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BREED STANDARD

On January 2006 in Portugal accepted the new, updated breed standard you can find here: new breed standard
(New breed standard is still waiting for FCI approval)

(FCI-Standard No. 94/03.11.1999/GB)
Portuguese warren hound - Portuguese podengo (podengo Portugues)
Translation: R.Binder-Gresly and C.Seidler
Origin: Portugal
Date of publication of the original valid standard: 25.09.1967
Utilization: This breed is mainly encountered in the north of the country. According to their natural disposition, these dogs are used for hunting rabbits, singly or in a pack. This is the reason why it goes too by the name of Warren Hound. They are also appreciated as a good watchdogs.
Classification F.C.I.: Group 5: Spitz and primitive types,
Section 7: Primitive type - Hunting Dogs. Without working trial.
MEDIUM SIZED PODENGO
General appearance: Of medium size and substance, well balanced in proportions, well muscled and with strong bone.
Behaviour/temperament: Very lively and clever, unassuming and robust.
Head: Lean, shaped like a four-sided pyramid with a large base, dimishing considerably towards its pointed end. Longitudinal axes of the skull and foreface divergent.

GRANAL REGION:
Skull: Flat, almost straight in profile. Superciliary ridges prominent. Frontal groove hardly perceptible; the region between the ears horizontal; occipital bone prominent.
Stop: Barely defined.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Tapering towards the slightly protruding tip; frontal plane of the nose slightly slanting: its colour always darker than that of the coat.
Muzzle: Nasal bridge rounded (in cross section); straight when seen in profile. Muzzle shorter than skull and broader at its base than at the front end.
Lips: Close fitting thin, firm and horizontal.
Jaws/teeth: Regular, with strong white teeth. Normal bite.
Eyes: Very lively expression; barely protruding from the eye-sockets; colour varies according to coat colour, from honey to chestnut brown; small and set obliquely; colour of eyelids darker than coat colour.
Ears: Set on medium high and oblique; carried erect, very mobile; vertical forward when the dog is attentive; triangular shape, broad at the base, tapering to a point; ear leather thin; lenght of ear remarkably greater than width at set-on.

Neck: Harmonious transition from head to body; straight, suitably long; strong and well muscled. No dewlap.

BODY
Topline: Straight or slightly arched.
Back: Long, straight or slightly sloping.
Loins: Straight or slightly arched; broad and muscular.
Croup: Of medium length, broad and well muscled; straight or slightly slanting.
Chest: Forechest slightly accentuated, muscular, not too wide; chest deep and long, of medium width; long sternum rising towards rear; ribs hardly rounded, oblique.
Belly/flanks: Lean, with a slight tuck-up.
Underline: Slightly rising.

Tail: Set on high rather than low, strong, thick, of medium length, tapering towards a fine point; in repose hanging between hindlegs with the tip slightly curved upwards; in movement carried horizontally with a slight upward curve or carried upright in sickle shape; never curled up into ring shape.

LIMBS
Forequarters:
General: Seen from the front and from the side, vertical and straight, well muscled and clean.
Shoulders and upper arm: Long and oblique; strong and well muscled; forming a blunt angle at shoulder joint.
Forearm: Vertical, long and muscular.
Pastern joint: Clean, not prominent.
Pastern: Strong, short, slightly slanting.
Front feet: Round; long, strong, tightly bunched and strongly arched toes; nails strong, short, preferably dark; pads hard and resistant.

Hindquarters:
General: Seen from behind and from the side, straight and parallel; well muscled, clean.
Upper thigh: Long, of medium width, muscular.
Second thigh: Long, slanting, strong, muscular, clean.
Hock joints: Set on medium high, clean and strong, forming a blunt angle.
Hocks: Well boned, short, slanting; without dewclaws.
Hind feet: Round; long, strong, tightly bunched and strongly arched toes; short, strong, preferably dark nails; hard and resistant pads.

Gait/movement: Swift and light-footed.
Skin: Mucous membranes preferably with black pigment or, in any case, darker than coat colour. Skin thin and close fitting.

COAT
Hair: Short or long coat, of medium thickness; smooth in the short-haired variety; wiry (similar to the bristles of a wild boar) in the long-haired variety. The short coat is denser than the long coat. With the long coat there is a distinct "beard" underneath the lower jaw. No undercoat or fluff.
Colour: Predominant colours are yellow, fawn (in all shades from light to very dark) black (diluted or faded); self-coloured with or without white markings; or white as basic colour with markings in the listed colours.

Size and weight:
Height at withers: 40 - 55 cm.
Weight: 16 - 20 kg.

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Eliminating faults:
  • General appearance: Any sign of crossing with a Galgo (Spanish sighthound) or a Perdiguero (Portuguese Pointer).
  • Jaws: Incorrect bite, badly placed teeth.
  • Eyes: Of different colours.
  • Ears: Tipped over or folded.
  • Neck: Arched.
  • Body: Topline distinctly arched.
  • Croup: Exaggerated slope.
  • Belly: Too much tucked up.
  • Tail: Curled up.
  • Dewclaws: Undesirable (affect the grading of the dogs).


    • N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
    descended into the scrotum.

    LARGE PORTUGUESE PODENGO
    The breed characteristics of the Large Podengo, a nearly extinct variety in the country of origin, are almost identical with those of the medium size Podengo, with the following exceptions:
    General appearance: Strong dog with plenty of substance, mainly used for hunting deer.
    Height at withers: 55 - 70 cm.


    SMALL PORTUGUESE PODENGO
    The breed characteristics of the Small Podengo are also nearly identical to those of the medium size Podengo, with the following exceptions:
    General appearance: A small dog somewhat elongated in proportions which is used for hunting rabbits as well as driving them from their burrows or rock clefts.
    Skull: Flat or slightly arched.
    Body: Length of body exceeds height at withers.
    Limbs: Short. Forearm straight or slightly turned from outwards to
    inwards in its whole length.
    Height at withers: 20 - 30 cm.
    Weight: 4 - 5 kg.

    © The Portuguese Podengo Association of Finland