Ibizan Hound
An Elegant Hound who Loves to Have Fun, This Intelligent and Affectionate Dog Can Have a Mind of Its Own
Exotic, graceful, and elegant in appearance, the Ibizan Hound is nonetheless a goofy clown in addition to an alert and loving member of the family. Playful and friendly, the Ibizan Hound is a joy to have around. You must be ready for plenty of rambunctious fun, because this intelligent jokester has a few tricks up its sleeve and won't be satisfied with a quiet night in front of the television unless there's been a good exercise session or two that day – at least 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise with you a day – plus plenty of time to play freely alone if needed in a well fenced-in backyard.
As a member of the hound family, this dog will be apt to chase prey, jump fences at will, and in general be a handful outdoors – but quiet and reserved indoors if necessary. They can be excitable and rambunctious, but Ibizan Hounds are also exquisitely attuned to current surroundings, which means that if necessary, your pet will be quiet. This proud, sweet and affectionate dog makes an excellent pet as long as you understand the breed's independent mind and agenda. Consider yourself the "parent" of an eager-to-please partner rather than a subordinate.
History
People thought that the Ibizan Hound was an ancient breed for a long time, but since DNA has made its appearance, it has been found that the Ibizan Hound is a much more recent breed than previously thought. The breed comes from the Spanish island Ibiza, where it was originally developed as a rabbit hunter. Ibizan Hounds often hunt with the assistance of ferrets there, who flush rabbits from their dens and then let the Ibizan Hound take over.
The breed was brought to the United States in 1956 by Colonel and Mrs. Bonsuelo Seoane. It was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1979 as a member of the hound group and is still quite rare, ranking 151st among the registered breeds of the AKC.
Appearance
Agile and athletic, the Ibizan Hound has a long, arched neck, elegant, wedge-shaped head, and soulful amber eyes. The nose is unique because it's been called the "Roman nose," with its rose color and convex shape. The Ibizan Hound is a sighthound, with a fine-boned structure that is quite similar in appearance to the Great Dane, but with a much more robust, sturdy, and muscular physicality. Well-balanced, the muscles are sleek and flat, and add to the Ibizan Hound's refined appearance.
The front legs are usually perfectly straight, sometimes suggesting that the Ibizan Hound is standing on tiptoe. A long, slender tail hangs low when the dog is relaxed, and stands straight up when alert.
There are three different types of Ibizan Hound: the wirehaired, the smooth-haired, and the longhaired. The most common is the smooth-haired, with the long-haired being quite rare. Wirehaired Ibizan Hounds have longer coats and rougher textured hair. The most common colors are combinations of white and red, white and tan, or solid white or red. In adulthood, the Ibizan Hound stands 22 to 28 inches at the shoulder and weighs 42 to 55 pounds.
Personality
Get ready for a rambunctious and fun ride with your intelligent, amusing, and independent pet. Although this breed can be shy around strangers and actually presents an aloof exterior to newcomers – actually, "regal" may be a better description – this dog can be a goofy, very intelligent clown with friends and family. What's interesting is that although the Ibizan Hound ranks only 53rd in Stanley Coren's 1994 (revised 2006) book, The Intelligence of Dogs, owners unfailingly say that their pets are excellent at problem-solving. You'll find that yours is, too.
An exquisitely endearing – and unique – quality about your pet is that it will blush or turn red in embarrassment, or when exceedingly happy, anxious – or just eager to please. You'll find that you can train this dog pretty easily when it’s in the mood, but remember that this independent-minded hound may have its own agenda. Gentle, firm, and consistent discipline is necessary, with properly modulated tone and language. A remarkably sensitive dog, it can be hurt easily if you speak too harshly or loudly when you discipline.
Finally, Ibizan Hounds are very well-mannered with children and can be affable with other pets as well. Natural instinct toward prey animals like rabbits, birds, and rodents will stay intact, however, so it's better not to have these pets around if you choose to adopt this breed. The Ibizan Hound can be taught to get along well with cats (especially if brought up with them) and other dogs, especially another Ibizan Hound. When brought up around children, this dog will show warm affection to them but must be introduced and monitored around children if not familiar with them previously.
Finally, your Ibizan Hound will NOT be one to stay in the yard and be obedient no matter how well attuned you are. Make sure you have a sturdy fence at least six feet tall, installed well into the ground so that your pet can't dig under it to get out. Don't use electronic fences as a substitute. Ibizan Hounds simply leap right over electronic boundaries with no thought to them.
Health
Like most hound breeds, the Ibizan Hound doesn't have much to worry about in the way of hereditary illness, or any overriding illnesses at all. There is a minor occurrence of seizures in the breed and of allergies to drugs such as flea powder and other insecticides. Dogs can be deaf, have retinal dysplasia, cataracts, or axonal dystrophy, but these are also rare. Of note, Ibizan Hounds should not be subject to barbiturate anesthesia. Ibizan Hounds live long and healthy lives with proper veterinary care, with life expectancies of approximately 10 to 12 years.
Grooming
Grooming is easy with the Ibizan Hound, which is an average shedder: Smooth-coated Ibizan Hounds can be "groomed" simply by running a rubber glove over the coat to remove loose hair. The wirehaired variety does not need to be hand plucked, and all can simply be brushed occasionally; check to see that ears are clean on a regular basis and trim claws as needed.
References
Ibizan Hound.
http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/ibizan-hound.
Retrieved May 31, 2015.
Ibizan Hound (Podenco Ibicenco) (Ibizan Warren Hound - Ibizan Podenco).
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ibizanhound.htm.
Retrieved May 31, 2015.
Meet the Ibizan Hound.
http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/ibizan-hound/detail/.
Retrieved May 31, 2015.
The Intelligence of Dogs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs.
Retrieved May 31, 2015.
