Posavaz Hound

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Posavaz Hound – General Description

The Posavaz Hound (Croatian and Slovene: Posavski Gonič) is a breed of dog, originating as a hunting dog of the scenthound type. Croatia is the home country for the breed. The name translates into English as the Scenthound From The Sava Valley, but is usually translated as the Posavaz Hound.

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Classification and Standards

• FCI Group 6, Section 1, #154
• UKC Scenthound Group

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Character & Temperament

The breed standard describes the ideal temperament as docile and an enthusiastic hunter.

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History

There is no actual proof of great antiquity for this breed, although there is much fanciful conjecture. The type is very old, and the modern breed resembles images seen in frescoes as early as 1497. Writers cited as having mentioned the type include Bishop Bakič of Đakovo in 1719 and the veterinarian Franjo Bertič, also of Đakovo, in 1859. Hounds from the Sava Valley (Posavina, south-east of Zagreb) were sold as boskini in Croatia in the 1800s. The ancestry of the dogs was documented starting in 1929, when registrations for the stud book were first taken. The breed was internationally recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1955, and the name was clarified in 1969. The breed has been known since then as the Posavac Hound.[1] The breed is recognized in North America by the United Kennel Club in the Scenthound Group, and by a number of minor registries, hunting clubs, and internet-based dog registry businesses, and is promoted as a rare breed for those seeking a unique pet.

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Size & Appearance

The Posavaz Hound is a solidly built dog with a somewhat long body, close-fitting drop ears, a long tail, and a gentle expression. The breed has an ideal height around 50 cm (20 ins) at the withers. The short, flat coat is slightly longer on the belly and backs of legs (feathering). Coat coulour is a reddish wheaten, sometimes marked with white.

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Health & Maintenance

No unusual diseases or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed.

References

1. Breed Standard – http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/154A2002_en.doc

Photo Credits

1. Author releases the image into the [public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2. Mirta12 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

This article is licensed (except where noted) under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article Posavski Gonič

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Breed Standard

Posavaz Hound (Posavski Gonič)

FCI-Standard N° 154 / 10/04/2002 / GB

TRANSLATION : Mrs Pamela Jeans-Brown.

ORIGIN : Croatia.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 25.10.2000.

UTILIZATION :

It is a good scent hound with excellent stamina, particularly suited to hunting hare and fox. It can also be used as a leash hound. Its robust constitution is ideally suited to hunting in the vast forests and thick undergrowth in the Save valley.

F.C.I. CLASSIFICATION :

• Group 6 Scent hounds and related breeds.
• Section 1.2 Medium sized scent hounds.

With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :

This ancient hound breed is indigenous to Croatia. Its origins are lost in the mists of time. Frescoes of 1474 (chapel dedicated to St. Mary at Beram, near Pazin), chronicles of 1719 (Bishop Bakič of Djakovo) and of 1859 (Franjo Bertič, a veterinarian, also of Djakovo) and books (Joze Kristen) all bear witness to this breed’s antiquity. These hounds from the Save Valley were sold in Croatia under the name of “boskini” and highly prized in the neighboring regions. In 1924, the breed was presented for the first time at a dog show. The first registrations in the Croatian stud-book date back to 1929. FCI accepted the breed in 1955. The first standard bearing the correct name of the breed (Posavatz dog) was published in 1969; this name indicates that the breed originated in the broad and densely wooded Save Valley (Posavina) south-east of Zagreb.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

Robust dog of average proportions whose red, reddish or wheaten coat has white markings on the head, around the neck, on the chest, on the lower limbs and at the tip of the tail. It has a high sonorous tongue.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :

Body length should be 11-13 % more than height at withers.

BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT :

Docile, very attached to its owner, good-natured : reasonably lively temperament. Very enthusiastic hunter.

