I would like to share this secret with you all: I love Ibizan Hounds. When my finances are more secure and I can afford a third dog, I want that dog to be an Ibizan Hound.
This is a want, not a need. I have met a grand total of one Ibizan Hound and, like the first Pit Bull I met, I fell in love. He had a pink-nose, a patchy eye, and a gentle, if not sometimes excitable, temperament. He hated cats with a passion but loved dogs of all sizes. He ran like the wind, beauty and elegance wrapped into one lithe, muscular package. And I wanted to steal him. He was the perfect size, not too small, not too large, and he exemplified fragile sturdiness.
The only other Ibizan I have seen was one running a lure course, and I saw firsthand joy embodied.
I have met Greyhounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Salukis, Wolfhounds, Deerhounds, Afghans and Borzois and none have ever struck a chord in my heart like those two Ibizans (one of whom I never actually met!)
I will not buy a dog. I just cannot bring myself to. So, I will have to rely on the universe's assistance in aligning the stars in such a way that at the right moment in my life and in some needy Ibizan Hound's life, we will meet and I will snorgle an Ibizan of my very own. If it happens while Mina is still alive, I eagerly await people thinking they are related. I can call Mina an Ibizabull Terrier or the Ibizan a Pit Bullizan. Good times will be had. Celeste will call the dog a stupid head and learn to cohabitate with another pink-nosed canine. Life will be good.
3 comments:
I like your ideas for mixing the names! It reminds me of my sister- we have different dads, so: her dad is mexican, our mom is Polish. She calls herself a polican. hahaha
Mina reminds me of an Ibizan hound, just in pit bull form. She is marked just like one.
Ibizans come in two flavors: smooth and wire. I like the wire-haired ones.
These dogs are rabbit hunters--kind of like a lurcher with erect ears.
These dogs are not from Ancient Egypt. The Mediterranean is home to several of these dogs, and the one from Malta is unfortunately called a Pharaoh hound. Dogs like them were in Ancient Egypt, but the genetic analysis finds that none of them are that old.
These dogs do have strong hunting instincts, and like all large sight hounds have to be socialized to small dogs. Otherwise, they'll think they are something to course.
I don't think many of these dogs appear in rescue, and if you get one even from a breed rescue, you're going to have to deal with the fancy people.
There is a smaller breed of this type from Portugal. It is called the Portuguese Podengo.
I don't know if you've seen the film Zeus and Roxanne, but Zeus is a Portuguese Podengo (Medium-size, wire-hair):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tBxm_uUtAo
(I could only find it in French).
I love saying ee-bee-than.
@PoochesForPeace: Polican, oh gosh, I love that! (Although I wanted to read it as Pelican, heh).
@Retrieverman: Perhaps that is one reason I find Mina so enchanting and pretty, she reminds me of a bulkier Ibizan.
There are about five in rescue that are actual Ibizans through the AKC's breed club, and that's in the whole country. I saw a lot of Pit Bulls erroneously labeled as Ibizans, though, which lead me to believe I could (and should) label Mina as one. :)
While cute, I have to say the Podengo is rather hairy!
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