Breeds / Large
Ibizan Hound puppies
The Ibizan Hound is a lean, big eared Spanish hunting hound, quiet and cat like indoors and explosively athletic outside. It is sensitive to harsh handling and an exceptional jumper, so fencing needs to be high and secure.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Spain
- Adult weight 20.4 to 22.7 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 45 to 50 lb
- Adult height 57 to 70 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth and wiry
- Typical lifespan 11 to 14 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
Where these come from:
About the Ibizan Hound
The Ibizan Hound comes from the Balearic Islands off Spain, where it was used in small groups to hunt rabbit by a mix of sight, scent and hearing across rough stony ground. It is a lean, angular dog of 57 to 70 cm with enormous upright ears, amber eyes and a pale flesh coloured nose, in either a smooth or a wire coat. Around the house it is quiet and rather cat like, playful with its own people, aloof with strangers and noticeably sensitive to atmosphere.
The defining practical fact is that an Ibizan can clear a standing fence of five or six feet, so ordinary garden boundaries do not contain it. Exercise needs are very high and prey drive is strong, which means secure fenced space to gallop and lead walks everywhere else. Grooming is minimal, though the thin coat and light build mean a coat in cold weather. Training must be gentle, since harsh corrections shut this breed down. Most first time owners discover the fencing problem the hard way.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Ibizan Hound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Autoimmune thyroiditis, screened by a thyroid evaluation
- Congenital deafness, detectable by BAER testing
- Sensitivity to anaesthetics, shared with other lean sighthounds, which the vet should be told about before surgery
From Ibizan Hound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/ibizan-hound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Ibizan Hound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Ibizan Hound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 20.4 to 22.7 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.