Welcome to the First Portuguese Podengo Medio Club in America - the Podengo Club of the USA!
|  | | | The Podengo is a hunting dog and the Medio is the finest rabbit hunter in the world. Here's the evidence from a recent hunt in Massachusetts! |
PCUSA was incorporated in April, 2004 to represent ALL Portuguese Podengos in the United States -- Medios, Pequenos and Grandes. On July 15, 2004, PCUSA, working closely with the Portuguese Podengo Club of America (PPCA), was the applicant of record to AKC for acceptance of the Portuguese Podengo into the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service, at which time Podengo Medios, both smooth and wire coat, were on PCUSA's roster.
This application was the first formal step taken towards eventual full recognition of the Portuguese Podengo by the AKC. In April, 2005, the AKC approved the application. Shortly thereafter, PCUSA merged with the PPCA and the name PPCA was accepted for use. PCUSA later reconstituted itself and has a warm and collegial relationship as a sister club of PPCA, which represents the Podengo Pequeno in the USA. If you are interested in the small (Pequeno) Podengo, see more at www.podengos.com
The Podengo Pequeno (small),Podengo Medio (medium) and Podengo Grande (large) cannot be interbred. PCUSA represents the Podengo Medio the United States.
Lots of interesting stuff is happening here, so stay tuned as we get the pack in gear.
How the Podengo got its Name
The word Podengo was used in Portugal at least as early as the 16th century to refer to pack-hunting dogs. The full name then was Podengo de Mostra (the Mostra part referring to a pack). Over time, this was shortened to Podengo and referred to multi-sensory, endurance-trotting, pack-hunting dogs. The Portuguese do not have a word for hound, so use the word Podengo as a specific term for the kind of primitive, prick-eared, hunting dogs like us that were distributed around the Mediterranean basin 2,000 years ago by the Phoenicians.
Podengos hunt rabbits, which in Portugal live mostly in rock crevices and thick briars, rather than in underground warrens. The Medio works in tandem with the smaller Podengo, the Pequeno to flush rabbits from crevices and dense briars, as well as to chase, track, kill and retrieve the rabbit.
So that's what's in the name!
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