Dog
Group:
Hound 
Ibizan Hound Champions
You must login to add your Champion Dog to this list.
Pronunciation:
Ih-BEEZ-an Hound
Breed Description:
The Ibizan Hound breed of dog, also called Podenco Ibicenco, is an agile, deer-like, elegant and athletic hound that has a long, arched neck, long wedge-shaped head, amber eyes and very large, triangular ears which stand up when the dog is alert. The teeth are exceptionally healthy. The rose or flesh-colored nose has a slightly convex shape called "Roman nose." The body is fine-boned, but not as slender as in many other sight hounds. The Ibizan Hound breed of dog has flat, sleek muscles without any heaviness. The front legs are perfectly straight all the way from the elbows to the ground. Dewclaws may be removed or left natural. The tail is long and slender, hanging low when the dog is relaxed and carried a bit higher when the dog is alert. The Ibizan Hound is "hare-footed," with long toes. There are three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired. The most common is the smooth-haired and the long-haired is very rare. The wire-haired has a longer coat of rough hair that is softer textured than the other two varieties. Colors are white & red, white and tan, or solid white or red.
Temperament:
The Ibizan Hound breed of dog, sometimes called "Beezers" by their fanciers, is quiet, clean, playful and polite. Good with children, gentle, sensible and sensitive. Protective and somewhat independent. They will hold back watchfully with strangers. Once they decide the stranger means no harm, they will relax very quickly. Be careful with small pets such as rabbits, cats and rodents; the Ibizan Hound is bred to hunt these creatures. Cats that are raised with the Ibizan Hound will fit in just fine as part of the "family pack," but it will chase and possibly kill a cat it does not know. As in all breeds, the Ibizan Hound should be well socialized with other dogs, other animals, adults, and children.
Beezers are pack animals by nature, so introducing a puppy to the household is easy. An Ibizan thinks its humans are their pack, so any addition (human or baby) must be introduced slowly. When introducing an adult dog, be sure to take both dogs together on a pack walk, making both dogs heel on the walk before bringing the new dog home. Ibizans are members of the family. They cannot be kept as kennel dogs. They love their humans, are as clean as a cat, and respect the rules of a household. This breed blushes when they get excited, as does the Pharaoh Hound. Ibizans like to learn and do so very quickly. They are trainable, but tend to be willful if they sense their owners are meek or passive and get bored easily. Provided they have been properly trained, they can participate in many types of dog sports. These dogs are very sensitive to the voice of their handler and a friendly, calm, but assertive command will always achieve more than a harsh command. This breed tends to have large litters. As with all dogs, be sure you are always your dogs pack leader to avoid any negative unwanted behaviors. Proper human to canine communication is essential.
Height:
22 to 29 inches
Weight:
40 to 55 pounds
Health Problems:
The Ibizan Hound is hardy and strong, but can have allergic reactions to drugs, including insecticides and flea powders. Some lines seem to be prone to seizures. The Ibizan Hound has a genetic propensity for Axonal Dystrophy, nerve and muscle disease.
Living Conditions:
The Ibizan Hound breed of dog will do okay in an apartment if he is sufficiently exercised. They should not be kept as kennel dogs. They are moderately active indoors and will do best with at least a large yard. The Ibizan Hound can jump very high from a complete standstill, enabling him to easily jump most fences. An incredibly fast dog, the Ibizan Hound can be extremely difficult to re-capture. They are sighthounds, meaning they hunt by sight rather than scent. Ibizans have selective hearing and an independent nature. They will take off running and will not come back until they feel like it. The strong chase instinct and lack of caution in traffic can lead to disaster. A large fenced area is best for regular exercise. Breed Club literature suggests at least 40X60 feet. The breed is quite sensitive to cold, as his coat is not very protective.
Exercise:
The Ibizan Hound breed of dog requires a great deal of exercise. He should have at least two to three long walks a day in order to satisfy their migration instinct. While out on the walk, make sure the dog heels beside or behind the person holding the lead, never in front, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. This breed should get a chance to stretch its legs with a nice run once a day. They will enjoy retrieving for you and will also enjoy running alongside your bicycle, but don't do this until your dog is fully grown as it can harm a young puppy. Do not let this breed off the lead unless you are in a secure area. This independent sight hound is extremely fast and it will take off and not come back until it is good and ready to. They are extremely hard to recapture. Keep in mind that the Ibizan Hound can jump very high from a complete standstill, enabling him to easily jump most fences.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 12 years
Grooming:
There are three varieties of the Ibizan Hound breed of dog: smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired. None of the varieties require much attention. The shine on the coat of the smooth-haired can be kept in good condition by occasionally running a rubber glove over it. The wire-haired do not need hand-plucking. All can be groomed by an occasional brushing. Check at frequent intervals that the ear passages are clean and keep the claws short. This breed is an average shedder.
Origin:
Several examples of Ancient Egyptian art, some from 5000 years ago, depict dogs closely resembling today's Ibizan Hound breed of dog. This sleek hunting greyhound may have been brought to the islands off the coast of Spain from Egypt by Phoenician traders in about 700-900 BC. The breed became common on the island of Ibiza and other nearby islands and were used there to hunt rabbit and other small game. The Ibizan Hound is a very fast dog that can hunt on all types of terrain - working by sight, hearing and smell. It can also be used in nocturnal hunting. He is a steady pointer when he discovers game, and can also retrieve very well. Spanish hunters run these dogs in packs. Today the breed's chasing instincts can flourish in the sport of lure coursing. The Ibizan Hound is also a delightful companion and show dog. This breed is very similar to the Pharaoh Hound, but the Ibizan Hound is larger and can have a multi-colored coat. The Ibizan Hound was fully recognized by the AKC in 1979. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
