Breeds / Toy
Portuguese Podengo Pequeno puppies
Lively, alert and self reliant, a small Portuguese hunting hound with a large personality that is playful with their family and busy from morning to night.
The facts
- Size class Toy
- Country of origin Portugal
- Adult weight 4.1 to 5.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 9 to 13 lb
- Adult height 20 to 30 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Short smooth and wiry
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
About the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno is the smallest of the three Podengo sizes, a Portuguese rabbit hunter bred to work rocky ground and follow their quarry into cover. Adults weigh 4.1 to 5.9 kg and stand 20 to 30 cm, with a long backed, low set frame, upright ears and either a smooth or a wire coat. Lifespan runs 12 to 15 years. Small size aside, this is a working hound: busy, bold, comic and a great deal tougher than they look.
They want a brisk daily walk and a fenced space to sprint in, and should be loose only where the boundaries are solid, since the nose leads and the dog follows. Grooming is straightforward, a routine brush and comb with a monthly bath and no trimming. Training works with patience and food, because a Pequeno decides for themselves whether an instruction is worth taking. They suit active homes, with supervision and socialisation around young children and small pets.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Portuguese Podengo Pequeno 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 toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. They can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so they need frequent small meals rather than two big ones. 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.
- Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed for
- Patellar luxation, diagnosed by physical examination of the stifle
- Eye disorders, found by an ophthalmologist evaluation of breeding stock
Your Portuguese Podengo Pequeno puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Portuguese Podengo Pequeno.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 4.1 to 5.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 5.9 kg; chew toys made for small 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 toy breeds
More on the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Previous: Portuguese Podengo · Next: Portuguese Pointer
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 Pequeno breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/portuguese-podengo-pequeno/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.