Polish Hound

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Polish Hound
Other names Ogar Polski
Country of origin Poland
Traits
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Polish Hound, commonly known as Ogar Polski, is a breed of hunting dog indigenous to Poland.[1][2] The Polish Hound is famously known for its keen sense of smell. This heightened sense combined with the endurance needed to hunt in harsh environments is what makes it so popular to hunters, while its noble stature made it just as popular with Polish nobility.

History

Like many other ancient breeds, the origin of the Polish Hound is quite unknown. It may be related to the Austrian and German hunting breeds. This breed remained more or less unknown until the early 18th century when it was identified and differentiated by Jan Szytier into two types, the Polish scent hound and the Polish Brach.[3] Due to the harsh environments that these animals were subjected to, however, the population of Polish Hounds remained low. Several Polish generals bred these dogs with others to increase this population, which led to the emergence of two new breeds, Gonczy Polski (bred by Colonel Josef Pawuslewicz) and Ogar Polski (bred by Colonel Piotr Kartwik).[3] Despite these efforts, both types were given the general classification of Polish Hound by the English due to their relatively unknown status outside of their country of origin.[3] The Polish Hound was not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale until November 1966.[3]

Description

  • Head: Fairly heavy, elegantly chiseled. Skull as long as nosebridge. Pronounced stop. Well-developed brow bones. Very wrinkled forehead. Long muzzle. Strong jaws. Thick, pendulous flews. Large, wide nose.[4]
  • Ears: Set on low, fairly long, hanging freely, slightly rounded at the tip.[4]
  • Eyes: Slanted, dark brown.[4]
  • Body: Massive. Strong, muscular neck with folded dewlap. Broad chest. Large, broad brisket. Well-curved ribs. Broad abdomen. Flank level. Long, broad, muscular back. Broad, level croup.[4]
  • Tail: Set on fairly low, large, hanging lower than the hock, slightly pendulous.[4]
  • Hair: Medium in length, thick. Slightly longer on the spine, the backs of the hind legs, and the lower tail. Thick undercoat.[4]
  • Coat: Fawn and black. Tan head, ears, legs, sternum, and thighs. Body black or dark grey, with a black mantle. White hair tolerated as flashings or a flare or on the chest, lower legs, and tip of the tail.[4]
  • Size: Dog: 56 to 65 cm. (22-22.5 in): 55 to 60 cm. (22-23.5) [4]
  • Weight: Dog: 25 to 32 kg. (55-70.5 lb): 20 to 26 kg. (44-57.5 lb) [4]

Characteristics and Temperament

The Polish Hound has an average life span of 13 to 14 years.[3] A medium sized breed, Ogar Polski is often described as strong and sleek, with a powerful bone structure.[5] The coloration of these animals is often a combination of a brown underside and black on top running from the neck to the tail. The Polish Hound's voice is often described as resonant and pure [6] which makes it an ideal hunting dog. The Polish Hound matures slowly. Intelligent and easily trained, Polish Hounds are known to be calm, affectionate animals and great pets. Friendly with other breeds and very loyal, these dogs are also very protective of their land. It is unclear as to whether this breed makes a good guard dog. Many argue that its territorial nature makes it defensive against intruders, while other state that its passive nature renders it harmless to new people. Resilient to environment due to their origin of use, the Polish Hound acclimates quickly to new settings.

Notes

  1. ↑ Gino Pugnetti, Elizabeth Meriwether Schuler. Simon & Schuster's guide to dogs. Simon and Schuster. 1980. p. 145.
  2. ↑ Bonnie Wilcox, Chris Walkowicz. Atlas of dog breeds of the world. TFH Publications. 1995. p. 681
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Polish Hound". The Sarah's Dogs Website. 12 Apr 2012. Retrieved 5 Feb 2013. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 "Polish Hound". The Furry Critter Network. Retrieved 5 Feb 2013. 
  5. ↑ "Polish Hound (Ogar Polski)". 
  6. ↑ "Polish Hounds". 

References

  • "Polish Hound (Ogar Polski)." Elite-Pets. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013
  • "Polish Hound." The Furry Critter Network. Bryntel Technologies, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
  • "Polish Hound." Sarahs Dogs. The Sarah's Dogs Website, 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
  • "Polish Hound." United Kennel Club: Polish Hound. United Kennel Club, Inc., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
  • "Polish Hounds." GotPetsOnline.com. GotPetsOnline.com, 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

See also

Scenthounds
Sighthounds
Other
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