General Description: (Portuguese Pondengo Pequeno) The Portuguese Hound is a unique looking dog that comes in three different sizes. Large bat-like ears sit on its flat head. The dog’s small, light brown eyes sit above their rectangular muzzle which ends with a small brown or black nose. A muscular neck leads to broad shoulders and a sunken in stomach. Their skinny legs lead down to cat-like feet perfect for running after game. The breed comes in two coat varieties: wirehaired or smooth coated. The wirehaired variety has medium to long in hair but the smooth coat is sleek and lies flat to their body. Coat colors are fawn, yellow, or black; any of the colors can contain white markings.
Character: An intelligent nature, common among hounds, makes the Portuguese Hound easily trainable. Great with their family, they especially make a good watchdog. The breed is loving with strangers and other animals, but like most hunting dogs should be supervised around small animals. Also, they are sometimes combative with other dogs.
Size: 8 – 27 inches
Weight: 9 – 66 pounds
General Health: The Portuguese Hound is a very healthy breed. They have no known diseases. Their life expectancy is 12 to 14 years.
History: The Portuguese Hound may be descended from small wolves that call Spain and Portugal their home. However, no one knows for sure where the dog breed came from. Breeders became involved in the dog’s history and actually were responsible for the developing the different sizes the breed now comes in.
Maintenance: Grooming is rarely needed for the Portuguese Hound. Brushing is the only grooming needed and that is just on occasion. Exercise is extremely important for this breed, however. Lively and active, this breed should be allowed time to run, walk, and play every day. The Portuguese Hound can live outside and often enjoys it. However, they still need time to spend with their family.
Ideal Environment: The Portuguese Hound is a friendly dog who gets along with all people. This breed may be aggressive with other dogs and needs to be supervised around cats. Family is important for this dog who loves attention. Exercise is also very important for these lively dogs. A large yard makes the Portuguese Hound extremely happy, so they can run and play. This dog is great for people who do not want to do an immense amount of grooming. The best climate for this dog is a warm and sunny.
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Portuguese Hound information.