My Podenco, Cali

My Podenco Cali, Color pencil sketch on paper 11x8.5 inches ~Toni Youngblood© 

The Invisible Dogs of Spain.

(From Hope for Podencos) 

Podencos are often referred to as ‘Invisible Dogs’ or ‘The Great Forgotten’. They are the most abused dog in Spain. Bred to hunt and kept in squalid conditions, often chained - these ‘working dogs’ are not protected by Spanish law. In 2023, there was an overhaul to the Spanish animal rights laws but devastatingly hunting dogs were excluded from these rights as they are viewed as tools and therefore not protected. It can be difficult to imagine the suffering they endure, hidden from view The Podencos story

What most people don’t know about this little known and misunderstood breed is that they are one of the oldest breeds of dog in the world, descending from the ancient Pharaoh Hounds of Egypt.