To buy a podengo
The Podengon is a lovely breed and it is good to read about it before buying a puppy. Ask yourself questions such as; Does the breed suit us? What do we want to do with the dog? How active are we? How is the breed’s temperament and health? How big a dog habit do we have? Are we home enough so that the dog does not have to be alone for long? And so on.
What is the breed like, what should you consider before buying a puppy?
They are individuals just like us humans, and that can make a lot of difference between them. What you can think about is that the breed is a primitive dog with a lot of energy, and it appreciates an active life with its owner. The Podengon is originally a hunting dog and you should also be aware of its hunting instinct, which of course can be of varying degrees in the individuals. The Podengon wants to keep track of its surroundings and is happy to tell its owner if it sees/hears something that should be noticed.
Podengon is a faithful companion. They are happy, very easy to learn and successful in activities that give them an outlet for their energy. And of course a wonderful and fun companion dog.
You can read more about the breed under the tab About the breed.
What about breed health?
The Podengon is basically a very healthy and long-lived breed, however there are some cases of Patellar Luxation, Legg Perthes, CECS and PRA. However, several of these diseases can be prevented through sound breeding, both the Swedish Kennel Club and the Swedish Podengo Portuguese Club have recommendations and breeding strategies for this.
As a puppy buyer, you can be active when choosing which breeder you want to buy your puppy from. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – a serious breeder will be happy to answer. Ask, for example, if the breeder is connected to the breed club, but above all to the Swedish Kennel Club, if they follow their recommendations, and what health tests they have done on the parent animals. In order for a dog to be a joy to its owner, it needs to be given the conditions to be healthy. The dog will hopefully be with you for many years, so it is good to find out what you can from the beginning.
On SKK’s website, you can read that some of the most common hereditary diseases are registered by the Swedish Kennel Club, and you therefore have the opportunity to check for yourself that the parent animal has been tested healthy by searching in SKK Avelsdata respektive SKK Hunddata.
You can read more about what the above diseases mean under the tab Podengon’s health.
Which breeder should I choose among all?
In Sweden, according to the Swedish Kennel Club’s list, there are close to 30 breeders of the Podengo Portugues breed. Under the Breeders tab here on our website you will find many of them, and also a number of breeders in other countries. SKK writes on its website that ”All breeders and puppies on SKK’s Köpahund.se meet SKK’s requirements, but there may still be reasons to choose your breeder with care.” On SKK’s website there is also a lot of good information for your puppy purchase. Choose a serious breeder who focuses on good temperament and healthy dogs. A great start, but how do you do it?
For example, by preparing yourself well. Get in touch and talk to different breeders, try to meet the parent animal of the planned litter you are interested in. Ask questions, a serious breeder will be happy to answer them. The breeder is also obliged to tell you if there is anything in the health of the parent animal and the puppies that could become a problem, for example patella, PRA etc.
Having a good relationship with your breeder can also be a great support for you during the puppy’s upbringing.
Before you buy a puppy, you can read more on SKK’s page Buying a dog and there are good checklists online.
How much does the puppy cost?
In addition to the price of the puppy, costs for food, accessories, insurance, car cage and veterinary costs etc. are added. As regards the latter, you as a puppy buyer have the opportunity to influence by choosing a puppy that comes from healthy and health-tested parent animals. You can read more about it on this page and under the tab Podengon’s health. Of course, there are never 100% guarantees that the dog will never get sick, but several diseases, and thus costs, can be avoided if the parent animals are tested for various diseases.
Good luck with a new little family member!
