I’m excited that the Board of Directors has nominated me to be the president of the Portuguese Podengo Club of America.   I will do my best to be a great president.   I am partial to the Podengo Pequenos – they are a spunky bunch, mine included – but the Club is not only for the Podengo Pequeno size but also for the Medio and Grande.  All are well known for their great hunting abilities.  Below is a great piece written by the PPCA about the club, and also information about the Podengo Pequeno.

Beautiful – Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE PORTUGUESE PODENGO!

The Portuguese Podengo Club of America was incorporated in 2003 in Newport, Rhode Island, and is the first and largest organization of Podengo owners in the United States. PPCA is dedicated to preserving and protecting this ancient breed, whose origins date back thousands of years. The Podengo comes in three sizes – Pequeno (small), Medio (medium) and Grande (large) and two coat types – wire and smooth. Height and Weight of each of the three sizes:

8 to 12 inches in Pequeno 9 to 13 lbs
16 to 22 inches in the Medio 35 to 44 lbs
22 to 28 inches in the Grande 44 to 66 lbs

Coming to the Iberian Peninsula with the Phoenicians from the area of Asia Minor more than 2,000 years ago, Podengos can be seen on the bas relief of 11th century churches in Portugal and first appear in literature in the 14th century. The small Podengos traveled around the world on the caravels of Portuguese explorers, keeping the ship’s food stores free of rodents and protecting the sailors from vermin-born disease. In 2001, PPCA’s founders, Marilyn Piurek & Kip Bergstrom, brought the first Podengo to show in the USA, Chicharro de Viamonte, better known as “Manny”. To see a photo gallery of Manny through the years, go to http://www.podengos.com/pequenos/americasfirstpoden/

The Podengo is also a fine companion, excels in the sports of hunting, lure coursing, flyball and agility, is a great service dog, and is happiest in an active home.

The Podengo is accepted in all international registries and is registered in the USA with UKC, AKC, FCPR, ARBA, and rare breed organizations. It participates in the Primitive Class in Europe and in the the Sighthound and Pariah Group in the UKC and in the Hound Group in the AKC.