Maria is usually hostile to other dogs that approach her. Sometimes a dog runs right across a park to greet her. Maria utters a single warning bark: the disappointed dog turns tail and runs all the way back across the park again. But with Basil it was quite different. There was instant recognition on both sides and some signs of affection. Basil is a year old and was brought to the Uk by a rescue organisation which specializes in Podencos from Spain. He was living in Andalucia, born at home but unwanted.
We then met another Pequeno in the street. The owner thought that he was some sort of Corgi cross but he had every Pequeno feature from the white socks, curly tail, long body with an apron string stripe: only the pink nose was missing. It would appear that trickle of Podgenos are being rescued from Spain and Portugal and then given to owners with some fanciful cross-breed suggestion.
Maria knew better although she did not like him as much as Basil.