, either in light, medium or dark shades are accepted. The color can be solid, white-patched or white with patches of these colors. In the Pequeno, the above colors are preferred, and in addition, the following colors are accepted but not preferred: tones of black, tones of brown, as solid colors, white-patched or white with patches of these colors.
Disqualifying colors: brindle; black and tan; tricolor or totally white.
Gait/movement:
A light trot with easy, agile movement.
Temperament/aptitude:
The Grande is used in big game hunting (wild boar, etc.). The Medio is a natural rabbit hunter either in packs or alone, thus the English appellation of Warren Hound. The Pequeno seeks out rabbits in their holes and among rocks and thick scrub either hunting alone, in a pack or in a mixed pack with Medios. All varieties are also used as watch dogs and companions. Aggression or overly shy behavior is a disqualifying fault.
Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the faults should be regarded should be in exact proportion to the degree.
Disqualifications:
Eyes of two different colors
Bent or lopped ears
Undershot or overshot bite
Brindle; black and tan; tricolor or totally white colors
Aggression or overly shy behavior
N.B. Males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.