Polish Lowland Sheepdog

AKC Group: Herding

Club: American Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club

Secretary : Karen Wilson
Address: 7654 S Allison St, Littleton, CO , 80128-8268
Website: www.aponc.com
Email: kwillson@qwest.net
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

Medium-sized, cobby, strong and muscular, with a long, thick coat and hanging hair that covers the eyes. His herding and working ability is attributed to an intense desire to please and compatible nature. He is lively but self-controlled, clever and perceptive and well known for an excellent memory.

Size:

Well balanced due to a strong skeleton. Height measured at the withers for an adult dog is 18 - 20 inches, and 17 - 19 inches for a bitch. It is not desirable to diminish the size below the Standard, making the dog too delicate for a strong working dog. The silhouette is rectangular rather than square. The ratio of height to length is 9 - 10, meaning that the height at the withers should equal 9/10ths of its length.

Coat:

It is doubled coated. The entire body is covered with a long, dense, shaggy, thick coat that is reasonably straight. The undercoat is soft and dense. Characteristically, long hanging hair covers the eyes. A slight wavy coat is acceptable. Faults : A curly coat, lack of undercoat and short coats. The Polish Lowland Sheepdog must be shown naturally -- no scissoring is allowed.

Temperament:

He is stable and self confident. He needs a dominant master and consistent training from the time he is very young. If this is not provided, he will tend to dominate the master. When not used as a herding or working dog, he can be a magnificent companion as he seems to fit into any type of lifestyle. He is extremely loyal, but somewhat aloof and suspicious of strangers.

History:

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog, or PON (Polish Owczarek Nizinny), is partly descended from the Puli. Early in the history of Poland, other blood was crossed with the Puli, most likely the Huns herding dog. This breed was about 19 to 22 inches high, with a rather long coat, and was used for herding and guarding. This cross breeding took place some time before the 16th century, as there is evidence of the PON as it now appears, in both Poland and Pomerania at that time.

In about 1514, a Polish ship sailed from Gdansk to Scotland with cargo of grain to exchange for Scottish sheep. This ship carried six PONs to help move the sheep. A shepherd asked for a pair of PONs in exchange for a fine horned ram. A deal was made for a ram and a ewe in exchange for two females and one male dog. It is believed that these three dogs were part ancestors of the Bearded Collie found in Scotland to which they bear close resemblance both in appearance and character.

The PON is an excellent worker of sheep and will work well with cattle. In recent years, it has gained some following in cities as a pet dog. Most people living in the towns of Poland live in apartments. Hence, the size of the PON is well suited to apartment life.

The dogs are intelligent, active, hardy and attractive. They are a hard working breed, obedient and fearless, good tempered with man and other dogs, but when working with sheep, will attack any fox that threatens the flock. They are sturdy dogs, in a well-balanced way, showing spirit and good sense.

They are good natured and gentle with children. For generations, they have been used as guards for the peasants. They are often aloof and suspicious towards strangers, but remarkably loyal to all members of the family.