Canis lupus familiaris
Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Featured photoportuguese-podengo-pequeno.jpgThe Portuguese Podengo Pequeno is the smallest of the three size varieties of the Portuguese Podengo, a primitive scent-and-sight hound of Portugal believed descended from ancient hounds brought to the Iberian Peninsula by Phoenician traders around 1000 BC. The Pequeno (small) variety hunts rabbit in dense undergrowth. The FCI registers the three Podengo sizes together as No. 94; the AKC admitted the Pequeno specifically in 2013 and places it in the Hound Group. Males stand 20–30 cm.
Quick facts
- AKC group
- Hound
- Origin country
- Portugal
- Origin period
- Ancient, approx. 1000 BC
- Coat type
- Short
- Coat colors
- Yellow, Fawn, Black, White and Yellow, White and Fawn, White and Black
- Average lifespan
- 12-15 years
- Recognition
- AKC 2013 · FCI 1954 · UKC 1995 · Group 5 — Spitz and Primitive Types (Section 7: Primitive type — Hunting Dogs)
Origin
Zooarchaeological evidence and early Portuguese art support a Phoenician or Carthaginian introduction of smooth-coated, prick-eared hound types to the Iberian Peninsula around 1000 BC. These dogs adapted to the varied Portuguese terrain over millennia. The three size varieties of the Podengo — Grande, Médio, and Pequeno — each developed a specific hunting niche: the Grande for deer and wild boar, the Médio for rabbit in open terrain, and the Pequeno for rabbit in rocky, dense-brush terrain where it can pursue prey underground. Portuguese maritime explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries documented the Podengo and may have introduced the type to Madeira, the Azores, and other colonial territories.
Recognition
The FCI recognised the Portuguese Podengo (all three sizes) in 1954 under standard No. 94, classifying it in Group 5 — Spitz and Primitive Types (Section 7: Primitive type — Hunting Dogs), with Portugal as patron country. The three sizes compete separately in FCI shows. The AKC admitted the Pequeno variety specifically to the Hound Group in 2013, after a period in the Miscellaneous Class beginning in 2011; the Grande and Médio are in the AKC Foundation Stock Service. The UKC recognised all three sizes in 1995.
Standard
The FCI and AKC standards for the Pequeno describe a small, well-proportioned, rectangular dog with a pyramidal head, large upright ears, and an alert, lively expression. Two coat varieties are recognised: smooth (short, dense, close-lying) and wire (medium length, harsh, with a beard and eyebrows). Recognised colours include yellow, fawn, black, and white with any of these colours as patches or marks. Males stand 20–30 cm at the withers and weigh 4–6 kg.
Sources & further reading (3)
- kennel-club-registry — accessed 2026-05-27
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-27
- fci-standard — accessed 2026-05-27
Frequently asked questions
What are the three sizes of the Portuguese Podengo?
The Portuguese Podengo exists in three distinct size varieties: Grande (large, 55–70 cm), Médio (medium, 39–54 cm), and Pequeno (small, 20–30 cm). The three sizes were developed to hunt different quarry in different terrains — the Grande for large game, the Médio for rabbit in open terrain, and the Pequeno for rabbit in dense brush and rocky ground. The FCI registers all three as a single breed under standard No. 94; they compete in separate size classes.
When did the AKC recognise the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno?
The AKC granted the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno full Hound Group recognition in 2013. The breed entered the AKC Miscellaneous Class in 2011. The UKC had recognised the breed in 1995, and the FCI had recognised all Podengo sizes since 1954.
What does 'Podengo' mean?
The name derives from the Portuguese word 'podengo', which itself traces to the Latin 'podenca' or the Spanish 'podenco' — terms used in the Iberian Peninsula for primitive prick-eared hounds of Phoenician or African origin. The word is related to 'podenco', the Spanish term for the same type of dog, and may ultimately derive from the Arabic 'badhan' (quick, agile).
