The Ibizan Hound Of God-Given Beauty

A slim waist, slender legs, a long snout and a short glossy coat, this hound could well have been a descendant of the Egyptian God, Anubis. The Ibizan is beautiful to look at and a rare breed indeed

It’s pronounced Ee-Bee-than, from the Balearic island of Ibiza in Spain. The hound comes from a vague history of dogs that were bred to hunt small animals like rabbits and the theory that Phoenician traders most likely brought these dogs to Ibiza and neighbouring islands as early as 800 BC. There’s more to this breed that resembles the Greyhound in some ways but is distinct in many others.

ORIGIN: The history of the Ibizan Hound is not recorded enough to substantiate its origins. Except that it hails from the Mediterranean island of Ibiza where it was bred to hunt small animals. It was most likely brought to Ibiza and other islands nearby such as in France, centuries ago, after which its existence was shrouded in mystery. It was not until the 1950s that the breed was brought to the West and revived with other hounds earning it status in the American Kennel Club, the Kennel Club of Great Britain, the Canadian Kennel Club and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. It is still considered a rare breed.