Ibizan Hound: A Hunting Breed of Dog
The American kennel Club gave its official sanction to the Ibizan Hound in 1979. Ibizans are extremely hardy and agile. They are capable of jumping great distances both in height and width and can leap six to eight feet straight up in the air from a standstill. In straight-away racing, they have been clocked at close to 60 kph. The often-seen white mark on the head between the ears is called the "ax mark" and, probably due to an old superstition, is a highly prized characteristic. The Ibizan Hound's teeth are exceptionally healthy. The rose or flesh-colored nose has a slightly convex shape called "Roman nose." The body is fine-boned, but not as slender as in many other sighthounds. The Ibizan Hound has flat, sleek muscles without any heaviness. The front legs are perfectly straight all the way from the elbows to the ground. Dewclaws may be removed or left natural. The tail is long and slender, hanging low when the dog is relaxed and carried a bit higher when the dog is alert. The Ibizan Hound is "hare-footed," with long toes. There are three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired. The most common is the smooth-haired and the long-haired is very rare. The wire-haired has a longer coat of rough hair that is softer textured than the other two varieties. Colors are white & red, white & tan, or solid white or red. There are three varieties of Ibizan: smooth-haired, long-haired, and wire-haired. Neither variety requires much attention. The shine on the coat of the smooth-haired can be kept in good condition by occasionally running a rubber glove over it. The wire-haired do not need hand-plucking. All can be groomed by an occasional brushing. Check at frequent intervals that the ear passages are clean and keep the claws short.
Height: 56-74 cm. Weight: 19-25 kg.
The Ibizan Hound is hardy and strong, but can have allergic reactions to drugs, including insecticides and flea powders. Some lines seem to be prone to seizures. The Ibizan Hound has a genetic propensity for Axonal Dystrophy, nerve and muscle disease.
