Fun Ibizan Hound Facts For Kids

The Ibizan Hound also called "podenco ibicenco" in Spanish, is an active and agile dog with a lean body and belongs to the hound family. They originated from the Balearic island in Spain and were known to hunt rabbits in the wild till they were tamed and domesticated as pets.

The American Kennel Club recognized this breed of dogs for the first time in 1979. There was also an Ibizan Hound Club known as the AKC member club which had garnered a specialty show status in 1992.

It is a highly poised and elegant breed of dog, which is athletic and requires a lot of exercise. Despite its graceful and genial appearance, it was known to be very rugged and hardy in nature when they hunted in the wild.

They are distinguished by their large pointed ears that stand upright and are a hallmark of the breed. They have two coated varieties which come in a combination of two colors, red and white.

They have strikingly eloquent amber eyes and are very intelligent and engaging in nature. As a matter of fact, they have been awarded the 53rd position in 'The Intelligence of Dogs' by Stanley Coren.

Their above-average intelligence renders them excellent solving abilities. Pet owners of this dog breed have also reported that they can be truly jovial, silly, and clownish in nature keeping them entertained with their antics.

They hate being condescended, can be exceedingly stubborn at times, but can be effectively trained with patience, love, care, and positive methods as well.

They are also known to be quiet and not very yappy, making them great guard dogs as well as wonderful protectors of children.

Despite their seemingly proud and independent nature, they do not make very good kennel dogs and also need attention and exercise from their owners. Here is a list of some of the most interesting Ibizan hound facts that you might find interesting.

If you like our great facts about the Ibizan hounds, you should check out our other articles like Bavarian mountain hound and Kunming wolfdog facts.

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Ibizan Hound Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Ibizan hound?

An Ibizan hound is a breed of dog belonging to the hound group of dogs.

What class of animal does an Ibizan hound belong to?

The Ibizan hound is a mammal and can produce a litter of 6-12 babies at once during birth.

How many Ibizan hounds are there in the world?

There is no current approximate estimate of the number of Ibizan hounds in the world, but they are considered to be a rare species of dog breed.

Where does an Ibizan hound live?

The Ibizan hound is a domesticated dog and tends to live with humans in a house. They are mostly found in Europe.

What is an Ibizan hound's habitat?

The Ibizan hound had originated from the island of Ibiza and was mainly used by farmers to hunt for rabbits and small game. Since they were exceptional hunters, they not only frequented farming areas where they were domesticated by the farmers but also currently live in the households of their owners in the United States and other countries.

Who do Ibizan hounds live with?

The Ibizan hound dog breed is exceptionally loyal and sociable. Hence, they love spending time and living with their family and owners. However, they socialize in packs while hunting for rabbits and small game.

How long does an Ibizan hound live?

Ibizan hounds have very few health fatalities which only include seizures and allergies. Therefore, if trained, groomed, and cared for properly, the Ibizan hounds can live a healthy life for up to 14 years of age.

How do they reproduce?

The Ibizan hound dog breed falls in the classification of mammals and reproduces like most other dogs in the animal kingdom. The female dogs give birth to a litter of 6-12 puppies at once.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status is unknown when it comes to the Ibizan hound because the exact number of dogs has not been recorded.

However, they are quite a rare and exotic dog breed that is sought out by pet owners and animal lovers for their intelligence as well as their fierce guardianship of not only the protection of its owner, but also the house it inhabits, and any children present too.

Ibizan Hound Fun Facts

What do Ibizan hounds look like?

The Ibizan Hound is known to be very elegant and athletic. Not only are they exceedingly attractive they also have a very graceful look.

However, as a member of the hound family, they are quite rugged and hardy with great bone girth because they were initially used as hunting dogs. It has a pair of long straight ears which is the signature style of this particular breed and has a broad frame and base and a long and luxurious-looking head.

The Ibizans have long and lean necks, with shoulders that are laid-back and have an upright upper arm. Their fur coat has two varieties namely wire-coated and smooth, which has a color combination of red and white.

Their other features like the ears, nose, eye rims, paw pads are either lightly tan or rosy colored. They also are known for their strikingly beautiful and expressive amber eyes.

Ibizan hounds are also long and quite leggy which almost reminds everyone of the familiar ancient Egyptian motif. They are quite graceful and are often described as deer-like in their poise.

How cute are they?

Ibizan hound puppies with their beautiful fur or wired coats and their colors perfectly complementing each other, their eloquent and beautiful amber eyes and agile and active persona teamed up with their above-average intelligence are regarded as one of the cutest and most adorable breeds of puppies.

When they grow up, their appearance changes to that of poise and truly royal and lithe beauty that never goes unnoticed by visitors of this pet owner's house.

How do they communicate?

Like most other dogs, the Ibizan hound communicates with its distinctive bark which is quite dense and loud. The Ibizans also growl at people they don't deem trustworthy or at strangers as well because they are exceptionally intelligent.

How big is an Ibizan hound?

