Ibizan Hound
A lean rabbit hunter from the Balearic Islands that works by sight, scent and hearing. Clean and quiet indoors, but a spectacular jumper with a hair-trigger chase instinct.
- Weight
- 20–25 kg
- Lifespan
- 11–14 years
Weight and lifespan are reference ranges from the breed guide. They vary by sex, lineage and individual dog and do not predict your dog’s ideal weight or lifespan. Read the care descriptions alongside the individual dog’s history.
Background and characteristics
The Ibizan Hound comes from Ibiza and the surrounding Balearic Islands, where packs of them hunted rabbit across stone walls and scrub at dawn and dusk. The oversized upright ears are working equipment. Unlike a pure sighthound, this breed hunts with nose and ears as much as eyes, which is why an Ibizan notices everything and reacts to movement before you have finished registering it.
Exercise and play
Budget an hour or more of daily exercise, including real running in a securely enclosed space. That word securely is doing heavy lifting. An Ibizan can clear a fence at head height from a standing start, and a four-foot yard fence is a suggestion rather than a barrier.
Six feet is the usual recommendation, and check for anything they can use as a launch point. Off leash in open country is not realistic, no matter how good the recall looks in the kitchen.
Temperament and living together
Temperament is sensitive and a little proud. Harsh corrections shut this breed down and damage trust. Short, cheerful sessions with good food work far better than drilling.
Indoors they are surprisingly quiet, tidy, and low odour, and they are excellent at finding the warmest spot in the house and staying in it.
Coat and everyday care
Grooming is close to effortless. The short coat needs a rubber curry once a week; the wire coat needs a little more but nothing demanding. What the coat does not do is keep the dog warm.
With almost no body fat and a thin coat, Ibizans need a jacket for cold walks and a padded bed rather than a bare floor. Like other sighthound types they can be sensitive to anaesthesia, so tell the vet the breed before any surgery or dental.
Health considerations
Health is generally robust, with allergies, seizures and occasional eye issues reported. Homeowners should also think about the cost of proper fencing before the dog arrives, since retrofitting a yard is the expense most new owners forget.