Ibizan Hound is an Intelligent, Active, and Even-tempered Dog Breed

Ibizan Hound

Ibizan hound is a lean and agile dog of hounds-family. The dog was found in ancient Egypt around 3400 BC and brought from Ibiza (Balearic Islands of Spain) about 700-900 BC, where the dog was used to hunt rabbits for providing food to the Islanders. The breed has two hair varieties, smooth and wire; but smooth is more famous. Some people think about the third type “long” but ‘longhair’ is most possibly the variation of ‘wire type’. The other names of the dog include Podenco Ibicenco, Ca Eivissenc, and Balearic Dog.

Weight and Height

Ibizan hound is normally weighing about 20 to 29 kg (45 to 65 lb) and height should be 22 to 29 inches (56 to 74 cm). The males are larger than females.

Lifespan

The normal life of Ibizan hound is expected between 11 and 14 years.

Appearance

Ibizan hound is a graceful and agile dog breed, with an athletic and smart shape and a ground-covering bouncy trot. The breed has more strong and good bone girth with a graceful appearance. Its large vertical ears is a hallmark of the breed which is broad at the base and frame a long and stylish headpiece. The dog has a long and lean neck. It has a typical front assembly with relaxed shoulders and comparatively straight upper arm. Coming in both varieties (smooth and wire), their coat is a blend of red and white with the nose, ears, and eye rims; but the pads of feet are light-tan colored. The eyes of Ibizan hound are of amber color with an alert and intelligent look. The coat can range from smooth to wire, but wire-coats are harder and range from 1-3 inches in length.

Ibizan Hound Temperament

Ibizan hound is a lean, intelligent, lithe, and graceful dog breed. Being of working/obedience intelligence, the breed is ranked 53^rd in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs. But some owners also report a number of examples of their problem-solving capabilities. They are true ‘clowns’ of the dog world, delighting in entertaining their owners with their tricks. Though slightly independent and stubborn at times, they respond well to their training if positive methods are used, but will hesitate at punitive training methods. They are usually quiet but will alarm bark at times if necessary, so they make good watch-dogs.

Ibizan hounds are very sensitive dogs but they are sociable with the children and other dogs. They are active, athletic, and good house-dogs, therefore, they need a lot of regular daily exercises. They do not make good kennel-dogs. Ibizan hounds are graceful, but very stubborn and independent dogs.

Ibizan hounds are able to jump unbelievable heights from a halt, so they want high fences. They also famous to climb, and many can escape from crates, open bay doors and even locks. They have a strong prey drive, therefore they cannot be trusted off-leash except in a carefully surrounded area. Once off the leash, they might not return back for a long time. A hound that knows its home or surrounding area usually returns back unscathed.

History and Use

The breed originates in the island of Spain and France where it was used to hunt rabbits and other small games. The Ibizan hound is a fast dog that can hunt in all the territories, working by scent, sound, and sight. The hunters run these dogs in mostly female packs, with possibly a male or two, as females were considered comparatively a good hunter. Usually, a farmer may possess one dog and a rich farmer had two dogs to hunt rabbits for food.

Miquel Rosselló (the authority of Ibizan hound) provided a detailed description of a working trial which portrays their typical hunting technique and action, amazingly illustrated with action photographs by Charles Camberoque which exhibit hunt behavior and typical hunt territory. While local hunters sometimes used one dog or a brace and frequently packs of 6 to 8 or as many as 15. The working trial needs an evaluation of one or two braces. A brace is named as ‘colla’. The couples should be tested on at least 2 to 5 rabbits (not hares), without the use of any other hunting aid. An inspection and evaluation of the exterior, fitness, character, and obedience of the dogs are suggested prior to the hunt. The trial is qualified as having 5 parts. The dogs should display:

1. Careful tracking and scenting of the rabbit, without being distracted in the least, 0-30 points.

2. Correct gesturing of the game, patient stand, strong jump into the air, obedience 0-10 points.

3. Chase, giving tongue, speed, sureness, anticipation 0-30 points.

4. Putting the game to cover at close quarters, listening, waiting, obedience, correct attack 0-10 point.

5. Good catch, or correct indication of the game’s location, retrieval, obedience 0-20 points.

The individual dogs are likely to show a high degree of discipline, obedience, and cooperation. They should be very agile, have good speed, and a potent vertical jump from a static place in rough and often deeply covered ground. They should have excellent scent-tracking abilities, give tongue at the correct time when approaching the game closely, and otherwise be silent so that they can trace the game by sounds.

It is believed the Ibizan hound evolves from the ancient Egyptian hunting-dog ‘Tesem’. Pictures of this dog on the walls of ancient tombs express a notable similarity to the current Ibizan hound. Ibizan hounds were brought to the island of Eivissa by the Phoenicians, who founded settlements there as early as the 8^th century BC. A recent DNA analysis reveals that the breed was developed recently from other breeds.

In the USA, the Ibizan hound often participates in lure coursing through the AKC and ASFA, and also competes in LGRA conventional racing and NOTRA oval track-racing. Ibizan hounds are also used for coursing live prey, mostly the jackrabbits in some parts of the country.

The Ibizan hound is an accepted breed by the Continental Kennel Club, Fédération Cynologique Internationale, American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), Kennel Club of Great Britain, New Zealand Kennel Club, Canadian Kennel Club, National Kennel Club, Australian National Kennel Council, America's Pet Registry, and American Canine Registry. It was properly documented by the AKC in 1979. The breed is generally purebred and not used for cross-breeding.