Breeds / Medium
Portuguese Podengo puppies
Alert, playful and independent, a hardy Portuguese hunting dog that is affectionate with their family and lively company for an active household.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- Country of origin Portugal
- Adult weight 15.9 to 29.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 35 to 66 lb
- Adult height 41 to 71 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Medium smooth and wiry
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 10 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
About the Portuguese Podengo
The Portuguese Podengo is an old rabbit and game hunting breed from Portugal, worked both in packs and singly, using sight, scent and hearing together. This entry covers the medium and large sizes, dogs of roughly 15.9 to 29.9 kg standing 41 to 71 cm, in both smooth and wire coats. The look is plain and functional: wedge head, pricked ears, lean frame. Podengos are alert, playful and quick to learn, with the independence you would expect from a dog bred to make their own decisions.
They need serious daily exercise and a securely fenced garden, and should be walked on lead anywhere there is game. Grooming is light: the wire coats shed in sections and want regular brushing, the smooths need very little. They are watchful and will bark at arrivals. Podengos generally live well with other dogs and, with supervision and socialisation, with children. Training works best kept short, rewarding and interesting, because a bored Podengo simply stops co-operating.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Portuguese Podengo 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 medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Food and contact allergies, identified by veterinary elimination trials
- Hypothyroidism, detected by a blood thyroid panel
- Genetic deafness, detectable by BAER testing
Your Portuguese Podengo puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Portuguese Podengo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15.9 to 29.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 29.9 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other medium breeds
American Cocker Spaniel
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Aussiedoodle
Australian Cattle Dog
More on the Portuguese Podengo
Previous: Porcelaine · Next: Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Portuguese Podengo breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/portuguese-podengo/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Canarian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.