Originally from Poland, country to which it owes its current name, the Polish Hound it is a very old breed of dog, since it is believed that it appeared in the 13th century, although the first written records that mention it explicitly date from the 17th century. They are part of the group “Medium-sized Hounds” and it is believed that they are the result of the crossing between the St. Hubert Hound, German and Russian hounds and local Polish breeds. Polish nobles, fans of hunting parties, they were bred and used especially for hunting larger game.

Since the middle of the 19th century, the Polish Hound, which was very popular at that time, began to appear in dog shows in his native country. At that time, Poland was under Russian occupation, and the breed was bred mainly in the territory of present-day Belarus, which was then also annexed by Russia. After 1918, Poland regained its independence, but the breeding of the Polish Hound continued almost exclusively in the east of the country.

During World War II, due to successive invasions of Poland by Nazi Germany and then by the USSR, the breed saw its population decrease dramatically. After the war, Polish borders were redrawn; Poland, by losing the territories he owned in the east, lost the cradle of Polish Hound as well as all the remaining farms. No breeder seized the territory of the “new” Poland, and the race found itself on the brink of extinction.

She was eventually saved by a Polish colonel named Piotr Kartawik.. In 1959, created a kennel dedicated to him and reconstituted livestock from 4 dogs imported from Belarus. The first standard of the Polish Hound was written on the basis of individuals from this kennel and published in 1964.

The breed was officially recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) two years later, in 1966. However, the Polish Hound is not recognized by any other major canine organization and, although once again it is very widespread in Poland, still relatively rare in the rest of the world.

Photos: Polish Hound by Wikipedia

The Polish Hound is a medium-sized hound and a companion dog. They are muscular, strong and compact, with mighty bones and a massive march, but without the impression of heaviness. They are better suited for endurance than speed.

The head, quite heavy and chiseled, appears rectangular when viewed from the side. The occipital bone is very pronounced. The line of the forehead forms an obtuse angle with that of the muzzle, and the forehead has multiple wrinkles.

The Polish Hound has a strong, long jaw with a regular bite. The eyes are dark brown and almond-shaped, with a soft expression, slightly sunken and almond-shaped. Superciliary arches are marked. The snout is elongated and truncated at the tip. Rounded at the tips, the ears are low, hanging and quite long.

Low rise and slightly curved, the tail is thick and its lower part is provided with longer hair. Chest is wide, wide and proportionally deep.

The Polish Hound has a double layer (hair and undercoat) average length. This layer gives very good water repellency and protection against heat and bad weather., especially since the undercoat is thick. Hair is longer on the spine, on the back of the hind legs and on the bottom of the tail; is shorter and smoother on the muzzle and ears.

It's brown on the head, the ears (except the sides of the skull), the legs, sternal region and thighs, and black or dark gray on the rest of the body. Tan color can vary from red to brown, but the cinnamon tone is the most sought after. In any case, the separation between the two colors must be very clear. White markings on the chest are tolerated (even up to the muzzle) and on the tips of the legs and tail.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT :

• Height to the cross: Males: 56-65 cm., Females: 55-60 cm..
• Weight : Males : 25-32 kg, Females : 20-26 kg.

Character and skills

The Polish Hound he is an affectionate dog, protective and very intelligent. And unlike most Poles and other hunting dogs, who are notoriously undisciplined and not very obedient, do not pose major training problems. This character trait makes them equally appreciated by hunters and families, as is the case with your neighbor, the Austrian Black and Tan Hound, a rare but obedient and easy to train breed that is also an exception. However, the Polish Hound tends to mature a little more slowly than other dogs, so it can be expected that he will maintain his youthful demeanor at 2 or 3 years of age.

Naturally calm and friendly, they are excellent companions, loyal as much as possible, showing affection not only to adults, but also to younger dogs. Not only is he loving, kind and protective with them, but he is also very patient. In this way, a great complicity can be created between the dog and the child, since the latter learns from a young age to respect the animal and its needs. The Polish Hound It, therefore, a breed of dog adapted to children, even the very young.

Reputed for being naturally vigilant and distrustful of strangers, without being aggressive, the Polish Hound develops protective instincts with age, leading him to actively defend those around him, whether they are the weakest, the youngest or the oldest. Facing intruders and armed with your unerring sense of smell, Polish hounds make excellent watchdogs, protecting without fail their masters and their properties, even though they weren't bred for it.

