Circumnavigating the Ibizan Hound

Starting at the nose, it should protrude beyond the mouth. The Ibizan does not have a blunt muzzle. Following the line of the nose along the top of the muzzle it should be long, equal to the length of the backskull. Over the ridge of the muzzle there should be a slight Roman convex. Not extreme but noticeable, generally more in the dog than the bitch. The rise from muzzle to backskull should be gently sloping, barely noticeable stop. A step up is very incorrect. The plain of the muzzle and the skull are parallel. The skull is long and flattened. There should be a point at the back, the occiput, this is not always seen unfortunately. The occiput should make a point but not so extreme as in the Irish Setter. Set high on the head, with base at level with the eye are the crowning glory, the large rhomboid ears. Viewed from the side the ear arches forward slightly and then arches backwards slightly following the line of the neck. As you follow along the line of the neck there should be a slight crest to it. Long and slightly arched. This smoothly flows into the raised withers. It should not come down to a right angle to the back. The withers flow down to the level back, the hand span between the withers and the loin. Then the topline gently rises over the loin. This has the muscles that facilitate the double suspension gallop. There has been some misunderstanding the the entire topline should be level. Dogs in running condition generally have a more developed rise over the loin. Hip bones should be in evidence, The croup drops off at an fair angle. This aspect is being lost because of changes to the AKC standard calling for slight slope instead of sloping croup. The long low set tail generally hangs when the dog is standing. This tail can be carried in many position but on hunting must rise above the back but not lay upon the back. The tail is quite animated and is the signal to the human hunter and the pack of the progress of the hunt. The point of the buttock, or isheum is pointed. This says two things, that the dog is fit and has proper flat muscle and that the angulation of the hip to the isheum to the stifle is properly angled. Too open of an angle, a problem seen in many breeds today will give nothing beyond the tail, as Rachel Paige Elliot would say. The second thigh should be long and well angled. Not extreme but enough to allow the Ibizan to gather itself for the glorious leaps. The old Spanish standards spoke of

A line from the point of the hip will drop to the point of the stifle. If the dog is standing properly the line from the point of hock to the back of the foot will be vertical. The hind foot is long well knuckled but somewhat flattened, a hare foot. Following up the vertical line of the front of the lower leg to the front of the hock joint it should angle up to a well bent hock, again if you go straight up from the point of the stifle you should come to the hip bone. The tuck up of the Ibizan is pronounced but the chest should not be extremely deep, the long upper arm is well in front of the deepest part of the chest. This upper arm is more straight than in most other sighthounds, but not bolt upright being slightly under the forechest. The front feet are strong, long harefeet. The sternum forms a noticeable angle, but not a great sharp keel. The underside of the neck has a nice clean sweep, dry fleshed. The lower jaw is long but not even with the protruding nose. The bite will be scissored. The lower jaw should have strength but never lacking in elegance. Lips are tight and puckered.