Known locally as the Podenco Andaluz, this ancient Spanish breed has been employed for centuries in the pursuit of small game. There appears to be a naming confusion between this and a breed called the Spanish Podenco, or Podenco Espanol. In addition, there is mention of a Podenco Iberico. These all appear to be varieties of the same general breed, which in English is sometimes called the Spanish Warren Hound.
This is one of a number of Mediterranean sighthounds that are all direct descendants of the early Egyptian dogs which were distributed around the region by the industrious Phoenician traders of the first millennium BC. This one appears to have begun its independent existence in the region of Cadiz and is still found today in the rural districts of Andalusia. In the past it was bred for its hunting skills rather than for its looks, with the result that it now exists in several varieties. There are three body sizes (small, medium and large) and three coat types (short, long and hard). In recent times it has attracted the attention of the Spanish show-dog world, which is giving it a new lease of life.
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