Polish Greyhound Dog Breed

The Polish Greyhound is a Sighthound and hunting dog — except in Poland, where their use as a hunting dog is now illegal. (They are used as racing dogs there.) For several centuries, they were bred to be focussed, fast and aggressive on the hunt. Polish nobility preferred this breed and there was a huge variety of the dogs raised as each estate saw fit. These "noble" variations were each trained to pursue just one type of game, but over time these various types died out. These dogs are not for inexperienced dog people; with other dogs and most any animals, they can be particularly hostile. Although they can be socialized with other pets to a degree, they still must be supervised around them. They do get along well with children, however.

Here are some of the things that are good to know about Polish Greyhounds:

PROS

• Very devoted
• Long lifespan
• Highly devoted
• Excellent tracker
• Good guard dog
• Superb watchdog
• Remarkably brave
• Great hunting dog
• Extremely fast runner
• Gentle around small children

CONS

• Hard to train
• Dog-aggressive
• Not hypoallergenic
• Extremely territorial
• Suspicious of strangers
• Doesn't adapt to city life
• Not good for apartments
• Rarely found outside Poland
• Requires a huge amount of exercise
• Will chase down and kill non-canine pets

Polish Greyhounds are large, stubborn and elegant. They are devoted, and they are very good at what they do as well as strong enough to nearly never fail. If you want to learn more about the Polish Greyhound, you will also want to research any Chart Polski info as it's a different name for the same breed.

As Polish Greyhounds are extremely smart and know what they need to do even as they await the proper training and right master, it can be surprising when they are difficult to train in obedience and other things. They will remain calm even as they resist, however, and you will need to be patient to get these very smart dogs to learn tricks or simply heel when they get a scent.

This breed is complicated in that these dogs are affectionate yet obstinate, dominating yet eager to please. They won't hesitate to protect you, but they will do their own thing otherwise. To the lay eye, they may look like Greyhounds but they are much stronger, heavier and obstinate.

Polish Greyhounds need a great amount of energy and space. They need long daily walks, large yards (or rural areas) in which to run and more than a few weekly visits to the dog park (which helps to socialize them) to burn off their energy when they aren't hunting.

Polish Greyhounds are fairly healthy dogs, but they do have a very few congenital health concerns that require close supervision. Heart problems top this list, and any breeder that cannot prove their dogs have certified heart evaluations may not be providing healthy puppies. There are also issues that can be you can help to prevent by keeping your dog in good health with plenty of proper exercise, good grooming and puppy love!

Here is a list of some of the ailments that can occur with Polish Greyhounds:

• Bloat
• Cancer
• Allergies
• Eye ailments
• Hip dysplasia
• Heart problems
• Elbow dysplasia
• Patellar luxation
• Demodex mange
• Anesthesia sensitivity
• Low tolerance to cold weather
• Intolerance to rigid or rocky terrain

The Polish Greyhound is said to have a lifespan that averages 12 to 15 years, and there are many reports that they live as long as 17 years.