Podenco Post

How many podencos born each year in Spain & Canary Islands?

For my talk at the PAES Conference in Murcia in October 2015, I presented estimated annual figures regarding the uncontrolled overbreeding of podencos. These figures are conservative and they are by no means to be taken as firm; it is quite likely that the numbers are even greater.

Figures for cazadores/podenqueros are more difficult to obtain than for galgos, partly because there does not appear to be one overall federation governing the different hunting associations – Federacio Andaluz de Caza seems the nearest. BUT we know there are dozens of small localised associations, some having as many as 3-4,000 members. The main podencos used by these cazas are Ibicencos and Andaluz. Some of these cazadores may have as many as 15 dogs each.

PAES conference - more pix

More info and pix on the conference here.

PAES First National Conference Murcia, October 2015 - report and pix

Read all about it here.

Torrevieja - Animal Protection councillor appointed - every town should have one!

From Irene Allen of Last Hope Dog Rescue.

Torrevieja Perrera is my local dog pound and has been criticised along with many perreras in Spain but Torrevieja I have been saying is one of the better ones not perfect in any way but better than most.

We have a new councillor of Animal Protection who is determined to change the perrera for the better. It will now be known as The Alberque Municipal and before the vet was never to be seen apart from microchipping and then she would turn up at her own time as I well know hanging about to get a podenco chipped from there.

Podenco Friends Road Show - UK 2015

Bev tells the story of how the roadshow came about. (Thank you Kathryn for your photos - video from Bev at the end of the article.

Podenco Friends Road Show UK .... it all started with a message from Sonja Mills & Heather Bennett what do think about attending some shows this year ? We really didn't know where to start had no funds but we pulled it off.

This has been a brilliant initiative and every show attended we have had a stand we have always being well received, most importantly raised awareness for the Podencos here in Spain. This was the brain child of Sonja & Heather supported by their husbands Dave Mills & Dave Bennett and they have worked incredibly hard giving up so much of their time and weekends. The team grew, Laura Cording, Stuart Harris and Cathy Klar came on board along with other family members and we couldn´t have done it without you.

Galgos and Podencos demonstrate in Madrid against the Toro de la Vega

73 photos of t-shirts worn in the Manifestation on 4th October 2015 in Madrid, against the Toro de la Vega where sick men on horseback chase a beautiful black bull, jabbing their long lances into his body till he drops.

Great way of publicising the galgos and podencos.

Podenca Zarita - from the Spanish campo to agility in the UK

The story of Zarita. Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends tells her story.

Late one Friday night back in September 2014 a post was shared of a Podenco heavily pregnant lying on an old feed sack under a bush. She desperately needed help. Just one look at her face and I was in contact and within a couple of hours arrangements were made for her to come to Podenco Friends.

I collected her the following evening and she was fit to burst and it was obvious she was going to give birth soon. Having never done this before and with no idea what to do, Janette Lopez called round and gave me a crash course. A couple of hours later she was in labour and 5 pups had come into the world. I sat with her throughout and it was so wondrous to see them been born and take their first breath and mum was totally calm taking great care of these babies.

Zarita is one of these angels who walks the earth, a generous loving nature who is friends with everyone. She also has a great sense of humor and could be naughty. She stole the bags of corn hung from the trees left there by the owners of the racing pigeons. We had to confess to them what happened so they could put the rest in a safe place. Everything she did she gave 100% whether it was a hug or having a blast out running, she really knows how to enjoy life

So now this little family have found new homes. Tosca and Little Roo are in America, Ayra in Belgium, Orlando in France and of course disabled Hope who is with us. Now its Zarita's turn to have her own forever sofa and she has gone to a family that very much want and need her and will give her the chance to be the super star I know she is.

Helen Veal reports back that Zarita is so quick to learn new skills and at her first agility lesson she took every thing in her stride. I have always believed that podencos have all the attributes to excel at agility and with the guidance and experience of Helen who has competed in dog agility at top flight in the UK we look forward to watching her progress. This year two more of our rescues have gone to families that also compete so maybe in the future we will have Agility Team Podenco UK

Just look at her now! Podencos make brilliant agility dogs.

'Training' podencos in Spain

These are probably Rehala dogs. Those of you who have bought a copy of my book From Pyramid to Perrera will recognise the photo - now you can see the actual film! Unbearable to think what happens to a dog which goes down!

Jail sentence for dog torturer in US.

Good news result from this petition. Now we need it to apply to all the cazadores/podenqueros who maltreat their hounds!

The Stark Reality - life for the hounds in Spain

Two lovely videos for you to watch.

Denzil's story

What the tourists don't see - The Stark Reality