Podengo Portugueso Pequeno

The Podengo Portugueso Pequeño is a national dog of Portugal. It is suggested that he descends from the ancient hounds from the Iberian Peninsula around 1,000 BC. These hounds adapted to the Portuguese terrain and climate and became excellent rabbit hunters. He shares many ancestors with the Pharaoh Hound, Cirneco Dell’Etna and Ibizan Hound. The Podengo Portugueso Pequeño is considered to be one of the world’s oldest dog breeds. He has not changed much since the first dogs were brought over by the Romans and Phoenicians. He is the smallest of the Podengo Portugueso family and does best when in a pack. His initial name was Podengo de Mostra; mostra means pack. The name was then shortened to Podengo and then eventually lengthened again so the size variations could also be added. There are Podengo type dogs in Spain, Portugal, Malta, Sicily, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, the Azores and the Madeira Islands. They came to these locations from the Romans and Phoenicians and dogs in each of these locations adapted to their new climate and terrain. The Podengo Portugueso Pequeño was first imported into the United States during the 1990s. He is officially recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in Europe. He was also officially recognized by the United Kennel Club and the American Rare Breed Association. He was accepted into the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service which is the first step to becoming officially recognized by the AKC. The Podengo Portugueso Pequeño is also now recognized as a member of the AKC’s Miscellaneous Class.