© AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
THE PORTUGUESE PODENGO
General Appearance : Well-proportioned muscled , sound with moderate bone . Lean 4-sided pyramid shaped head with prick ears . Tail - Sickle-shaped . Over-emphasis on any one feature should be strongly avoided . The Medio and Grande come in two coat textures : smooth and wire . The Podengo is a hunting dog ; scars from honorable wounds shall not be considered a fault .
Size , Proportion , Substance : The proportions of the Grande and Medio are almost square . Strong in build , heavier bone present in larger size dogs . Body length from prosternum to point of buttocks is approximately 10 percent longer than the height at the withers . Grande - 22 to 28 inches at the withers , 44 to 66 pounds . Medio - 16 to 22 inches at the withers , 35 to 44 pounds . Disqualification - Over 28 inches , under 16 inches .
Head : The head is lean with a flat or slightly arched skull . Shaped like a 4-sided pyramid , tapering towards a slightly protruding nose tip . Occipital bone is moderately defined . The stop is moderately defined . The planes of the skull and muzzle diverge , cheeks lean and oblique ( not parallel ). Muzzle - The muzzle is straight in profile ; slightly shorter than the skull ; broader at the base than at the tip . Lips are close fitting , thin , firm , and well pigmented . Teeth - Large strong teeth should meet in a scissors bite . Nose - The nose is tapered and prominent at the tip . It is always darker in color than the color of the coat . Eyes - Almond shaped , very expressive , moderate in size , not prominent , set obliquely , color varies according to coat color from honey to brown . Fault - Eyes of two different colors . Ears - The ears are triangular in shape with their length greater than their width at the base . They are carried erect . Highly mobile , the ear can point forward , sideways , or be folded backward , according to mood . The lowest point of the base is at level of the eye . Fault - Rounded , bent ears . Disqualification - Hanging ears .
Neck , Topline and Body : Neck - The neck is straight , strong and well-muscled . It transitions smoothly from head to body and is free from throatiness . Topline - The top line is typical of larger sight hound straight or slightly arched . Body - Well-proportioned body slightly longer than height at withers . Ribs moderately well sprung and well carried back . The chest reaches down to the elbow , medium width . The croup is straight or slightly sloping , broad and muscular . There is a slight tuck up .
Forequarters : The shoulder is long , inclined , and strong , angulation is moderate . The forelegs are straight , lean and well-muscled , with elbows held parallel to the body . The pastern joint is not prominent and the pasterns are short and strong . Presence or absence of front dew claws immaterial . The wrists are very elastic and flexible .
Hindquarters : Well-muscled and clean . Upper thigh long , of medium width , muscular . Moderately angulated . The rear pasterns are strong , short and straight and there are no dewclaws . Feet - Oval , neither cat footed nor hare footed . Toes long , slightly arched , nails strong and preferably dark . Pads firm . Tail - The tail is set moderately high , thick at the base tapering to a fine point , and at rest it falls in a slight curve between the buttocks . When the dog is in motion it rises to the horizontal and is slightly curved or it may go up to vertical in a sickle shape . The hair is fringed on the underside of the wire coat tail . Disqualification - Curled in ring touching the back .
Coat : There are two types of coat : Smooth coat which is short and very dense with undercoat present . Wire coat which is rough and harsh , not as dense as the Smooth coat , and without undercoat . The Wire coat produces a distinct beard . The coat is to be shown in a natural state ; the face and feet may be trimmed , but no other trimming or shaving is to be condoned . The coat does transition as the new coat grows in the old coat dies and comes out in large sections starting at the base of the neck , down the center of the back and then down the sides of the body . The coat is not to be penalized in this state of change . Fault - Silky or soft coat .
Color : Yellow and white or fawn and white of any shade or primarily white with patches of any shade of yellow or fawn . The following colors are also acceptable , but they are not preferred : tones of black or brown , with white patches or white with patches of black or brown . Fault - Brindle and solid white .
Gait : Side gait is of a typical larger sighthound with a balanced front and rear . Front action is straight and reaching moderately forward . Going away , the hind legs are parallel and have moderate drive . Convergence of the front and rear legs towards their center of gravity is proportional to the speed of their movement , giving the appearance of an active , agile hound , capable of a full day ’ s hunting .
Temperament : They are an intelligent , independent , affectionate , alert breed , however they can be wary with strangers ; This should not be considered a fault in the judging process .
Faults : Eyes of two different colors . Rounded , bent ears . Silky or soft coat . Brindle and solid white .
Disqualifications : Size - Over 28 inches . Under 16 inches . Hanging ears . Tail - Curled in a circle touching the back . DIR
MARCH 2017 DOGS IN REVIEW 87