Thanks to their tight, smooth and short coats, the Ibizan Hound is low maintenance when it comes to keep things tidy. With this said, a weekly brush is a great way of keeping their coats glossy and their skin in good condition. It also allows you to check a dog over for any lumps and bumps or injuries. It's important to towel dry an Ibizan Hound after they have been out for a walk in the rain because having so little coat means they can quickly feel the cold and catch a chill.
Their coat grows throughout the year, but like other breeds, they do tend to shed more during the Spring and then again in the Autumn when more frequent brushing may be necessary to keep on top of things. It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary. If too much wax is allowed to build up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.
The Ibizan Hound is a high-energy dog and as such they need to be given a minimum of 2 hour's vigorous exercise every single day for them to be truly happy, well-rounded dogs. They are not suited to city living, but are an ideal choice for people who live in the country and who are familiar with the breed or this type of high-energy dogs.
A shorter walk in the morning would be fine, but a longer more interesting one in the afternoon is a must. These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. However, the fencing has to be extremely secure to keep one of these beautiful dogs in because if they find a weakness in the fence, they will soon escape out and get into all sorts of trouble.
With this said, Ibizan Hound puppies should not be given too much exercise because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives. They should not be allowed to jump up or off furniture nor should they be allowed to run up and down the stairs because this puts too much pressure on their still growing joints and limbs.
If you get an Ibizan Hound puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
