Podenco Post

Dementia in dogs

Of all the dogs I have had in over 7 decades of my life, I have only had one with dementia. One was sadly stolen and never found; one young one was run over and killed; 3 were lost to cancer; one had dementia. The rest lived long and happy lives.

It was my borderline collie (99% border collie/1%spaniel) who developed dementia and it was upsetting to see. I'd find him standing still with no idea where he was, what direction to go in, straddling a low brick wall, snapping when caressed. He was in his teens by then, so it was part of the natural ageing process for him. In the end he became so confused it was kinder to comfort him as he was pts.

This is a weblink about recognising and caring for a dog with dementia.

A weblink to a book by someone living with a dog with dementia.

Looking back on 2024

So another year draws to a close. Another year when the Spanish government has done nothing to protect the hunting dogs, their over-breeding, the cruelty of the galgueros, using them just as a hunting tool and discarding at the end of January when hunting in Spain finishes each year. Thousands abandoned in the campo, dumped in perreras, dumped outside shelters.

One difference in my 15 years involved with the plight of the galgos and podencos is that there aren't the hangings in olive groves which there used to be. The bad publicity has possibly been one influencing factor, plus the increase in shelters and rescue associations to help these wonderful dogs to find forever homes around the world.

Do dogs grieve the loss of another dog?

I certainly believe they do. 4 years ago I lost my much loved galgo Polar to lymphoma. Galgo Bracken became very clingy, as did little Podenca Bebe. 3 months after losing Polar we lost Bracken to a tumour in his lungs. Bebe couldn't cope with the loss of yet another housemate and just gave up on life. She would not eat, drink, get off her bed - she was just wasting away, no matter how much we cuddled her, so we had to make the kindest decision to send her over the bridge to join the others.

Do dogs grieve?

Looking after a Senior Dog

It's a sad fact of life that a lot of senior dogs are dumped in shelters and perreras when their owners either can't afford the vet fees for medical care, or in the case of hunters because the dogs have served their purpose and they no longer want them!

This article explains how to care for an older dog, although I'm sure my readers are already well experienced in caring for their senior dog.

10 years ago - Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends remembers....

This photo takes me back 10 years to a time when three special Podencos came into our care late in 2014.

Each of these boys, Juan, Raine, and Zeus, arrived with a story of sadness but also filled us with determination to help them.
Juan was found near our finca, @@abandoned in the sweltering heat of summer. Dehydrated and confused, he was lucky to have been spotted by friends who brought him to safety.

Podenco Spirit with Refugio Candela - surviving against the odds

I didn't realised it was so long ago - 2016 apparently. Readers may remember a podenco being rescued which had lost its lower jaw. I've searched before to find out how he got on and now I'm delighted to report below. I hope you can see this video of him, looking a little grey round the face now.

'Sure we don't even need to say his name because many of you will know who he is just by looking at that special look.

Spirit is another super wrestler who has lived for years in the Santuario La Candela. In 2016 he was shot in the mouth causing him to lose the entire lower jaw and causing injuries and infections that almost ended his life.

Spirit was the first dog in the world to have a jaw-drawn prosthesis integrated, it was in 2016 and in addition to the best veterinary professionals, human doctors were present in the operation.

100s of rescue podencos need homes - have you room for one?

List of podenco rehoming associations

Gabapentin for Dogs - what you should know

Read the full article on this weblink.

How to calm a nervous dog

I've recently been reading a few posts on a facebook page by people who have adopted podencos, and seem surprised that after a month or so the dog is still nervous. It saddens me because it would seem they expect far too much too soon from a dog which has probably lived most of its life in a shed on a chain in the hands of a Spanish galguero. It's now been in a shelter, then on a transport and into a home environment where people speak a different language. Instead of leaving the dog alone to adjust to all these changes, they insist on invading its space to pat it, stroke it...

Those of us experienced in homing a nervous dog know it can take months before the dog settles - it took my galga Carmela over 2 years before she finally became a 'normal' dog. It is nearly 3 years since I adopted Rosely, who spent the first 6 or 7 years with a Spanish hunter and she is still very nervous of my husband, strangers and sudden noises. I don't think she will improve any more.

Here's a weblink to an article on calming a nervous dog.

Foster a Podenco for Hope for Podencos

If you can't afford to adopt but have room for a podenco in your home, why not consider fostering.

Hope for Podencos have some which are available for foster till they find their forever homes.

'We need your help!

On our recent trip to Spain, we forged a partnership with the wonderful SOS Animales Salobrena and have taken a number of podencos in their care under our wing as HFP dogs. Sadly, our new partners have been met with several sets of tragic circumstances including the death of one of their founders, a situation very close to our own hearts, and need to drastically reduce the number of dogs in their care in order to be able to continue their fight.