Living with a Polish Lowland Sheepdog - Is a PON Right For You?
By Cheri O'Neal
The PON is a lively medium-sized, non-shedding, shaggy-coated herding dog with "Disney-like" appeal. They are renowned for their memory, intelligence, humor and strong herding instinct.
As breeders, we have a responsibility to educate the prospective puppy buyer of the challenges and rewards of PON ownership. There is no perfect dog and this breed is no exception. Your decision means a commitment, which will affect both of your lives for the next 12-15 years.
Let us first explore the challenges. The long, dense, double coat means consistent daily grooming to keep it mat free. Failure to maintain the coat properly may require it to be cut down to conquer the matting, with re-growth taking 9-12 months. If you plan to show your PON, no trimming is allowed. Any coat color or combination is acceptable. Because the breed carries a "fading" factor, a dark color at birth will lighten with age. White hair, typically, stays white. However, if you closely examine the skin color, you will often find 'freckles' of pigment on the skin.
Early and consistent socialization and training of a PON puppy is vitally important. They require a dominant master. If your leadership is in doubt, it will assume the role itself. They are, by nature, slightly aloof and wary of strangers. This is an attributable to their rich history as a self-thinking herding dog, protecting their flock from small predators and becoming the family watchdog at night. Puppies should be enrolled in a basic obedience class as early as possible to expose them to new people and places outside of the home. They should be gently handled by neighbors and friends, adults and children alike. Since they have no flock to herd, do not be surprised if you find yourself, children or other pets having your heels or calves nipped in order to 'move' you. So you must control this natural instinct through consistent, firm training. Most PON puppies think their middle name is "No".
The rewards of sharing your life with a PON are many. Their intelligence makes them easily trainable, in addition to being loyal loving companions who want to please and entertain you. They are noted for their memory and never forget an injustice or kindness.
You are rewarded with a "smile", or often the infamous PON "stare". When they want something they will sit and stare at it, occasionally glancing at you, until their human "gets it". They will paw at your leg or arm for attention, usually to throw their tennis ball
.Every PON needs a job, if you don't give them one, they will create one and you probably won't like it. The breed is lively without being overactive, but they do require exercise. Their "job" can be bringing in the newspaper, long walks, obedience, agility, herding, or patrolling the perimeter of the yard for invading squirrels.
Kleptomania is firmly ingrained in PON behavior, possibly relating back to having to scavenge for food to survive. When items disappear, check their crate first, you would be amazed what you might find – dish towels, screwdrivers, batteries and watches. The PON motto is "mine, mine, mine".
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is not a breed for everyone. The challenges are many, the rewards are great. We often tell prospective puppy parents – "First they steal your heart, then they steal your underwear."