Polish Lowland Sheepdog - Dog Breed Profile

Author: Dooziedog.com

Key Facts:

Size: Medium - small

Height: 40 - 52 cm (16 - 20.5 inches)

Weight: 18 - 20 kg (39.5 - 44 lb)

Life Span: 14 years

Grooming: Demanding

Exercise: Demanding

Feeding: Medium

Temperament: Alert & energetic

Country of Origin: Poland

AKC Group: Herding

Other Names: Polski Owczarek Nizinny

Temperament:

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is animated, alert, intelligent, watchful and affectionate. These dogs have excellent memories and are easy to train. They learn quickly and enjoy doing things for their owner. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are good-natured and make lovely family companions and playmates for children. They get along with other dogs and household pets but are more wary of strangers. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs make good watchdogs and can be quite boisterous with their energetic nature.

Grooming:

Weekly grooming is necessary for Polish Lowland Sheepdogs to keep the coat tangle-free. It is best to use a pin brush that can reach through to the undercoat.

Exercise:

This breed are working dogs with natural herding instincts. They are not suited for urban living and need to be stimulated both physically and mentally. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are happiest when they have something to do and enjoy participating in activities like fly-ball or agility training.

History:

Many of the central European herding dogs are much larger than the Polish Lowland Sheepdog. It is thought that the Hungarian Puli was crossed with a local harsh-coated sheep herder in order to produce a smaller sized sheepdog. This produced a dog that was a functional worker and had a coat that protected them from the harsh weather conditions. It is believed that the Polish seamen took these dogs to Scotland in the 16th century (either as working dogs for stock on board or to barter for other animals in Scotland). It is not hard to believe that this breed is an antecedent of today's Bearded Collie or Old English Sheepdog.

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Shaggy, cheerful and muscular.

Color: All colors are accepted. The most common colors are white with grey or black or plain grey.

Coat: The outer coat is shaggy, long and harsh and the undercoat is soft. The long hair covers the eyes.

Tail: Commonly born without a tail, otherwise it is customarily docked.

Ears: Medium in size and pendant.

Body: The back is muscular and level with a rectangular body shape. The forelegs should be straight with slightly slanting pasterns and the hind legs well angulated with broad and well-muscled thighs.

Additional Comments:

* Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are also known as the Polski Owczarek Nizinny, which is commonly abbreviated to PON.

About the author: This article provided courtesy of http://www.dooziedog.com/dog_breeds/polish_lowland_sheepdog/