Podenco Canario

The Podenco Canario is the rabbit hound of the Canary Islands, and it hunts by sight, scent and hearing together over volcanic ground.

History

It belongs to the Iberian podenco family and has hunted rabbit across the Canaries for centuries; the islands' name comes from the Latin for dog, which local tradition connects to the large dogs Roman accounts describe there. It works in small groups at dawn and dusk, and it remains a hunting dog rather than a companion breed at home.

Temperament

The breed is known for being energetic, alert and independent, affectionate with its own people and reserved with strangers, with a genuine and undiminished prey drive.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and high, secure fencing; podencos jump and climb. The short coat needs nothing. Training should be short and interesting.

Health

Generally robust; nothing is widely documented as specific to the breed. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.