They are sociable animals and generally enjoy the company of other dogs. Can sometimes become a barker in your presence, without being prone to arguing with peers. His voice is powerful, melodious cases, and allows you to communicate with your master while hunting. The voice is deep in the male and quite high in the female.

To the Polish Hound loves large expanses and wooded areas where he can fully express his hunting instincts. Not at all suited to apartment living, and is much more comfortable in the country than in the city.

Developed for hunting and used to living in large spaces, must be walked for a long time and very regularly (on average two or three hours a day), even if you have access to a large garden. The ideal thing for him is to be able to accompany an active teacher during his exercises: footing, running and other sports outings will make you happy. On the other hand, if not asked enough, expect a long and frequent bark, meant to get attention.

Education

An obedient and intelligent breed, the Polish Hound it is relatively easy to train, since he is intelligent and quite obedient. They have a good memory and, as such, easily retain what they learn, without the need for a large number of repetitions. However, their education must be early and sufficiently balanced, mixing softness and firmness. He is particularly receptive to the method of positive education, what is the best way to educate him and make him obey.

On the other hand, How can it take time to reach mental maturity (sometimes two or three years), it is important to be patient during your education, especially if we notice that you tend to lose concentration easily.

Last but not least, if the dog is to be used as a hunting dog, teaching the dog to remember should be one of the priorities in his training.

Health and care

The Polish Hound it is a strong and resistant breed of dog, that does not present any significant risk in terms of possible predisposition to certain diseases. Like most older dog breeds, has robust health and is much less susceptible to genetic diseases that can affect newer breeds.

In spite of this, due to its large chest and high level of activity, is quite susceptible to the development of dilation-torsion syndrome of the stomach.

In addition, how much of their time is spent outdoors, especially if they are used as hunting dogs, are more susceptible to parasites (like ticks and fleas) and infections, as well as injuries and hunting accidents.

Last but not least, as with any dog ​​with lop ears, be careful with the risk of ear infections and inflammation.

Care and maintenance

The Polish Hound it is easy to care for because its coat is short and straight. Brushing your dog's coat once a week keeps it clean and removes dead hairs, especially during shedding periods. How shedding periods are not very consistent, brushing every two to three days is usually sufficient.

Because its beautiful waterproof coat does not get dirty easily, bathing is rarely necessary. In fact, in most cases, the coat can be cleaned with a simple damp cloth. In addition, washing your dog tends to remove sebum, which has many positive properties, so it should only be done when the coat is really very dirty.

In addition, you need to check and maintain your dog's ears regularly, as it is quite prone to canine ear infections. One can take the opportunity to examine their eyes at the same time.

Looking at its claws, they are supposed to wear out naturally during your outings. However, If it is not so, you should cut your dog's claws from time to time.

Last but not least, when he comes back from hunting or walking, it is important to ensure that there are no ticks (the application of a preventive antiparasitic treatment is strongly recommended) and any injuries you may have sustained while running.

Price of a Polish Hound

The price of a puppy Polish Hound is between 500 and 700 EUR.

Images "Polish Hound"

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Photos:

1 – Polish hound by Wikimedia
2 – Polish Hound during dogs show in Katowice, Poland by Lilly M, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
3 – Polish hound by Wikimedia
4 – Polish hound by https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1175414
5 – Polish hound by Wikimedia
6 – Polish hound by Wikimedia

Videos "Polish Hound"

POLISH HOUND THE OGAR POLSKI

Mądry ogar polski

Type and recognitions:

• CLASSIFICATION FCI:
• Group :
• Section : . .

Federations:

• – FCI – Group 6: Scent hounds, and related breeds. – Section 1.2: Medium-sized Hounds. ⓘ




FCI breed standard "Polish Hound"

FCI - Polish Hound

Alternative names:

1. Ogar Polski, Polish (Ogar) Hound (English).
2. (ogar polski en polonais), podzary (French).
3. (Ogar Polski) (German).
4. em polonês/polaco: Ogar Polski) (Portuguese).
5. Sabueso de Polonia (Spanish).