Uncommon Dog Breeds: The Ibizan Hound

Egyptian paintings depicting this graceful hound date back roughly five thousand years. To state the Ibizan Hound is an ancient breed is an understatement. These elegant creatures have been around since antiquity. Introduced to the island of Ibiza by Phoenician traders around 700 BC, this sight hound was used to hunt small game. Its speed combined with sharp hearing, sight, and smelling abilities proved it to be a capable hunter. They could work on any terrain, during night or day. The Ibizan continues on with this tradition, and has taken on new roles as retriever, racer, pointer, show dog, and companion.

The Ibizan Hound has a long, narrow skull and tapering muzzle, with no visible stop. The eyes are light ranging from an amber hue to caramel. Its expression is intelligent, and alert. The ears are large, and stand erect. The neck is long, and lean while its body is lengthy, rangy, and light boned.. Legs are lean, strong, reminiscent to that of a gazelle. The fur is short, sleek, and dense. Coat colors don't vary much, with white/red or white/tan combinations being most common. Ibizan Hounds can be smooth-haired, long-haired, or wire-haired.

Affectionately referred to as 'Beezers' by enthusiasts, the Ibizan sports a classic gray hound personality. It is dignified, quiet, tidy, and on occasion, completely goofy. These are Velcro dogs which need to be apart of the family. The Ibizan considers everyone it grew up with as part of the pack. This includes other dogs and the family cat. However, should an unfamiliar feline enter its territory, the Ibizan will give chase. New animals should be introduced slowly to adult Beezers. Due to a high prey drive, small pets such as rodents, and rabbits should be kept away from the Ibizan.

Not a good watch dog, nevertheless, Ibizans will remain reserved around strangers. Once the dog realizes the person means no harm, they will let down their guard, and give the newcomer a friendly wag. These dogs are extremely meticulous animals, and possess little to no body odor. One funny characteristic of the Ibizan is its ability to blush. This occurs whenever the dog becomes excited.