Do you know what the Potency is like? Did you know that it is one of the most highly regarded hunting dogs? So that’s it. Potencies come from a long lineage of hunters. Even dogs that are mixed with this breed have this highly developed instinct. You want to know more? In this article we explain everything.
The Potency. A little history
Potencies are hunting dogs of an ancient breed. This species of dog is considered by many to come from Ancient Egypt. The Teem breed seems to be the ancestor of the Potency. Today there are different races of this species that spread throughout the Mediterranean. This is because the Phoenicians were responsible for spreading them through their travels.
If you look closely, the pointy ears of the potencies and that elongated snout reminds us a bit of the image of the Egyptian god Anubis. It is similar to a jackal. However, current genetic studies disprove this theory. According to these studies, they have a broad genetic relationship with hunting dogs of European origin.
What is proven is that the Potency is a great hunter. It has a highly developed sense of smell, as well as its vision and hearing. And it is precisely these characteristics that make it a great hunting dog.
What breeds of Potency exist?
According to the International Iconological Federation (FCI), potencies are grouped within Group V of section 7. That is, primitive type dogs – hunting dogs.
In total, the FCI recognizes 5 breeds within the Potency category. These are:
- Etna Hound
- canary hound
- Ibiza Hound
- Potency hound
- Portuguese Potency
There are also other breeds, which although they are not recognized by the FCI as potencies, share certain morphological characteristics with this species. These breeds are:
- Andalusia Hound
- Andalusia Hound magneto
- Cretan Hound
- Iron Dwarf Hound
- French hound
- Galician hound
- Valencia Hound
- Tunisian Hound
How is Potency?
Potencies are known for being loyal and affectionate. However, it is a somewhat complicated breed to train for your company as a pet dog. It is not impossible, but his hunting instinct is very strong.
Precisely because of this instinct they are lovers of long walks, of going for a run and a little obsessive in the street. They can spend hours following a trail without really knowing why. That’s part of their hunting instinct. Potencies are very smart animals and they easily learn everything you teach them. That is why, although they get a little confused, they can be trained by an expert.
As for their character, although it seems contradictory, they are very sleepy dogs but also restless. They are very social animals and do not like to spend many hours without company. Therefore, if you are not at home much to share your life with this dog, it is better to look for another breed.
They are easily entertained with practically any doll and are hard workers. Think that for centuries they have been used to hunt mice in the villages. These pests killed the grain and the hounds were agile hunting them down.
Is the Potency easy to train?
No, the Potency, as we have explained a few lines above, is a bit complicated to train. The process may take a little longer than usual with other dogs for the following reasons:
- It is a hunting dog. His life, until recently when they became companion dogs, has been based on hunting. Being raised exclusively for hunting, its genetic load in this sense is very high.
- They are usually rescued or adopted. As a general rule, they are species that are rescued or adopted, so they also usually begin their training when they are somewhat older. Also, most certainly your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents and your great-great-grandparents have been hunters. So your instinct is always very present. You will certainly notice it along the rides, when they start to follow trails or get lost if you let them go. Another reason that makes their education difficult in these cases is that they probably have not been well treated. This, unfortunately, is quite common among adopted dogs. For this reason it is more difficult to train them. My sister has an adopted Potencymagneto and when she adopted him they told her that she was epileptic. Nothing is further from reality. He was just very nervous about being out of her environment and not being treated well. Today this Potency is one of the happiest dogs I have ever seen and a great adventure companion. We have all fallen madly in love with him.
- There are not many trainers who know how to educate this breed as a house dog. Being a breed so focused on hunting, trainers generally know how to make the most of these characteristics. However, there are not many who know how to educate them to walk or to be a good pet.
- If he has already hunted or is a little older, it is more complicated to educate. It is not impossible, but their hunting instinct is much more acute in these cases. For this reason, training takes a little more time. But it can be done and they are excellent companions! Very playful, sociable and affectionate.
- They are very independent. That is, they make their own decisions. Unlike other dogs, they are not extremely obedient to tricks because their intelligence allows them to decide. If you help them learn the basic commands (sit, give the paw, wait…) you will notice that sometimes they look at you while you ask them and after a few seconds they ignore you. Don’t be depressed. This happens because you have a very smart dog. He has evaluated what you say and has decided that he has more fun things to do. To get them interested and fun, you have to spend a little time every day repeating these orders. Accompany them with a prize and it will surely be much easier. In addition to listening to you, you will improve the relationship between the two of you.
- They are easily distracted. Being a restless and very observant breed, it is normal for them to soon get distracted. This happens because they pay attention to many things at once. For this reason, when it comes to training them, the simplest thing is to do it in short days. Like five or ten minutes tops. Then you can spend a long time having fun or playing or just resting. And again we will have to spend another five minutes to train him.
- They need to go out often. For this dog to be a great companion animal, you not only have to think about yourself. You also have to think about his needs. If you want to train him correctly and for him to be a happy dog, you will have to dedicate many hours to him. He doesn’t like to be alone and loves to walk around a lot. This dog needs exercise. If you don’t tire him daily he won’t be balanced.
We hope that these data will help you to know how to live with your partner in misdeeds. Having Potency is a precious experience. They are very loyal, very playful and very funny. They are also sleepy and affectionate. For me they have it all.
Of course, remember that they do not like to be alone and have to walk a lot. They are ideal for people who work at home and who can spend long hours with them.
