chart polski

An old hunting sighthound

Chart Polski is a very rare dog breed. The modern Chart Polski is a direct descendant of effective and versatile hunting sighthounds and it still have strong instincts. The Chart Polski ancestors have been developed for hunting not only hares, but also small predators and birds, deer and wild boar, earlier even wolf.

The instincts are still strong. This breed is not developed for being a nice city pet, so there are lots of things to consider, when you choose Chart Polski as your dog.

Character

The Chart Polski character is not so uniform – there is a lot of variance within breed. But usually the typical Chart Polski character is described primitive, strong, sensitive, intelligent, playful and spontaneous. The reactions are very fast and gestures fierce and hasty. One typical characteristic to the Chart Polski is strong co-working instinct, herd instinct. Many individuals have guardian instinct too. There appears a lot of connections with typical livestock guardian (LGD) breeds' characters.

Chart Polski keeps strong contact to his master and feels deep affection for all of his family members. Also it is very submissive and patient with familiar peoples and animals.

In home Chart Polski is silent and peaceful – even lazy, so it is possible to keep these dogs also in city apartments, if the dog has enough everyday outdoor activities.

The most important factors in training are consistency and socialization already in early stages of development.

Measurements

Males: 70–80 cm, 30–45 kg - Females: 68–75 cm, 25–35 kg

Care

The most central elements of the Chart Polski care are outdoor activities, training and feeding. The Chart Polski needs lots of activities.

Chart Polski loves to catch moving objects. Please, let your dog do that, what it is developed for. Don't keep the Chart Polski only a decoration of the sofa. Local sighthound associations usually organizing some lure coursing or racing practices, where the dogs can run and do their work.

Outdoor activities mean a lot: not only passive standing in courtyard. The ancestors of the Chart Polski have been very active, hardworking and durable dogs. The Chart Polski is always ready for the long trekking, running or trotting with horse or bicycle, and so on. The outdoor activities contributing to the dog's metabolism – whereas a well working metabolism contributes to the dog's general health.

Self the basic care is easy: check the teeth, claws, ears and anal sacs pair times at month. Clean teeth and ears, cut claws and empty anal sacs, if needed. Check also the paws, if there are any wounds. The coat is easy to care – dirt-, water- and weatherproof – so in practice it don't need any special care. If the dog is long haired, in winter you can cut the hairs under paws, so it's easier to walk in snow without snow lumps under paws. Of course you can do a little extra: these dogs loving massage and brushing the coat.

The Chart Polski changing the coat twice a year. The summer coat is flatter and sparser, whereas the winter coat is fluffier and thicker. The Chart Polski coat consists of the two kinds of hairs: flat and shiny overcoat and thick and woolen undercoat. When the weathers turning colder in winter, also the undercoat growing thicker.

In the native countries of the breed these dogs usually lives in outdoor kennels the year round. The Chart Polski can live in outdoor kennel, if there are proper shelter against wind, rain and cold weather (frost limit about -10 ºC) and if it has there also other dogs as companion. However the best Chart Polski life is to live socially together with other family members.

 

Feeding and nutrition

When having a Chart Polski puppy, it's always best to ask first from the breeder advices about feeding. It is possible to feed a Chart Polski by many ways. The breeder or other experienced Chart Polski peoples knows this breed very well and they are the best people for giving advices about just Chart Polski feeding.

 

Training

The Chart Polski is a big and strong dog with strong temperament. So, it should be well trained. The breeder gives advices, how to train a Chart Polski puppy. The Chart Polski puppy needs a lot of socialization with strange people, strange dogs, strange surrounds and situations.

1. Let your puppy run and play with strange dogs.

2. Let your puppy meet other domestic animals: horses, goats, sheep, cows etc.

3. Let your puppy meet strange peoples.

4. Walk your puppy in lively and noisy places, where are a lot of traffic and people.

The first 4–16 weeks are the best time for the puppy to train these basic things.

If your dog will take part in hobbies, it needs training also for the show ring, lure coursing or track racing. The breeder of your dog gives you closer instructions, how you train your dog to the different hobbies.

Owner responsibility

The Chart Polski needs responsible owners!

To have lots of contacts with other Chart Polski peoples, to be active member of Chart Polski groups and associations – it's always better. Please, report all information about your dog to the breeder. If your dog has some troubles with health or character, tell them at least to the breeder. So you can help the breeder and whole breed. If your dog dies untimely and the cause of death is not clear, it should be important to do the autopsy. Also highly recommended is to do some health examinations to the dog, even if it is healthy.