HEAD :

Long and narrow, length 20-24 cm.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Seen in profile, frontal bone is slightly rounded. Seen from above, skull is oval and not too wide. Well-defined frontal furrow, pronounced occipital crest.
Stop : Visible but not very pronounced.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Broad, black, blackish or dark brown.
Nasal bridge : Outline can be slightly convex.
Muzzle : Quite long, an even width throughout its length.
Lips : Average thickness, tight-fitting, top lip just over-lapping bottom lip. Well-fitting commissure. Dark or black pigmentation.
Teeth : Strong, regular and complete scissor bite.
Eyes : Large, with perfectly fitting eyelids. Dark-colored iris. Gentle expression.
Ears : Dropped, close-fitting to the cheeks, flat, thin, rounded at the tips. When drawn forward towards the nose they should reach the labial commissure.

NECK :

See in profile chest is slightly arched. Sloping neck, of average length, well-muscled. Tight-fitting skin.

BODY :

Topline : Level.
Withers : Pronounced.
Back : Long.
Loin : Medium length lumbar region, broad, muscled, strong and firmly attached to the croup.
Croup : Muscled, slightly rounded and moderately sloping. Hip bones hardly noticeable.
Chest : Long, broad and well let down. Well sprung ribs. Moderately broad brisket. Point of sternum not very pronounced.
Belly and flank : Belly tucked up, flanks only just noticeable.

TAIL :

Continuing the line of the back, broad at the root. Average length, at most reaching the hock. Sabre tail carriage. Tail covered in thick hair like a brush, with longer hair on the under side, admissible.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :

General appearance : Seen front on, upright; good width : seen in profile slightly « propped forward ». Strong bone.
Shoulders : Sloping shoulder-blade, long, muscled and well attached to chest.
Upper arm : Strong, muscled.
Elbow: Neither out nor too close to the chest.
Forearm : Upright.
Carpus (Carpal joint) : Moderately pronounced.
Metacarpus (Pastern) : Short, very slightly sloping.
Front feet : More a cat foot than a hare foot, with tight toes. Resistant elastic pads. Strong nails, preferably dark.

HINDQUARTERS :

General appearance : Seen in profile slightly « propped back ».
Thigh : Medium length, broad, muscled.
Loin : Broad.
Lower thigh : Sloping, longer than thigh.
Hock : Strong.
Metatarsus (Rear pastern) : Upright, medium length, any dewclaws should be removed.
Hind feet : Like front feet.

GAIT / MOVEMENT :

Even, flowing, reasonably lively.

SKIN :

Elastic, well-fitting over all the body, no wrinkles.

COAT

HAIR :

2-3 cm long, straight, dense and close-lying. Belly well covered with hair. The hair is slightly longer on the underside of the belly, on the back of the limbs and on the underside of the tail.

COLOR :

Color can be all shades of reddish wheaten but never brown or chocolate. White markings on the head can be a star, a blaze or a more wide-spread white mark. On the neck, white markings either form a collar or a splash on the throat; white markings are also found on the chest, under the belly, on the underpart of limbs and on the end of the tail. In all these designated areas, white markings are sought after but must never cover more than one third of the whole body.

SIZE :

Height at withers : 46-58 cm.
Ideal height for males : 50 cm.
for females : 48 cm.

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

MINOR FAULTS :

• Disproportion between height at withers and length of body.
• Round ribs, barrel chest.
• Tail set too high.
• Front or hind legs tucked under body.
• Elbows very wide set.
• Forearms curved.
• Metacarpus and metatarsus with pronounced slope.
• Prominent hip bones.
• Pale pigmentation on nose, eye-rims and lips.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

• Aggresive or overly shy.
• Muzzle very pointed, too blunt and thick at its tip, twisted jaws.
• Brachygnathic condition. Overshot or undershot mouth.
• China eye.
• Ears too short or pricked, set too high or too low.
• Hooked tail, or laterally twisted. Feathered tail.
• Coat too long.
• Any markings other than white to be rejected, especially greyish or blackish ones.
• Height above or below parameters designated in the standard.
• Any other fault of physical degeneration.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities shall be disqualified.

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

© Fédération Cynologique Internationale