CHART POLSKI

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 self-assured, 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 : 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 : 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.

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.

  ELIMINATING FAULTS :

·       Unfounded aggressiveness, exaggerated timidity, somnolence.

·       Small eyes, lid aperture triangular.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.