The Polish Hound is a hunting dog little known outside its country of origin that catches the eye for its muzzle that appears to be wrinkled in a very sweet grimace due to the wrinkles on its forehead.This dog is endowed with remarkable intelligence and a balanced nature which makes it a perfect adventure companion for anyone who loves to lead an active life in contact with nature.
Discover, then, the characteristics of the Polish Hound, its origins, its breed standard, its character, its health and life expectancy.
The Polish Hound, as its name suggests, is a dog originally from Poland, like the Polish Greyhound and the Tatra Sheepdog , and its history is partly shrouded in mystery.
This dog breed was described in hunting literature in the 19th century but was probably already widespread in earlier times. This dog is, however, the result of crossbreeding between native subjects with the Bloodhound Chien de Saint-Ubert from which it also mediated, for example, the color of the coat.
The Polish Hound almost risked extinction during the Second World War and a fundamental contribution to its preservation was given by Józef Pawlusiewicz. From 1945 this lieutenant passionate about dog breeding was designated to a special section of the army dedicated to the breeding and training of dogs, a mission that allowed him to work to stabilize the main traits of the breed and promote its new diffusion.
The Polish Hound was recognized by the FCI in 1965 and its official standard was published in 2014.
Polish Hound, appearance and breed standard
The Polish Hound is a breed recognized by the ENCI and classified in Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds, section 1A medium-sized hound type dogs such as the Serbian Hound, the Italian Smooth-haired Hound , the Finnish Hound , the Hellenic Hound , the Swiss Hound , the Apennine Hound , the Posavatz Hound and the Slovensky Kopov .
Polish Hound
Appearance of the Polish Hound
The Polish Hound is a medium-sized dog , with a massive, strong and well-proportioned build.
This dog has a rather heavy head, whose profile resembles a rectangle, and the skull and muzzle are of the same length.
The Polish Hound has well developed superciliary arches, the forehead is characterized by numerous wrinkles and has a clearly marked stop. The muzzle is elongated, with a well developed black nose and strong jaws.
His eyes are soft, set obliquely, dark brown in colour.
and in elderly subjects the eyelids may be slightly drooping.
The standard considers too light eyes a fault.
This dog has low-set ears, rather long, drooping and slightly rounded at the tip. The lower part remains in close contact with the head.
The neck is powerful and muscular, the rib cage is broad, the legs are robust and strong.
The tail is set low and slightly drooping, when moving it is carried normally but not curled and even when running it never rises above the back.
Coat
The Polish Hound has a medium-length coat, which may be slightly longer on the spine, hind legs and tail, and is provided with a thick undercoat .
This dog has a head and ears of different shades of fawn and
In the past, Polish hunters called it “podzary” meaning “burnt” precisely because of the presence of these particular shades of red in its coat.
The body may be black or dark grey, and white in the form of a star or stripe is permitted on the chest up to the muzzle and the tip of the limbs or tail.
Height
According to the standard, the height at the withers of male Polish Hounds must be between 56 and 65 cm. Females are slightly smaller, their height at the withers must be between 55 and 60 cm.
Weight
Polish Hound males should weigh between 25 and 32 kg and females between 20 and 26 kg.
These weight ranges refer to healthy subjects who have reached their full development.
Polish Hound
Characteristics of the Polish Hound
The Polish Hound is a hunting dog with a lively intelligence and courageous temperament which makes it suitable for hunting even large mammals such as deer or wild boar and due to its exceptional sense of smell it is widely used for following blood trails.
This dog has excellent physical resistance, although it is stronger than agile and fast, and is able to withstand the particularly harsh temperatures of continental winters.
The Polish Hound is a dog that barks often like all hunting breeds and its voice has a clear timbre and a variable tone, generally higher in females.
Polish Hound Character
The Polish Hound is intelligent, affectionate and balanced, perfect to become an unforgettable life companion.
This dog is easily trainable, as its lively and curious intelligence leads it to show interest in any activity proposed to it.
If you want to delve deeper into the topic of education and find lots of useful advice, read the article How to train a dog .
His ability to develop a deep bond with the family and his patience also make him an excellent companion dog suitable for sharing games and experiences even with children.
Obviously, interactions with these must always take place under the supervision of an adult, as is necessary for every breed.
Read all the advice from Angelo Vaira, an authoritative dog expert, on the relationship between dogs and children.
Furthermore, the Polish Hound does not present particular intraspecific aggression, often the specimens of this breed work in packs, but it is always advisable to accustom it to socialization with both dogs and people from an early age.
This dog needs to do physical activity outdoors and go for walks in nature where it can relax using all its developed senses to explore the territory. For this reason it is not suitable for people who have little time to dedicate to it or for those who have a sedentary lifestyle.
If you want to discover the benefits of walking your 6-legged friends, read the interesting article Walking with your dog is good for you .
Polish Hound Health
The Polish Hound is a robust dog that, if well kept and cared for, rarely presents health problems until old age.
If you want to learn more about this topic, read the article Older Dogs: Disorders and Pathologies .
However, particular attention must be paid to cleaning the ears, as their shape can encourage deposits of dirt, soil and hair that must be regularly removed to avoid the onset of painful ear infections.
Average lifespan of the Polish Hound
The average lifespan of the Polish Hound is between 13 and 14 years, so this breed is quite long-lived.
Polish Hound
Polish Hound Care
The Polish Hound is a rustic dog that does not require any particular care, other than that required by every four-legged friend regardless of its breed.
This dog needs a balanced and quality diet and it is important that it does not gain weight as it gets older in order to prevent joint pain.
Read the article on proper dog nutrition to find lots of useful advice on this topic.
Movement and daily physical activity play an important role in the life of the Polish Hound given its active and curious nature.
This dog also needs to be brushed at least once a week to keep its coat clean and shiny and every day during the moulting period to help shed the winter undercoat.