Polish Lowland Sheepdogs in Agility
By Julie Kennedy-Cochran
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is a true working breed. Often called the PON (the acronym for Polski Owczarek Nizinny), these medium sized shaggy dogs have excelled at herding sheep in Poland since the 13th Century. The PON has a squarish, thick-boned frame and long, heavy double coat that protects him from harsh weather and predator attacks. At first glance, the PON does not seem to have a body type that anyone would associate with agility. Yet the PON can excel at agility because of his exceptional intelligence, keen desire to please his handler, and need to "get it right."
Speed and accuracy are the keys to success in agility. The PON is a strong runner but will never be as speedy as those streaking Border Collies that seem to dominate the agility events on TV. Never mind: what the PON lacks in speed, he makes up for in accuracy. A PON trained in agility is so tuned to his handler that he rarely makes mistakes.
For anyone thinking of doing agility with any dog, it is imperative to get some basic obedience training first. A dog must have a reliable sit, down, and stay in order to start agility training. As a beginner handler, you quickly discover that you have as much to learn as your dog. Body language is more meaningful to the dog than hand or voice commands. So if you are pointing your hand towards a jump and yelling "over," but your feet are pointing towards a nearby tunnel, the dog will probably take the tunnel. He will be right, of course. Most agility mistakes are due to handler error.
Ever noticed that agility handlers and their dogs always look fit? If you get into agility, you won't need to work out at the gym anymore. And running an agility course with your dog is a lot more fun than running on a treadmill.
Once a PON has learned obedience, he easily shifts into agility. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are quick learners and as beginners they often master the various types of equipment faster than other dogs in class. The major push for a PON is to increase their speed without sacrificing their natural accuracy. Weave poles were always the hardest for my dogs. They never missed a pole but it was a huge effort to get them to speed through them. Yet my PON managed to attain Novice and Open Agility titles and compete on the Excellent level.
OK, so PONs may never beat Border Collies but the rapport that develops between a PON and his handler in agility is something special. Their enthusiasm for learning and mental concentration is amazing. This breed is so sensitive to correction that you have to be careful not to overdue it, lest you crush their spirit.
As a handler, I will confess another reason why I love to do agility with my dogs: You don't have to dress up or to groom your dog. At AKC agility events, the competitors always look a lot more scruffy than those in obedience or breed ring. Handlers wear running shoes, shorts or sweatshirts. Without all the grooming, the dogs look more natural and don't mind getting dirty as they run the course. And we have a lot more fun, too!