Ibizan Hound Profile

history

When King Tut's tomb was opened in 1922, one of the treasures found inside it was a life-size statue of the jackal god Anubis, the Watchdog of the Dead, and the resemblance to the modern Ibizan Hound was striking. The carving and other artifacts from the time of the pharaohs suggest that dogs like the Ibizan Hound have existed for 5,000 years, making them one of the most ancient types of dogs.

Turns out that supposition probably isn't correct, though. Genetic research has shown that the modern-day Ibizan, as well as his cousin, the Pharaoh Hound, are recent reconstructions of an older type and don't actually have a lineage that stretches back thousands of years.

The age of the Ibizan aside, how did this type of dog end up on the Spanish island of Ibiza, from which he takes his name? The Phoenicians, the most adventurous and well-traveled traders of the time, may have taken him there in the 8th or 9th century BCE. On Ibiza, the lithe and speedy hound traversed rough terrain, using his splendid sight and hearing to seek out his prey: rabbits and hares.

Ibizans lived a harsh life on their Spanish island, a life that shaped them to hunt with skill, tenacity, and patience. They might have remained there, little known, but for the importation of a pair, Hannibal and Certera, by Colonel and Mrs. Consuelo Seoane to Rhode Island in 1956. They produced the first American litter of eight puppies which, along with several other imports, became the foundation of the breed in the United States.

The Ibizan Hound was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1979 and first appeared at the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1980. He remains a rare breed today. The Ibizan Hound ranks 138th among the 155 breeds and varieties recognized by the AKC.

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