Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Other names: PON, Valee Sheepdog, Nizinny, PLS
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is a breed native to Poland that enjoys considerable popularity in other parts of the world. It is medium-sized and its coat is shaggy; it is a healthy breed that - thanks to selective breeding - comes with no genetic disposition to specific cancers or ailments. The Polish Lowland is popular in the United Kingdom but less so in the United States.
Key facts about the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
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Origins and history
The Polish Lowland is thought to have descended from the Icelandic Sheepdog. Breed experts have suggested that the dog was in existence at the time of Attila the Hun (5th Century AD). In 1514 Polish Lowlands were brought by boat to Scotland. The dog’s popularity in Britain both as a herder and family pet has steadily risen since then. It is still not a commonly seen dog.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 1 - Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs)
Section
Section 1 : Sheepdogs
Physical characteristics of the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Adult size
Female : Between 17 and 19 in
Male : Between 18 and 20 in
Weight
Female : Between 33 and 44 lb
Male : Between 33 and 44 lb
Coat colour
The coat of this dog is most commonly seen of black and white or a mix of black, white, grey or chocolate.
Type of coat
Topcoat is long, dense and shaggy; undercoat is soft and dense. The coat of this dog is abundant over the face and body.
Eye colour
Hazel.
Description
A robust yet compact and elegant-looking dog is the Polish Lowland. The head is slightly rounded, its muzzle strong and blunt. Abundant hair cascades over the dog’s eyes, creating a unique appearance. The top-line is flat leading to a long and well-feathered tail.
Good to know
Tail docking of any breed of dog is illegal in the United Kingdom. If you suspect such a custom continues you should notify the RSPCA or the police. As a consequence of the ban all Polish Lowlands in this country should have long tails.
Temperament
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Affectionate
The Polish Lowland is loyal and affectionate. It is an even-tempered dog with no known tendency to anger or aggression.
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Playful
This dog likes to entertain. It is known to show off when it thinks it has an audience.
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Calm
Generally speaking, this dog is calm but it scares easily. It does not enjoy surprises, loud noises or sudden movements and can, as a result of these things, become overly timid and agitated.
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Intelligent
The Polish Lowland is known to have an exceptionally good memory. It is a smart dog that can make decisions by itself but will also take and obey orders from its handler.
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Hunter
Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are not hunters; they are herding dogs. As such they do not have a high prey drive.
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Fearful / wary of strangers
Polish Lowlands tend to be reserved and timid around strangers. It takes these dogs quite a while to trust people who aren’t already in their ‘circle’.
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Independent
This is a wilful dog. In order that it stays good-natured and obedient the dog requires firm and steady training and reinforcement of the pack hierarchy.
Behaviour of the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
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Tolerates solitude
The Polish Lowland does not tolerate solitude.
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Easy to train / obedience
Training of this dog must be done right: a confident master who is consistent and varies their style of training is essential. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs get bored easily of routine.
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Barking
This is a dog that will bark incessantly if not trained to stop when commanded to do so.
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Tendency to run away
Consistent training will ensure that on most occasions your Polish Lowland will respond to your voice and not run away.
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Destructive
If it finds itself at home for long periods of time without human company the Polish Lowland will be destructive.
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Greedy / Gluttony
This dog is known to be greedy. It is a champion beggar and will happily eat all of the time.
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Guard dog
Although not willing to back up its bark with a bite, the Polish Lowland is exceptionally territorial and will warn its owner of approaching ‘danger’.
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First dog
A Polish Lowland Sheepdog needs to be challenged physically and mentally in order to stay happy and out of trouble. It is unlikely that a first-time owner would successfully manage such a dog.
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Is the Polish Lowland Sheepdog right for you?
take the testLifestyle
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Polish Lowland Sheepdog in a flat
The Polish Lowland needs plenty of exercise. As long as it is given plenty of time outdoors, a Polish Lowland’s indoor living space does not have to be huge.
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Need for exercise / Sporty
An energetic dog is the Polish Lowland. With a dog such as this you need to be fit, and willing to devote a fair amount of time to long walks.
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Travelling / easy to transport
Once trained, a Polish Lowland Sheepdog is exceptionally obedient and comfortable with new experiences.
Compatibility
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Polish Lowland Sheepdog and cats
This dog will tolerate a cat that it is familiar with but it may not be so tolerant of other cats.
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Polish Lowland Sheepdog and dogs
Polish Lowland Sheepdogs interact well with other dogs.
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Polish Lowland Sheepdog and children
The Polish Lowland is careful and gentle around children but it can be boisterous. Rough play may result in the dog accidentally knocking over a child.
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Polish Lowland Sheepdog and the elderly
Because it is a dog that requires lots of exercise the Polish Lowland Sheepdog may not be the perfect choice of dog for some of senior years.
Price
You will need to pay anything upwards of £600 for a purebred Polish Lowland Sheepdog puppy. It will cost from £70 to £100 per month to keep this dog.
Grooming
Brush this dog every day of the week to prevent its coat from becoming tangled and matted.
Shedding
The Polish Lowland does not shed.
Nutrition of the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
It is always worthwhile to feed a Polish Lowland a high-quality and specially formulated dog food rather than human food. The Polish Lowland’s diet should consist of good amounts of protein and fat.
Health of the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Life expectancy
Having been successfully bred for centuries, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog is generally healthy and robust.
Strong / robust
A Polish Lowland outdoors will not care what the weather is like. It has a very strong constitution.
Withstand heat
The Polish Lowland tolerates hot weather reasonably well.
Withstand cold
The double coat of the Polish Lowland keeps the dog warm even when it is walking in the snow.
Tendency to put on weight
Weight gain can be a feature of the Polish Lowland. If your dog is not exercised as regularly as it should be and is fed too much human or substandard food it will become obese.
Common illnesses
- Hip dysplasia
- Luxating patella
- Progressive retinal atrophy