Ibizans!

Ibizan Hounds are so cool so why don't you have a peek at some facts about them:

#1. "Pronunciation: Ih-BEEZ-an Hound."

#2. "The Ibizan Hound is also called Podenco Ibicenco."

#3. "The body is fine boned and slender."

#4. "The head is long and narrow."

#5. "The nose is a rosy flesh color."

#6. "The teeth meet in a scissors bite."

#7. "The small eyes are a clear amber to caramel in color."

#8. "The erect ears are large and pointed."

#9. "The neck is long, slender and slightly arched."

#10. "The back is level and straight."

#11. "The chest is long and deep."

#12. "The front legs are straight."

#13. "There are three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired. The most common is the smooth-haired and the long-haired is very rare. The wire-haired has a longer coat of rough hair that is softer textured than the other two varieties. Colors are white and red, white and tan, or solid white or red."

#14. "The Ibizan Hounds, sometimes called "Beezers" by their fanciers, are quiet, clean, playful and polite."

#15. "Good with children, gentle, sensible and sensitive."

#16. "Protective and somewhat independent."

#17. "They will hold back watchfully with strangers. Once they decide the stranger means no harm, they will relax very quickly."

#18. "Be careful with small pets such as rabbits, cats and rodents; the Ibizan Hound is bred to hunt these creatures. Cats that are raised with the Ibizan Hound will fit in just fine as part of the "family pack," but it will chase and possibly kill a cat it does not know."

#19. "As in all breeds, the Ibizan Hound should be well socialized with other dogs, other animals, adults, and children."

#20. "Beezers are pack animals by nature, so introducing a puppy to the household is easy."

#21. "An Ibizan thinks its humans are their pack, so any addition (human or baby) must be introduced slowly."

#22. "When introducing an adult dog, be sure to take both dogs together on a pack walk, making both dogs heel on the walk before bringing the new dog home."

#23. "Ibizans are members of the family."

#24. "They cannot be kept as kennel dogs."

#25. "They love their humans, are as clean as a cat, and respect the rules of a household."

#26. "This breed blushes when they get excited, as does the Pharaoh Hound."

#27. "Ibizans like to learn and do so very quickly."

#28. "They are trainable, but tend to be willful if they sense their owners are meek or passive and get bored easily."

#29. "Provided they have been properly trained, they can participate in many types of dog sports."

#30. "These dogs are very sensitive to the voice of their handler and a friendly, calm, but assertive command will always achieve more than a harsh command."

#31. "This breed tends to have large litters."

#32. "As with all dogs, be sure you are always your dogs pack leader to avoid any negative unwanted behaviors."

#33. "Proper human to canine communication is essential."

#34. "Height: 22-29 inches (56-74 cm.)"

#35. "Weight: 42-55 pounds (19-25 kg.)"

#36. "The Ibizan Hound is hardy and strong, but can have allergic reactions to drugs, including insecticides and flea powders. Some lines seem to be prone to seizures. The Ibizan Hound has a genetic propensity for Axonal Dystrophy, nerve and muscle disease."

#37. "The Ibizan Hound will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. They are moderately active indoors and will do best with at least a large yard. The Ibizan Hound can jump very high from a complete standstill, enabling him to easily jump most fences. An incredibly fast dog, the Ibizan Hound can be extremely difficult to re-capture. They are sighthounds, meaning they hunt by sight rather than scent. Ibizans have selective hearing and an independent nature. They will take off running and WILL NOT come back until they feel like it. The strong chase instinct and lack of caution in traffic can lead to disaster. A large fenced area is best for regular exercise. Breed Club literature suggests at least 40X60 feet. The breed is quite sensitive to cold, as his coat is not very protective."

#38. "This breed requires a great deal of exercise. It should have at least two to three long walks a day in order to satisfy their migration instinct. While out on the walk make sure the dog heels beside or behind the person holding the lead, never in front, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. This breed should get a chance to stretch its legs with a nice run once a day. They will highly enjoy retrieving for you and will also enjoy running alongside your bicycle, but don't do this until your dog is fully grown as it can harm a young puppy. Do not let this breed off the lead unless you are in a secure area. This independent sighthound is extremely fast and it will take off and not come back until it is good and ready to. They are extremely hard to recapture. Keep in mind that the Ibizan Hound can jump very high from a complete standstill, enabling him to easily jump most fences."

#39. "Life Expectancy: About 10-12 years."

#40. "There are three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired. Neither variety requires much attention. The shine on the coat of the smooth-haired can be kept in good condition by occasionally running a rubber glove over it. The wire-haired do not need hand-plucking. All can be groomed by an occasional brushing. Check at frequent intervals that the ear passages are clean and keep the claws short. This breed is an average shedder."

Info from: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ibizanhound.htm

Pic of Ibizan Hound from: http://www.breederretriever.com/photopost/data/544/medium/Ibizan.jpg