All About
Polish Lowland Sheepdog

The PON is a highly intelligent, hardworking dog. He is known for his ability to remember what he learns — both good and bad habits. He is strong willed and can be stubborn, so he needs an owner who will kindly and consistently provide leadership. Otherwise, he will try to rule the roost.Because of his working heritage, the PON likes to be busy, physically and mentally. He needs activities to challenge him: hiking, herding, agility, tracking, and advanced obedience training are all good bets. If he isn't provided proper outlets for his energy, he is likely to express himself through more annoying amusements such as barking, digging, and chewing.The PON doesn't make friends with just anyone. He is most comfortable with his family and is suspicious of people he doesn't know.

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

The PON’s shaggy, thick, double coat requires a lot of maintenance. The outer coat is crisp, with a water-resistant texture, and the undercoat is soft and dense. A PON kept in full coat will need to be thoroughly brushed at least once a week. A PON who is kept in a puppy or “summer” clip will still need routine brushing to keep the coat free of mats and debris such as grass, weeds, and flower blooms. The ears will also need to be checked weekly and cleaned if needed, and the nails trimmed.

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog prefers a cooler climate, but he can adapt to warmer temperatures as long as he has adequate, cool shelter. Although the PON is ideally suited for rural life, he does well in apartments and houses without backyards as long as he has a job to do and is taken outside frequently for exercise. If he isn't herding a flock on a farm, he appreciates the challenge of obedience, agility, or herding competitions, or even just hiking and jogging with you.

Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are generally healthy, and responsible breeders test their stock for health concerns such as hip dysplasia and communicate with other dedicated breeders regularly, working together for the health of the breed and preservation of its unique qualities. Regular visits to the vet for checkups and parasite control help to ensure the dog has a long, healthy life.

Recommended Health Tests from the National Breed Club:

Read the Official Breed Club Health Statement.

The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is an old breed. He is believed to be descended from the Puli, a Hungarian herding dog, as well as central Asian dogs including the Tibetan Mastiff, Tibetan Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, and Tibetan Terrier. One intriguing — and not impossible — theory is that the Huns were responsible for spreading the breed to many different countries as they plundered their way through various cultures.In 1514, a Polish merchant named Kazimierz Grabski sailed from Gdansk to Scotland with a cargo of grain to exchange for Scottish sheep. Six PONs were onboard to herd the sheep and, as the story goes, a Scottish shepherd asked for a pair of PONs in exchange for a ram. The shepherd got a deal: two female PONs and one male. It's commonly believed that these three dogs were used to crossbreed with Scottish dogs to develop the Bearded Collie.The ongoing story of the PON is a history of survival. In the 1800s, when sheep herding declined in Poland, the number of PONs also declined. World War II, which brought terrible devastation to Poland, almost decimated the breed. Luckily, a Polish veterinarian named Dr. Danuta Hryniewics took action. She began efforts to save the breed with the help of her own PON, a male named Smok. Smok sired 10 litters of PONs in the 1950s; in 1958, the first litter with a full pedigree was born. By 1969, her Kordegardy Kennels had produced more than 140 puppies, including many champions. All PONs in existence today can be traced back to Smok and his progeny.In 1959, a breed standard was written for the PON and accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Not surprisingly, Smok was the model for this standard.In 1979, a U.S. Bearded Collie breeder named Moira Morrison learned of the PON ancestry in her breed. Intrigued, she imported two PONs from Poland — the first known to have come to the U.S. Four years later, Kaz and Betty Augustowski, both of Polish heritage, saw an advertisement in a dog magazine and acquired their first PON. Over the next 18 years, they became passionately involved in getting the breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. Their efforts were rewarded when PONs gained entry into the Miscellaneous class on July 1, 1999, The AKC granted the breed full recognition on August 1, 2001.Although the PON is still rare in America, today it is the most popular of all the native breeds in its home country and is unofficially considered Poland's national dog.