The first group of Podengo Medio fanciers met in the US in the early 1990s via the early internet Gopher (protocol) system. They are attractive, nice family dogs, with a touch of mischief. They were never really popularized outside of their immigrant homesteads. The Portuguese Podengo Medio, both smooth and wire-haired, has existed, unregistered, in the United States for decades in small numbers with Portuguese-Americans in private home settings, where they have been used for traditional rabbit hunting. The single coat (without undercoat) does shed but not very much. For that reason the Smooth Coat variety is preferred in the North of their native Portugal, which has rainy winters. It naturally sheds dust and dirt and dries very quickly. The SPM is a medium-sized type with a dense smooth single layer coat that is extremely low maintenance. This coat was preferred in the South of their native Portugal, which is very warm. The WPM is a medium-sized type with a rough coat that functions as an air conditioner in the hot weather. Most (75%)of the purebred Portuguese Podengos in the United States consists of the Pequeno size, and most of these (85%) are of the wire coat variety. The smooth-coated Pequeno followed in 2004. Wire Coat Pequenos were first imported to the UK in 2002.

The Viamonte Podengos were the first family of Podengos pequenos in the United States, followed by Gelato de Viamonte “Chico” in 2004. Smooth coat Pequenos was first shown in the United States in 2003. He was the first Podengo to ever be shown in the United States and the first Podengo Pequeno champion in ARBA and Rarities. Wire Coat Pequenos was first shown in the United States in 2001 when Chicharro de Viamonte, owned by Marilyn Piurek and Kip Bergstrom, was exhibited at an ARBA show in Boston. A walk with many Pequenos can be a delight and they will continually come back to the owner to make sure they are coming along. They can be remarkably silly in the home. The Podengo Pequeno is trained well with positive techniques and should be kept on a leash all of the time during training as they can be quite autonomous and have their ideas about what constitutes proper behaviour. They enjoy running and sunshine and must have a secure enclosed fence. Like their Medio relatives, they are very watchful and observant and will bark when something gets their attention. They are very active and usually good with children and other animals when socialized from an early age. Podengo Pequeno is small, friendly, hardy, lively and intelligent companions. This was done primarily to prevent the interbreeding of the Pequeno with the Medio. In the United States, the American Kennel Club split the Podengo Pequeno from the other two sizes as a separate breed. It is acceptable for the hair description to come before or after the ‘type’ name. In its home country, the Podengo is referred to as Small, Medium or Large Podengo. All of these types are called ‘Portuguese Podengo’ as a ‘breed,’ although none of these six types is interbred. Within each size, the type is two varieties: smooth (also referred to as smooth coat) and wire (also referred to as wire coat, wirehaired, longhaired or rough coat). There are three sizes of Podengos: Podengo Pequeno, Podengo Medio and Podengo Grande. (Pequeno: rabbits Medio: rabbits and wild boar Grande: deer and wild boar). Each size category traditionally hunts game appropriate to their size and temperament.

When game is found, they kill and retrieve it, or flush it towards the hunter to be shot. Typically, the dogs hunt in a pack with their handler following. Keen hunting dogs, the Podengo has an affinity for game regardless of size.

Loyal and fearless, Podengos are also good house guards and are amenable to training by dog experienced people and those that enjoy primitive (unrefined, “less domesticated”) dog behavior. In general, the breed is healthy the Pequeno (small) variety has an average lifespan of approximately 15–17 years.Īll Podengo types are hardy, intelligent and lively dogs, excelling at agility and making fine companions. The smooth coated variety is traditional, whereas the wire coated variety is an outcome of the assimilation of various other breeds during the 20th century. Their coats are either short and ‘smooth’, or longer and ‘wired’.

As a breed, the Podengo is divided into three size categories that are not interbred: small (Pequeno), medium (Médio) and large (Grande). The Portuguese Podengo is hound (sight and scent) breed from Portugal.

Podengo portugueso