![]() It is the fastest of the three Podengo types and has become the most popular in recent years. This reduced Podengo has been developed for speed and manoeuvrability when hunting over difficult, less open terrain. Sometimes called the Medium Portuguese Hound, or the Medium Portugese Rabbit Dog, and known locally as the Podengo Portuguesa Medio, this breed has been used for many years to hunt rabbits and other small game. One is short and hard and the other is wiry, shaggy and coarse. Hunting is carried out either singly, in pairs, or in packs, usually over open ground. It is a strong animal capable of covering a great deal of ground in pursuit of its prey. This large, prick-eared Portuguese sighthound is the result of ancient importations of greyhound-like dogs being crossed with local breeds. It has been used for many years to bunt deer, hare, rabbit and other game, but is less common today than it has been in the past. Known locally as the Podengo Portuguesa Grande, this breed has also been described as the Portuguese Hound, the Large Portuguese Hound, the Large Portuguese Rabbit Dog, the Portuguese Rabbit Dog, or the Portuguese Warren Hound. The color may be any shade of red, with or without white markings. The coat should be smooth and glossy without being soft or semi-wire. The ears are set high, rather large and erect. The head should be triangular with a long muzzle and tight lips. The body should be rectangular, slender but well muscled and quite upright in the shoulder and neck. ![]() The height at the withers varies accordingly: Grande is about 22-28 inches/55-70 cm, the Medio is about 16-22 inches/40-55 cm and the Pequeno is about 8-12 inches/20-30 cm. The Podengo comes in three sizes - Grande, Medio and Pequeno. Once they have spotted the rabbit, they chase, catch, kill and retrieve it to the hunter. They track the scent and when close to the prey they jump straight up in the grass, which is usually very high. They have a specialized technique of using both scent and sight. All these breeds are used for hunting rabbit - either as single dogs or in a pack. Incidentally, this also applies to the Andalusian Hound, which is very similar but not yet recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. The Portuguese Podengo is believed to descend from Egyptian Hounds along with the Cirneco dell’Etna, Pharaoh, Ibiza and Canario Hounds. An excellent small-game hunter, similar to the greyhound in body shape, this breed is also a devoted guard dog for its master.
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