A Look At The Standard
By Russ Tesarz
There seems to be a sudden surge in inquires regarding our breed, the Polish Lowland Sheepdog. So, I've asked Ryan Sinclair Kerner to assist me in highlighting some parts of the standard. Ryan has been involved with Polish Lowland Sheepdogs for 10 plus years. He chairs the Standard Committee, is a member of the Judges Education Committee and is a past President of the parent club. While certainly not exhaustive, we collaborated to begin answering some of those questions.
One of the primary attributes to evaluating the PON is the overall proportion of the breed. The height to length ratio is 9:10. Measurement of length: point of shoulder to ischial tuberosity. Measurement of height: highest point of withers to the ground. Height for the AKC standard: Males 18-20 inches, Females 17-19 inches. There are no disqualifications for height. The depth of chest should be more than 50 % of overall height. This is why the standard states: "Fault: Long legs". So, we have a dog that is off square. However, add the profuse coat, especially at the front and rear and at first glance the impression is of a longer dog. It is essential to get the hands underneath the coat to the structure of the dog to accurately evaluate the proportions.
It should always be remembered that the Polish Lowland Sheepdog is a herding dog. The PON is a strong and muscular dog; good bone and well developed muscle are essential. The PON should never be viewed as an "elegant dog". Movement is essential to a herding dog and should be considered part of the whole. Movement should be effortless, strong and purposeful; it shouldn't appear that a PON is "floating" around the ring.
Coat and appearance are important in the overall presentation of the breed. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are not to be groomed or presented like the Beardie or OES. The PON is to be presented naturally, not trimmed or scissored. From our experience, having clipped down various dogs through the years, after a good 6-8 months of hair growth, the coat will regain the natural, shaggy appearance characteristic of the breed. When exhibiting the Polish Lowland Sheepdog there is no justification for a sculpted appearance. From the standard: "The Polish Lowland Sheepdog must be shown naturally – no scissoring is allowed." "The profuse hair on the forehead, cheeks and chin make the head look bigger than it actually is." "Characteristically, long hair covers the eyes."
Another question we often get regards tails. Our standard clearly states: "Tails should be short, set low and no longer than two vertebrae. It should not change the shape of the body. Regardless of what is happening in other parts of the world, the AKC standard is not ambiguous; there isn't room for interpretation with longer tails. The national club membership was polled a few years ago and resulted in resounding support of the docked tail of two vertebrae or less.
The objective of this editorial is to give PON fanciers and others interested in the breed a better understanding of the Polish Lowland Sheepdog standard. For more information, please visit the parent club website at www.aponc.org.
Thanks, Ryan for your help and contributions to this article.
Russ Tesarz, Concord, NC, ret@aol.com