The Ibizan Hound: A Unique Hunter of Antiquity

The Ibizan Hound is believed to have originated on the Spanish island of Ibiza and is known to have existed as early as 3400 B.C., when it was used as one of the hunting hounds of the Egyptian Pharaohs. The antiquity of this breed is well established, having been found in varying forms in many of the archeological discoveries from ancient Egypt. A statuette of an Ibizan Hound referred to in ancient writing as Anubis, ” the watchdog of death” was discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamen. It actually differs very little from the modern Ibizan one sees today The resemblance between the Pharaoh Hound and the Ibizan is very close. In reality both dogs probably stem from the same origins, however there are slight differences between the two breeds in the A.K.C. standards of the modern world. The Ibizan of today is heavier and stockier than the Pharaoh Hound.

The Ibizan Hound is classified as a “sight hound” but it is interesting to note that the Ibizan, unlike other “sight hounds” is believed to also hunt by scent and by sound. They are silent hunters, able to scent, flush and course the prey. They were quite popular with the hunters in Europe in the middle ages. It is believed that the breed flourished in Europe after having been brought on the backs of Hannibals’ elephants in his invasion of Italy. At one time, the breed was banned in France because it had been extensively used by poachers, who favored it because of its ability to hunt and course and bring down the prey silently.

The Ibizan may appear to be a beautiful and elegant dog meant to lie about and look pretty but his character is far from being just an elegant companion dog. The Ibizan is a hunting machine, if you were to use modern terminology. He is agile and able to jump to great heights without a take off. He is relentless in his pursuit of prey. He is tireless and methodical. When he loses sight, sound, or scent of the prey, he has been known to stand on his hind legs and get a better look. The dog also retrieves to hand. The hunting abilities and super intelligence of the breed have survived unchanged since ancient times and it remains a truly instinctive hunting animal even today.

The Ibizan Hound does not have a large “following” in the show rings of the United States. It was first registered in 1956. It is a relatively tall dog that has the appearance of elegance, with upright large ears that give it a look of eternal surprise. The colors may be white or any shade of red or chestnut or any combination of these colors. The Ibizan can be either the short coated or the wire coated, however the wire coated Ibizan is not common.

This is not a dog for everyone. Its high degree of activity and instinctive desire to hunt requires that he be confined or closely supervised when outside. This is a breed that is an independent thinker and can be a challenge for a novice dog person. However he enjoys being with people and generally is even tempered and quiet, being a considerate companion in the house. Because this is a dog that will not tolerate cold temperatures, he needs to be kept inside and will not do well as a kennel dog unless it is an indoor facility . He makes a gentle and quiet companion but does require daily exercise.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dogs