The Ibizan hounds grow up to be quite big yet lean in size with their height reaching from 22-29 in (56-74 cm) making them the ideal hunting dogs, with their strong and bony legs.

How fast can an Ibizan hound run?

The Ibizan hound is capable of running at 40 mph. They often take part in lure coursing events because of their speed.

Being a member of the hound family, not only are Ibizans elegant looking but also quite agile and active and were said to have been domesticated by farmers as their pets to help them hunt for rabbits and small game for their masters.

How much does an Ibizan hound weigh?

The Ibizans have an average weight ranging from 45-65 lb (20-29 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

The Ibizan hound has no particular name assigned to the two different genders of this breed. The males are called dogs and the females are referred to as bitches like most other dogs of the Canis classification.

What would you call a baby Ibizan hound?

An Ibizan hound baby, like every other baby of the dog breed, is referred to as an Ibizan hound puppy or pup.

What do they eat?

The Ibizan hounds were known to have hunted rabbits and other small game for their owners who were farmers and themselves initially.

However, since they have been completely treated like a domesticated breed in recent years, they require large quantities of high-quality dog food and other human foods which are safe for dogs.

Most of the Ibizan dogs should be fed at least two to three cups of dog food from a valued manufacturer which should also be nutritious and of high quality to cater to the nutritional needs of the dogs.

You should get to know the approximate portion size of food that is right for this dog from its breeder or vet because it is supposed to differ based on their age, weight, activity level, and other factors including health issues and metabolism.

It is imperative to feed your pet two times a day, so make sure you divide the portion of the amount of food assigned every day.

Kibble, raw or homecooked meals, or a mix of these three is also a great choice of food for the Ibizan hound.

Are they slobbery?

The Ibiza dogs are rarely slobbery unless they have some serious health issues. The Ibizans can however foam at the mouth due to seizure or underlying health conditions. If your pet is showing signs of acute slobbering, you should get it checked at the pet clinic or consult the vet.

Would they make a good pet?

Ibizan hounds are known to be ideal pets in households.

The Ibizan hound temperament is mild and gentle-natured. Ibizan hounds are intelligent, active, and very easy to groom considering they barely have much fur.

They are said to be an unusual hound dog which does not exactly match with the typical hound dog temperament.

They are also great around children and adults especially if they are brought in as a puppy and are known to be the clown of their breed, keeping their owners occupied and entertained with their numerous antics.

However, these even-tempered white red-furred gentle canines can be exceedingly stubborn and active but with proper and positive training, they can be your perfect athletic dog and even accompany you in your training sessions especially while running to get some exercise yourself.

These breeds need to have their exercise requirements met because of their energy level with daily exercise and also engaging them in dog sports.

The Ibizan dog breeds rarely suffer from any genetically inherited ailments.

However, they might have a few minor health issues such as allergies and seizures, sometimes axonal dystrophy, retinal dysplasia, cataract, and deafness and therefore, their owners should most definitely get their eyes at a trusted vet before they are sent for breeding.

It is also imperative to know that these dog breeds are very sensitive to barbiturate anesthesia and the Ibizan hound lifespan ranges from approximately 12-14 years.

With good food, love and affection, exercise, and proper training, your Ibizan hound will be your prized possession.

Did you know...

Due to their great intelligence, this Ibiza dog is said to be an escapologist. Thanks to their lean and lithe built and their leggy stature, they can jump across unbelievable heights.

Hence, to keep your dog safe, you will need to build very tall fences which are at least six feet tall. Make sure there aren't any crates or open baby gates because they would know their way out through these points.

Their prey drive is massive having been used in playing lure coursing initially. Due to their great intelligence level, they know the exact location of their house and are never really lost. Hence, even if they escape accidentally, they are bound to return home unharmed.

In the 'Harry Potter' series, the Patronus charm is used to ward off Dementors. The Ibizan hound Patronus is one of many listed Patronuses in the Pottermore Patronus Charm Quiz.

What's the history of the Ibizan hound?

The history of the Ibizan hound breeds dates back to 34oo BC when Phoenician traders had brought in the breed of Egyptian hounds to the island of Ibiza to use them as pack hunters to hunt rabbits and other small game since food was scarce.

Hence, due to their history, the Ibizans still haven't lost their agility and blazing speed which is a characteristic feature of these dog breeds.

It is also said that the treasure trove in the tomb of King Tutankhamen of Egypt which was discovered in 1922 had a life-sized statue of the God Anubis who was called "The Watch-dog of the Dead" and is said to be the exact replica of the dog breed Ibizan hound.

The first Ibizan hound breeding stock was brought to the United States and was named Colonel and Mrs. Consuelo Seoane. They had two other hounds named Tanit and Hannibal who also produced a litter of eight puppies in 1956.

How do you pronounce 'Ibizan hound'?

You can pronounce the name of this breed of dog 'EE-bee-zan haa-ooh-nd'.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Mexican wolf, or bloodhound.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Ibizan hound coloring pages.

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