How to Identify a Portuguese Podengo

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Last Updated: March 25, 2021

The Portuguese Podengo is a hound breed of hunting origin.^{[1]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source} One of Portugal's ten national dogs, Podengos were obtained and dispersed in Africa but developed into their different sizes in Portugal, each with different functions.^{[2]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source} Portuguese Podengos share some traits in common with other breeds, though they do have some unique traits of their own. This wikiHow will help you identify a Portuguese Podengo by recognizing these traits.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Observing the Structure

1
Consider the dog's size. Portuguese Podengos come in two sizes: medio (medium) and grande (large).^{[3]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

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- A Podengo Medio is 16–22 inches (41–56 cm) tall with a weight of 35–44 pounds (16–20 kg).^{[5]
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  American Kennel Club
  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
  
  Go to source}
- A Podengo Grande is slightly larger, standing at 22–28 inches (56–71 cm) in height and weighing 44–66 pounds (20–30 kg).^{[6]
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  American Kennel Club
  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
  
  Go to source}
Did you know? There is actually a third size of the Portuguese Podengo, which is called pequeno (small), though the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno is now recognized as a separate breed.^{[4]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source}
A Podengo's head resembles a four-sided pyramid by getting thinner gradually as it approaches the nose. With this shape, it may give an overall flat appearance, though it may alternatively stand up slightly in an arch. The stop between the head and muzzle is defined partially but enough to seem present, as is the dog's occipital bone.^{[7]
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The eyes of a Portuguese Podengo are a honey or brown color. Rather than being round, their shape more closely resembles that of an almond while still being a good size. They are set in an oblique position without clearly standing out.^{[8]
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Podengos have prick ears, meaning they stand erect rather than bending or hanging down. Resembling triangles, they are a bit longer than they are wide and start going up from the eye level. The ears are used to express many of the dog's emotions and can fold or point accordingly.^{[9]
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5
View the muzzle. A Portuguese Podengo's muzzle has pigmented lips that are made up of close skin, a dark and protruding nose, leanly drawn cheeks, and a scissors bite comprised of large-sized teeth. The muzzle as a whole broad but tapering, relatively straight, and not as long as the overall size of the head.^{[10]
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- In wire-coated dogs, the harsh hair forms a beard on the muzzle.^{[11]
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The paws of a Podengo are oval in shape with firm pads, notably long but arched toes, and nails that tend to be a dark color. The wrists may be seen moving frequently due to being uniquely flexible. The front legs may or may not have dewclaws, while any dewclaws on the hind legs are typically removed.^{[12]
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A Portuguese Podengo's tail starts thick and is placed moderately high. From the base, it tapers until it reaches the point. In wire-coated dogs, a fringe appears at the bottom of the tail. When the dog is at rest, the tail hangs down, usually beginning to curve; however, when the dog is moving, it is raised to about the topline, being held either directly vertical to resemble a sickle or curved slightly.^{[13]
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Podengos are moderately boned, well-proportioned in muscle, strong, and nearly proportionately square. They have a straight neck, long and moderately angulated shoulders, a fairly wide chest, moderately sprung ribs, lean yet straight forelegs, overall well-muscled thighs and hindquarters, and a topline that appears nearly or exactly straight. A Podengo's gait is balanced, agile, and moderate in both reach and drive.^{[14]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Checking the Coat

A Portuguese Podengo may have either a smooth or wire coat.

A smooth-coated Portuguese Podengo has both a topcoat and an undercoat, forming a double coat. In texture, this type of coat feels dense and smooth to the touch. The length of the hair across the entirety of the dog's body is noticeably short.^{[15]
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The wire-coated variety of Podengo has a coat that appears much harsher. Unlike the smooth coat, this type is a single coat, and though it is a bit rough to the touch, it is less dense.^{[16]
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The most common coat color of a Portuguese Podengo is yellow or fawn in combination with white, which may be seen as a base yellow or fawn color of any shade with white markings or a base coat of white with yellow or fawn markings. The dog may also be black, brown, or red in combination with white, such as a black, brown, or red coat with white markings or a white coat with markings of one of these colors, though these are not as commonly seen.^{[17]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Considering Temperament

Portuguese Podengos are active, and their background as a hound breed still makes them great hunters to this day. They can excel in sports such as agility, as well as in many other activities.^{[18]
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The Podengo's multi-sensory hunting style sharpens both their scent and sight, so they are naturally alert and bark or howl to inform their owners of issues. This makes them typically wary toward unfamiliar animals and people.^{[19]
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Overall, Portuguese Podengos are remarkably smart and thus require a fair amount of mental stimulation. Their willingness to please and quickness to learn can also allow them to serve in jobs, including therapy.^{[20]
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Podengos were bred with a high prey drive to hunt. This may benefit them in the field, but it may also lead to issues in households with small, prey-like animals or occasionally with children.^{[21]
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Though not great with younger children or small animals due to their hunting instincts, Portuguese Podengos can otherwise make excellent family dogs. They do best with active families because of their activity requirements.^{[22]
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Tips

If you wish to identify the breed of your own dog, consider DNA testing. This will confirm if your dog is a Portuguese Podengo.

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