Ordinarily, a dog that moves closely in the rear might be faulted for “lacing,” a short trot where the hind legs move closer together while moving at that gait. In the Chart Polski, or Polish Greyhound, however, this is not considered a fault, and when moving this way, the dog almost has the appearance of “marching.”
A Chart Polski photographed at a dog show in Ustroń, Poland, photo from Wikicommons
In no way does this impact the dog’s efficacy at his job. The breed (whose name is pronounced Hart Pole Ski) has been highly prized for his amazing tracking ability, and thus was a favorite dog of Polish nobility as early as the 1600s. They were generally hunted in pairs called a “leash,” each dog always chosen with care in terms of physical abilities and temperament, for the “leash” had to know and understand each other to work cooperatively in the field. It’s said that at one point, there were even several different types of Chart Polski, each of which specialized in hunting a different species, and at the largest hunts, some twenty “leashes” would participate.
Poland has banned hunting with the Chart Polski, but the breed is gaining popularity in track racing, and increasingly, people are discovering that this well-mannered and affectionate dog makes a wonderful family companion.
As an aside, the Chart Polski is not a direct relative of the Greyhound.
This beautiful Chart Polski was photographed by owner, Aleksandra Kliber, and appeared in NPDD’s 2020 calendar
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I’ve never heard the term “lacing” and didn’t know how to pronounce Chart Polski. Always something new to learn at NPDD…thanks!
Thanks, Sharyn. We came across the term in an encyclopedia on dog terms, and it specifically mentioned that in the Chart Polski, “lacing” was acceptable. When we researched the breed, “Lacing” came up several times. There’s always something new to learn, we’re finding!