Moxie Mae’s Story

Here is another Your Story from Meryl who spends her time living in both Belgium and the USA. She responded to my appeal for Podencos owners to give a little insight into life living with a Podenco.

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Here is her story …………

      

As far as fitting into our household, Moxie Mae does quite nicely. She gets along just fine with Bear, our Jack Russell and all other dogs she has been introduced to thus far. She is perfectly house trained, is learning not to jump on visitors (which is hard, because she loves to jump!) She behaves fine when she is left alone and has always chewed her designated toys and fortunately not the furniture or shoes. She is mostly curious towards cats, but not aggressive. For her, everything is a potential source of entertainment. Flinging a tiny piece of ‘something’ (could be a twig, old sock or anything really) in the air is something she often does, batting at it with her paws and barking at it and pouncing on it. We have a small walled back yard, but live on the beach where she runs every day endlessly fetching a ball as far as I can possibly throw it and I also tie her to my waist when I go running for a few miles most days of the week. She also loves to go swimming. I think you could live with her in an apartment if you were really dedicated to giving the dog the necessary outside time every day, but it’s not ideal.  She needs lots of exercise and there is a direct correlation to her behaviour with and without the proper amount.  She is also still a puppy though. She absolutely loves to run and she flies! 

In the summers she goes back to the U.S. with us for 3 months. I try to tell people as much as I can about podencos and dogs in general in Spain and the sad situations they face. Moxie is a conversation starter wherever she goes because most people have not seen a podenco and certainly not in the States!

She is smart, a quick learner and so sweet and affectionate. She walks pretty well on a leash, but would rather be running on the leash. She comes when called and has a repertoire of tricks she will readily do for a treat. She loves to snuggle under the covers and when it is time to sleep nothing stands in her way. Running and playing or curled up and sleeping are her two settings. She will eat anything and everything. I cook a lot and she is my sous-chef always patiently watching me chop and dice and thrilled when a chunk of carrot, potato, cucumber or anything else comes flying her way. She even comes running to the sound of the vegetable peeler! 

She is wary of strangers, but gets better everyday and is still less than 1.5 years old. She is learning that when I say it’s o.k., that it really is o.k. She is a very vocal dog! I swear sometimes she has full conversations with me and is only frustrated that I don’t know what she is saying. She moans, groans, yips, and of course, loves to bark. 

She is perfect for me and I am so glad I adopted her. It is ridiculous for people to think that a podenco can’t be a good pet and I truly believe that it usually comes down to the owner and the time they put into the animal. For me, I now have an exercise companion, and snuggle buddy on the couch, and a live-in Joker who makes me laugh out loud every single day. 

Author :

Meryl, from Belgium, on Moxie Mae

Bebe’s Story

Bebe was adopted by Beryl who has kindly written her story below  ……

Greyhounds and galgos are my passion.  I’d heard of Podencos – something to do with dogs on the island of Ibiza.  So when Jazmin arrived in November 2007 as a foster dog, I started on a learning curve.  She was a little beauty, about the size of a border collie, rough haired, with huge pointed ears.  She wasn’t with me long; the sister of a French friend had lost their dog 3 months previously and was ready to adopt again.  Jazmin moved into their home and arrived in Paradise, loved and nurtured by them; a world removed from her life in the hands of a Spanish hunter.

 Two or three more podencos passed through our foster home on their way to their forever homes. But galgos remained my first love.

 And then a photo arrived in my inbox of the most pathetic starving podenco, which a young Spanish volunteer had picked up off a Seville motorway, injured and severely traumatised.  Marisa was the name of the volunteer (my daughter’s name) and she called the dog Bebe – my nickname at school!  So, you see, the dog and I were destined to be together.

Bebe needed to have an operation for her injuries, but neither Marisa nor the shelter where she was a volunteer could keep the dog during convalescence.  So I arranged with the French association L’Europe des Levriers, for whom I am a volunteer, that they would organise the transport from Seville to my home in France and I would take care of the dog.

 Now, I like galgos, lurchers, collies – you get the idea – not Yorkshire Terriers, Jack Russells – I don’t ‘do’ little dogs! Well, my friend Beatrice duly arrived from Spain with a van load of galgos, staying overnight at our home before heading off to their adoption homes the following day.  She stepped out of the passenger seat of the van with a little chestnut bundle in her hands.  I said ‘that’s not it?’ and she nodded and smiled her lovely smile. (Look at the size of little Bebe compared with a rescued Galgo, Emi)

 The little bundle was extremely traumatized.  Whilst all the other rescue dogs were bedded down for the night in the compound in the barn and our own 3 dogs were settled in their overnight room, I slept uncomfortably on the sofa, hugging the little bundle.  She walked on 3 legs, carrying the fourth and her hind quarters showed scarring evidence of the accident. Her EU passport pronounced her a Podenca Malaguena Andaluz.

 A visit to my vet was a priority, x-rays were taken, and a dislocated hip was diagnosed.  As it was by now 2 months since Bebe was found injured, the only route to dealing with her injury was to remove the ‘ball’ from the ball and socket joint of her hip.  She came home, still with staring eyes, with a huge plastic collar round her neck, and a shaved bottom.  My vet said ‘she may not ever walk on 4 legs; we’ll just have to see’.

 I am pleased to report that Bebe runs on 4 legs like grease lightening!  Concorde has nothing on Bebe in full flight!  The only time she cannot use her leg is going downstairs or standing with her front two feet on the low window sill as she cannot stretch the injured hind leg fully.  She also bears scars on her body where the hair has not grown back from her injuries.  The marks look like she was actually dragged beneath a vehicle.

Bebe is now my iPod.  I researched the Podenco Andaluz and discovered it is a miniature breed of Podenco.  She is cute, adorable, happy, tail always wagging, barks at strangers and strange noises, has the hugest ears for her little head, and eats hardly anything as she is so small.  Her loyalty to me is beyond description.  None of our dogs are allowed on the furniture but Bebe is an exception, being so small and cute. As soon as I sit down, I have to cross my legs, and Bebe is up there beside me.

 Podencos are totally different characters from galgos.  I have now fostered several podencos, brought many out on rescue missions for rehoming in France.  They suffer at the hands of the galgueros, who sadly have no idea what wonderful dogs pass through their hands.

 You will never look back if you let a Podenco into your life.

 Author:     Beryl Brennan, France              Galgo News