It's very important to keep the contacts with the breeder and update the connections, if the dog's whereabouts will change. The breed is very rare in the world and at least in theory all registered and living Chart Polski individuals are important. Also the stud book is still open: sometimes they find some unregistered dogs in Poland and those dogs will be taken to the Chart Polski stud book by the breeding overview for giving new fresh blood to the breed. Then it must be necessary to know, if they are relative to the registered Chart Polski. For knowing better their relativity, it's always better, if there any registered Chart Polski will not disappear. If all owners keeping contacts with their dogs' breeders, so we can better know, are the found unknown dogs already relatives to the Chart Polski, or not. It is same of course, if your dog has an accidental litter.

From “Chart Polski International” -  Mrs. Nina Turunen, Bassebastioni kennel. Mrs. Nina Turunen, Bassebastioni kennel 

levriero polacco

( Malgorzata Szmurlo, later with the help of her sister, Izabella, were instrumental in the revival of the breed. They are the founders of Celerrimus Kennel, the most important kennel in the contemporary history of the breed.)

Today, one no longer questions the existence of the Polish Sighthound; all the academic discussions on this subject are fortunately closed. The Polish Kennel Club has confirmed the breed in 1981. Eight years later, in June 1989, it was recognized by the FCI.

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TRANSLATION : Mrs.Peggy Davis.

ORIGIN : Poland.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD : 01.10.1999.

UTILIZATION : Hunting dog not only for hare, fox, roe-deer and bustard, but also for the wolf.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION : Group 10 Sighthounds. Section 3 Short-haired Sighthounds. Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The presence of the Chart Polski in Poland is attested since the 13th century; this breed goes probably back to Asiatic sighthounds of Saluki type. The Borzoi being unknown before the reign of Iwan the Terrible during the XVIth century, it is impossible, as claimed by the Russian author Sabaniejew, that the Chart Polski would be the result of interbreeding between the Greyhound and the Borzoi. The mention of the Chart Polski in the literature, especially the hunt-literature, is frequent and the iconographic representations are noticeably unvarying. This uniform general appearance in drawings and paintings proves, that, in spite of different interbreeding, the original aspect of the breed has remained unchanged up to the end of the XIXth century.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : The Polish Greyhound is a dog of great size, powerful, muscular, definitely stronger and less fine in shape than the other short-haired sighthounds (he must not, however, be heavy nor lethargic). In his appearance, he is similar to the Asiatic greyhound who is his ancestor.The strong frame, the short coupled body, the distinctly visible musculature and the powerful jaws show that this dog has been used for hunting in the difficult conditions of the Polish climate. The expressive eyes, with a lively and penetrating look, play an important role in the general aspect of the Polish Greyhound. IMPORTANT

PROPORTION : The proportion of the length of the body in relation to the height at the withers should be 10,2-10,3 : 10.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : The Polish Greyhound is selfassured, confident, reserved and brave. When hunting he is fast, very skilful and untiring. In action, he reacts quickly and brutally.

HEAD : Strong, lean and long. The proportion of the length of head in relation to the height at the withers is

- in the males 37-39 : 100.

- in the females 36-38 : 100.

The length of the muzzle in relation to the length of the skull is 1 : 1, but the muzzle may be slightly longer.

The proportion of the width of the head at the zygomatic arches’level in relation to the length of the head is about 38 : 100.

The desirable proportion of the perimeter of the muzzle in front of the eye sockets in relation to the length of the head is about 80 : 100.

CRANIAL REGION : Skull : The upper part of the skull should be flat, the frontal furrow slightly pronounced and of a desirable depth of 5 mm; frontal bones and superciliary arches are lightly marked. The lateral lines of the skull should blend in perfectly with the lateral lines of the muzzle. Stop : Naso-frontal depression very lightly marked.

FACIAL REGION : Nose : Black or dark, large, projecting above the lips.

Muzzle : Strong, tapering towards the nose so gently that it does not give the impression of being pointed, but of rather being blunt for a sighthound. The position of the nose desirably somewhat below the upper line of the muzzle. The upper lines of the muzzle and the skull should be slightly divergent.

Lips : Lips fully defined, clean without excess; in the first part of the muzzle, they may form a minor fold covering the pigmented borders of the lower lip, but are never pendulous and do not hide the lower jaw.

Jaws/Teeth : Jaws and teeth strong. Scissor bite, pincer bite acceptable.

Eyes : Dark eyes desirable. According to the dog’s coat, the iris is of a shade going from dark brown to amber colour. Eyes are expressive, rather large, set slightly oblique (almond-shaped). The expression of the eyes must be characteristic : lively and penetrating.

Ears : Of medium size, quite narrow; when laid forward their tips easily touch the inner angles of the eyes. Set at eye level. The auricle of the ear has a relatively soft cartilage; the ears give the impression of being quite fleshy.

Admitted ear carriage :

• Folded backwards, touching the neck,

• roof shape position,

• in a state of excitement, ears fully erect, or with the tips slightly bent forward.

