The portuguese podengo most likely shares its past with the spanish podenco-breeds (including the ibizan hound). The breeds are believed to originate from old egyptian sighthounds.
The portuguese podengo is mainly found in the north of Portugal, where it's used for hunting. Game type is dependant on the dog's size, but mainly all of the sizes are used to chase down rabbits. The hunters use either one dog or a full pack.

The breed is easily recognized for its light and rectangular body. The chest is long, fairly thin and deep. The frontquarters should be thin with straight legs and round, tight paws. The head is triangular, with a broad base and muzzle heavily thinning towards the tip. The eyes are small and almond-shaped. The ears should be large, set high and pointed. The tail is set fairly high, thick at the root and of medium length, ending in a fairly thin tip. It should be carried quite high, in an open curve during movement but not curled.
The breed can be either shorthaired or wirehaired. In both coat types, the hairs should be thick and hard, never soft or fluffy.