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Ibizan Hounds: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em

Ibizan Hound temperament, personality, training, behavior, pros and cons, advice, and information, by Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Behavioral Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books

Ibizan Hound dog breed

The AKC Standard says, "Lithe and racy, the Ibizan possesses a deerlike elegance combined with the power of a hunter."

The Ibizan Hound, affectionately called "Beezer", belongs to a family of dogs called sighthounds. The slender, long-legged sighthound is a hunting breed that spots the movement of prey across a vast distance, and runs it down with lightning speed.

Once past the boisterous puppy stage, the sleek Ibizan Hound is quiet, gentle, and relaxed indoors and can be a couch potato.

However, true to his heritage, he is also a swift and athletic dog who needs running exercise in a safe, enclosed area.

He loves to leap, and he is incredibly graceful and light on his feet, without equal as a high-jumper and broad-jumper. Fences must be at least six feet high – and food stored on top of the refrigerator is not out of his reach!

Polite but watchful with strangers, the Ibizan Hound does need early and extensive socialization to develop a confident, outgoing personality. Most are effective watchdogs and some have protective instincts, which is unusual for a sighthound.

"Beezers" are good with other dogs, but likely to pursue (and unfortunately catch....) smaller pets who run.

The Ibizan Hound learns quickly and enjoys activities such as obedience and agility (when they are made interesting and challenging), but he is a freethinker who doesn't obey mindlessly. He must be handled calmly and persuasively and motivated with food and praise, plus gentle, fair corrections.

Sighthounds can be touch-sensitive, startling when touched unexpectedly or wrapped up in someone's arms.


If you want a dog who...

  • Has a tall, slender, elegant build
  • Has a sleek easy-care coat
  • Is extremely athletic and graceful
  • Is polite with strangers, but makes a keener watchdog than other sighthounds
  • Responds better to training than some other sighthounds

An Ibizan Hound may be right for you.


If you don't want to deal with...

  • Providing a large enclosed area (with at least a 6-foot fence) where he can gallop a couple of times a day
  • Timidity in some lines, or when not socialized enough
  • Strong instincts to chase smaller creatures that run
  • An independent "what's in it for me?" attitude toward training
  • Emotional sensitivity to stress and abrupt changes in schedule

An Ibizan Hound may not be right for you.

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Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament  is less predictable than the inheritance of physical  traits such as size or shedding. Temperament and behavior are also shaped by raising and training.

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More traits and characteristics of the Ibizan Hound

If I was considering an Ibizan Hound, I would be most concerned about...

  1. Providing enough running exercise. Ibizan Hhounds don't need miles of running, but they also can't get by with a small yard and leashed walks around the block. They're content to be couch potatoes, yes, but only if they have regular access to a large fenced area where they can gallop for a bit – fenced because these dogs are chasing addicts with sharp eyesight for movement. Outside of a fenced area, if something catches their attention on the horizon, they will take off and not come back. Also the fence should be high – Ibizan Hounds can clear six feet with little effort.

    See if there is a dog club in your area that offers an activity called lure coursing, which is chasing a mechanical lure in a controlled setting. This is an appropriate outlet for the full-speed galloping behaviors that are "hardwired" into your Ibizan Hound's genes.

  2. Chasing other animals that run. Ibizan Hounds are usually fine with the pets in their own family. But they are lightning-fast, and individuals with a strong prey instinct could seriously injure or kill any small running animal.
  3. The independent temperament. Sighthounds are very different from other kinds of dogs. They won't try to haul you around on the leash like many other breeds do; instead they might display passive resistance by bracing their legs and refusing to move at all. Ibizan Hounds are independent thinkers, so you need to rely on establishing the right leader-follower relationship where your Ibizan Hound understands that you mean what you say.

    All that said, if you're interested in canine sports like competitive obedience or agility (obstacle course), Ibizan Hounds are one of the best choices of the sighthounds. They're not top-notch competition dogs like Border Collies and Golden Retrievers! But if you treat these sports like fun games, Ibizan Hounds learn readily. Follow the training program in my free online book, Teach Your Dog 100 English Words.

  4. Providing enough socialization. Standoffish by nature, Ibizan Hounds need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds. Otherwise their natural caution can become extreme shyness, which is difficult to live with.
  5. Emotional sensitivity. Be honest... is there tension in your home? Are people loud or emotional? Ibizan Hounds are extremely sensitive to stress and can end up literally sick to their stomachs, with severe digestive upsets and neurotic behaviors, if the people in their home are having family problems. Sighthounds are peaceful dogs who need a peaceful, harmonious home.

    If you have toddlers, I don't recommend an Ibizan Hound. These sensitive dogs can feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can't help making – and stress and shyness may be the result.

Michele Welton with BuffyAbout the author: Michele Welton has over 40 years of experience as a Dog Trainer, Dog Breed Consultant, and founder of three Dog Training Centers. An expert researcher and author of 15 books about dogs, she loves helping people choose, train, and care for their dogs.

My best-selling books – now available  FREE  on my website


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book coverTeach Your Dog 100 English Words is a unique Vocabulary and Respect Training Program that will teach your adult dog to listen to you and do what you say. Click here to read for free.
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