In the epic film “The Odyssey,” Odysseus’ devoted dog Argos, who waits for 20 longs years for his master to return, was played by a Portuguese Podengo (“podengo” being Portguese for “hound”). The breed dates back to 700 BC, nearly 2700 years ago. It’s one of the most ancient dog breeds, along with the Greyhound, the Pharaoh Hound and the Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican Hairless).

John Leguizamo, whose character Eumaeus, becomes Argos’ protector after Odysseus (Matt Damon) leaves for the Trojan War, came up with a cheeky, NSFW nickname for the dog, a “Portuguese pendejo.”

The breed dates back to Classic Antiquity

According to the AKC, the breed was most likely “brought by the Phoenicians and Romans to the Iberian Peninsula in Classic Antiquity,” a time period that spans the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE. Once in Portugal, the dogs adapted to the geography and climate, with the bigger sizes excelling at hunting boar (as in “The Odyssey”) and the smaller versions used for hunting small game like rabbits.

How rare is the breed today?

As Leguizamo said on the Today show, “There’s only 75 dogs in the whole world…” In England, they are often called Portuguese Warren Hounds.

Their expected life span is 10 to 15 years

Argos living to be 20 years old is remarkable for a dog his size, long past the American Kennel Club’s estimate of a maximum 15-year life span.

Podengos come in three sizes, with two different types of coats

The dog we see as Argos would be called a “grande,” or large version of the breed, which is the rarest variety. They also come in medium or small, or, in Portuguese, “medio” and “pequeno.” The coat is either short and smooth, or longer and wiry. The smooth-coated variety is traditional, whereas the wire-coated variety results from the assimilation of various other breeds during the twentieth century.

What was the personality of the dog playing the elderly Argos?

“He’s not the friendliest or the smartest dog in the world. But he’s cute and sweet and I was method with him all day long, petting him, hanging out with him,” said Leguizamo. According to the AKC, “They are an intelligent, independent, affectionate, alert breed, however they can be wary with strangers.”

The actor also explained that NO DOGS WERE HARMED in the making of “The Odyssey,” as a dummy was used in the scene where Corey Hawkins’ character kicks Argos. Leguizamo also made it clear that he did not actually throw any of the puppies over the cliff, as he appears to do in the movie. “There was a big blanket that caught every puppy gently,” he assured CinemaBlend.

Three different dogs played Argos

He explained that there were three dogs playing Argos at various stages of his life: puppy, middle age and extremely elderly. The adult dog we see hunting boar with Odysseus before the war “could do some stunts,” Leguizamo said, but added, “they’re not really trainable.”

Portuguese Podengos ruled ’90s movies:

In the ’90s, a trio of Podengo siblings —  Tito, Rosa, and Nikki,— starred in a number of films, proving that the breed actually can be trained.

“Dante’s Peak,” in which Tito starred as “Ruffy,” required him to jump into Pierce Brosnan’s truck bed to safety after a volcano eruption.

“Zeus and Roxanne,” a tale of a dog named Zeus who loves a dolphin named Roxanne, featured all three dogs performing a variety of stunts, including one that rides on the dolphin’s back! (Although there was a surprise appearance by dolphins in “The Odyssey,” Argos does not go near them, let alone take a ride.)

“Soccer Dog: The Movie,” which came out in 1999, starred a Podengo as a soccer-playing pooch named Lincoln.

Portuguese Podengos also appeared in “Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco” (1996) and “Three Wishes” (1995).