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