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The Podengo Pequeno is a small primitive hound that was developed and is still used to hunt rabbits in packs or individually in it's native Portugal. Although they resemble terriers, they are NOTHING like a terrier. They are Hounds and they will come back, unlike most hounds. They are designed to run over rock piles and under thick brush where the larger sized Podengo Medio/Grandes cannot.
The Pequeno is a completely separate breed from the Medio/Grande. Pequenos are close cover, short distance rabbit hunters while Medio/Grandes are bred for open field Hare, Boar and Deer hunting. Medio/Grande instincts are much stronger for prey and they have been bred to be much more vocal than Pequeno's due to the distance they hunt from their owners.
Pequenos 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. Pequeno’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. Pequeno 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 Pequenos, typically females, are very friendly and loving towards all people while some, typically males, are more reserve when they initially meet new people. A Pequeno 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 Pequeno. Always possess calm, assertive behavior when meeting dogs, especially when meeting a primitive breed such as the Podengo Pequeno. 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
Pequenos 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 extremely acute. 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. They are an emotional breed and they will definitely let you know if they like what you’re asking them to do or not by the look on their face. (yes, they can pout) 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 Pequeno just won’t develop properly unless there are other dogs around for them to interact with. Pequeno’s get along well with most breeds.
If you wish to have more than one Pequeno, they do just fine with same sex companions. Since more males are produced than females, most companion homes will only have males available to them at this time. Because this is a pack breed, males get along very well with each other.
Size: 20-30 cm or a range of about 4 inches (8-12 inches)
Weight: 4-7 kgs or 9-14 lbs
Color: All shades of Fawn or Yellow with white are acceptable. Disqualified colors include: Solid white, black-tan, tri-color & Brindle
Classification: Primitive - Group 5 (FCI) or Hounds (Scent hounds)
Character: Watchdog, Rabbit Hunter, Pack dog, loyal companion. Fun outgoing with family or pack. Watchful and suspicious of strangers.
Activity: Medium energy, require daily exercise and regular dog interaction if raised alone.
Grooming: Regular combing when coat dies off and changes to remove dead hair. Regular nail clipping, at least twice a month or more to keep nails short.
Small wire (longhair) was extinct until 1984 when the breed was recovered with the dedication of: Antonio Rogado, Jose Vidigal Amaro & Joao Bessa *The breed is still being developed today*
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.
Swim - Oh Yes they do! They love to get into the small baby pool to cool themselves down. They will even jump up at the side of our larger pool so they can take a nice swim.
Here are some things you need to know about this breed:
They HUNT since this is a Hunting breed. They will kill birds, rodents, squirrels or Rabbits.
They like to dig holes in the yard & run through your flower beds playing hide and seek.
Males & some females tend to be more wary of strangers approaching or reaching for them.
Puppies require lots of early socializing especially if they are intended to be show dogs. Lots of feeding from strangers in show type settings so they become comfortable being examined.
They will bark when someone comes to the house or if they manage to tree a cat or other animal.
More males are produced than females, litters are small so quality females are extremely valuable to breeders. Rarely will a female become available to companion homes because the breed is still being developed.
Coat care:
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. The hair develops a part down the center and the hair appears to be clumping. when the old coat has reached it's peak and is dying off (starting to fall out). As it dies off, the new coat growing underneath is pushing the old coat up and lifting it. The old coat is dry and falls off to the touch. During this time, you can use a simple fine toothed flexible plastic comb to remove the loose dead hair. Once the old coat is removed, you will see a distinctive dark hair line along the center of the back. This is the new hair growing in. Initially, the new hair is softer but as it lengthens, it becomes harsher. The Podengo Pequeno wire coat is progressive and must be combed out more often to remove the dead hair when it starts to change. This only happens about once or twice a year depending on the type/length of coat your Pequeno has.
If left to progress on it's own, the coat can molt large sections of hair starting from the shoulder region then moving along the top of the back and sides towards the rear. The coat can also slowly loosen and continue to fall for several weeks again starting from the shoulder and progressing to the rear. There is no need to strip (using a striping knife) on companion dogs as the coat can be easily pulled off with a comb while it's changing. If you are showing, depending on the length of coat, it may need to be removed either by using the comb and pulling it off or using a stripping knife to make pulling off the dead hair easier. To remove an old dead coat takes about an hour. Dogs that have shorter, harsher coats do not molt in the same manner, so when their coat changes, it is barely noticeable. Otherwise, the coat doesn't require much attention. Most wires do not have an undercoat so they cannot tolerate very cold temperatures or wet weather for long periods of time.
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