Wow, a Podenco, congrats! Among the hundreds of them I´ve known of, yet to meet one without a high prey drive. In my region is the most common hunting/shooting dog and is mostly used for rabbits. In other parts of Spain for boars, partridges, hares... Almost all of them are working dogs, although my experience is that they can become excellent pets. It´s a very ancient breed with very few crosses throughout history. Probably because it was the poor man’s hunting dog and breeders showed very little interest in this magnificent dog. It´s endurance to all weather conditions and terrains, heat in particular, it’s outstanding. Can hunt alone or in packs and uses its smell, sight and hearing, have you realized of his mobile ears? BTW they´re immune to leismania.
I´m thinking of getting a puppy to be trained as my next deer dog, so very interested in knowing of your achievements!