NECK : Long, muscular, powerful, oval in profile, rising gently from the line of the withers. Head carriage rather high (the Polish Greyhound, at rest, carries the head slightly lower than the Greyhound).

BODY : In the free standing hound, the height at the withers should be equal to the height at the summit of the croup.

Withers : Small, but marked. Topline : Straight in the thoracic part, gently arched in the lumbar region. In the females an almost straight topline in the lumbar region is not a fault.

Loin : Wide and muscular.

Croup : Oblique, gently slanting, long, muscular and wide; points of hip bones wide apart, (the width between the hip bones represents 12-14 % of the height at the withers.)

Chest : Thoracic cage very spacious and well let down (the ideal is a ribcage reaching the point of the elbow in the sternal region), moderately wide seen from the front; the ribs should be well sprung towards the rear, clearly arched but not barrel-shaped. Long ribs, placed obliquely in relation to the spinal column. Sternum long.

Belly : Tucked up.

TAIL : Feathered, long, strong at the base, at rest carried low; the tip of the tail should be in the shape of a sickle curved upwards or forming a complete ring. Sometimes, while at rest, the tail may be hanging straight down, but never so excessively like a cow’s tail. On the move, the tail may be carried higher, but the base of the tail should not be carried higher than the level of the loin.

LIMBS FOREQUARTERS : General appearance : Forelegs long, lean, muscular, not too wide apart; seen from the front parallel.

Forearm : Long; the proportion of the distance from the point of the elbow to the ground in relation to the height at the withers should be of about 54% and be balanced so that the hound does not give the impression of being excessively high on the leg.

Pasterns (Metacarpus) : Slightly oblique in relation to the ground. Forefeet : Oval; toes tight, well arched.

HINDQUARTERS : General appearance : Long, muscular, quite well angulated, slightly standing towards the back and set slightly wide, but definitely less so than in the Greyhound. Seen from behind, the legs should be parallel.

Lower thigh : Long.

Hock : Strong.

Hind feet : Oval, slightly longer than the front feet; toes tight, compact.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : The movement must be flowing and energetic; the appropriate angulation of the fore- and hindquarters allow an extension of the leg forward in a long and ground covering stride at the walk as well as at the trot.

The sighthounds led slowly may pace, but with acceleration of the speed, they should get back to the normal diagonal movement.

The action of the hind legs is one of the characteristics; they can be placed on a single straight line while on a slow trot, which is not a fault. SKIN : Well fitting, elastic.

COAT HAIR : Coat springy to the touch, rather harsh, not « wired-haired » but not silky either. Of variable lengths over all the body. On the withers the coat may be longer, shorter on the sides; it is on the sternum and the legs where it is the shortest. The hair on the abdomen is more delicate, more sparse. At the buttock and along the whole underside of the tail the hair is longest but still also harsh, forming modest breeches and a brush.

COLOUR : All colours are permitted. Border of the eyelids and nose black or dark; when the colour of the coat is lighter, i.e. blue or beige, the nose is in relation blue or beige.

SIZE : The ideal size for the female is of 68 - 75 cm at the withers, for the male is of 70 - 80 cm at the withers.

Subjects bigger than the ideal size are permitted, with the condition that the typical morphology is maintained. A slightly smaller size than that given in the standard is, however, not an eliminating fault if, apart from that, the hound does not show any other faults.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

• Severe departure from the required relation between height at withers and length of the body.

• Fragile bone structure, weakness. • Weak musculature or heaviness. HEAD :

• Frontal part too convex.

• Frontal furrow too defined.

• Stop too pronounced.

• Nose fine, pointed.

• Nasal bridge too convex.

• Flews excessively developed.

• Weak jaws.

Overshot- or undershot mouth; important absence of teeth (with the exception of PM 1).

• Protruding eyes.

• Ears flat touching sides of the head.

NECK :

• Short, fine; exaggerated high head carriage or exaggerated low head carriage.

BODY :

• Back arching already from the thoracic vertebrae onwards.

• Lumbar region too convex.

• Ribcage flat, not enough let down. Sternum short, manubrium of the sternum receding so much that, when looking in profile, it is not visible behind the edge of the shoulder.

TAIL :

• Completely curved over the back or carried sideways.

FOREQUARTERS:

• Straight in shoulder.

• Out or in at the elbows.

• Feet turning out, deformed pads.

HINDQUARTERS :

• Angulation too weak.

• Cow-hocked or barrel-shaped.

• Splayed feet.

SKIN :

• Thick, loose, not elastic enough.

COAT :

• Nose and rims of the eyelids of a pinky colour or speckled, as well as lightening of the colour of the nose and rims of eyelids in the coat colours other than blue and beige. DISQUALIFYING FAULTS :

• Aggressive or overly shy dogs. • Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

• Small eyes, lid aperture triangular.

N.B.:

• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.