We find the podencoids (podenco-looking dogs) all around the Mediterranean sea. We instantly recognize them for their own unique look. These breeds are all perfectly adapted to a special hunting environment. The environment decides which body type is the most appropriate for that specific region where they hunt. A dog who hunts in an open hot lava landscape, like for example the Podenco Canario, must have a body that easily gets rid of body heat so they don't get overheated and die of heat-stroke. They need to have a very thin fur and a very slender body. On the other end of the scale we have the Podenco Orito Español.

The Podenco Orito Español is used for hunting up in the mountains in Andalucia in Spain. There the climate gets cold in the winter and sometimes it even snows there. It is an area with streams and rich vegetation. So, the Oritos need to have a body that is more compact than for example the Podenco Canario, to keep the body temperature high in the winter. Their double coat is needed for protection from the cold and it is also an extra protection for the skin during the hunt. 

These dogs are very brave and do not stop for anything in their chase for the pray, not even for the thorny bushes that scar their faces and ears badly. The most common prey is the rabbit but they will hunt nearly everything that you chose to  train them for.

The Oritos come in the colors of black or chocolate with the characteristic golden dots above their eyes. Therefore they are named Orito (gold). White is also accepted, but not more than 5 % of the body can be covered in that color. The fur is double-coated. The length of the fur is about 5 cm. It can be a little bit longer around the chest, throat and on the back of the thighs and tails, forming a flag. The standard does not specify an exact size of the dog. It says only it is a dog of medium size. The appearance of the Orito should be rustic and compact. And not to be forgotten, they must of course have the number one attribute of a podencoid, the pointed ears. For a more detailed description of their appearance please visit the Spanish standard.

As with the other podencoids, the Oritos are much of a “one man dog.” They attach more to one person in the family. And that one may not be you. But the best way to be number one in the heart of your dog is to spend a lot of time together from the very beginning. Play and have fun together and give it treats. Dogs aren’t much different than us humans. The quickest way to the heart goes through the stomach. They are pack animals and have a strong social hierarchy amongst themselves. So don’t leave your dog alone. If you don’t have other dogs make sure it has company all the time with humans.

If you place your Orito outside its normal environment it shows great timidity and shyness so early socialization training is important for these dogs. This training is important so they get accustomed to new environments, new dogs and breeds and of course humans. Their hunting instinct is very strong so they are reluctant to end the hunt by the end of the day. So it can be difficult to have them off leash. The standard says that they are easy to train. But do not misunderstand that expression. It does not mean that these dogs are obedient and docile, on the contrary. These dogs are very independent and intelligent. This is much appreciated by the hunters. In this type of dog an overly obedient dog is useless in the hunt. What they want is the dog's own initiative and decisiveness in the hunt. They must be able to hunt on their own, to very quickly make  their decisions on how to pursue the prey. There is no time to wait for orders and directions from the owner. They can learn whatever they want to but they also only conduct it when they want it for themselves and not because the owner says so.

ANPOE (Asociación Nacional del Podenco Orito Español), the national club for the Oritos, is now working to get approval for the breed to be recognized as a Spanish breed. Some people do not agree that they are podencoids, because their colors are wrong, the fur is thicker than with the other podencoids and  their bodies are a little bit more rustic. But I do not agree with that. When we started to create separate breeds with fixed standards, the breeds started to be more stylized. The Oritos still have their primitive dog look. 

It is not the length of the legs  or the colors or the texture of the fur that decides if a dog is a podencoid or not. The strongest objections about the “new” Podenco breeds like the Oritos and the Xarnegos are the allowance of the black color. The conservatives believe that black can never be accepted in a podenco. They believe it is a sign of mixed breeding with other breeds. These dogs are hunting dogs and what determines if it is a podenco or not is the way it hunts, not the color of the fur. The podencoids have their own unique way of hunting. But since I’m not an expert on hunting with Oritos I will not discuss the hunt here. I hope someone else will do it instead and post it here. The Oritos are a primitive type of dog just like the other podencoids. The Oritos definitely belong to that group according to me.

The Club ANPOE have a forum if you are interested to learn more about the breed, but all the discussions are held in Spanish.

www.superpets.es/foro

La Podenquera

*Note that a breed presentation is only a general description. A breed consists of numerous individuals, where each one is unique.

* A big thank you to Marie Richaud for proofreading my English.