New Kid on the Block
by Cheri O'Neal
On August 1st the Polish Lowland Sheepdog became the 18th recognized breed in the Herding Group. The breed's original Polish name is Polski Owczarek Nizinny and is commonly referred to as a PON.
Standing ringside recently, I overheard a fellow exhibitor comment on what a shame it was this new "mixed breed" had been admitted into the Herding Group. Not being able to remain silent, but hopefully sounding diplomatic, I took an opportunity to share a brief history of the breed with him.
While the PON is "new" to many in the United States, its roots go back to a written history of medium-sized shaggy herding dogs in the 13th century who were capable of herding hundreds of sheep. In 1514, a ship sailed from Gdansk, Poland to Scotland to trade a load of grain for sheep. So impressed was the Scot, watching 6 PONs separate 20 of the prized sheep from a flock of 60 and then herd them aboard, he negotiated an additional trade of a prized ram and ewe for one dog and two bitches. It is widely held these shaggy herders were used to help develop the Bearded Collie.
Throughout the following centuries, the PON was known for its legendary herding ability, intelligence, lively spirit and ability to survive the harshest of conditions in the rugged terrain of Polish farmland. Their shaggy appearance and lack of a tail allowed them to easily blend in with the sheep, thereby acting as protectors against small predators, such as the fox. After herding their flocks from dawn to dusk, they rejoined the family to share a meal and serve as watchdog until sunrise.
PON history is a lesson in survival. Farming and PON popularity declined with the arrival of the industrial revolution early in the 20th century. Soon followed WWI, further reducing the PON population. With Poland's liberation, there was renewed interest in this native shaggy companion. Much work was done to reconstruct and reestablish many of the region's purebred dogs, and the PON's popularity grew.
Tragically, WWII devastated Poland again. With it came human suffering and starvation. A similar fate was dealt to the PON. The Polish people trying to survive employed whatever methods were available to feed their families.
The foundation of our breed today descends from the surviving breedable 2 dogs and 6 bitches. Veterinarian, Dr. Danuta Hryniewicz, is credited with the revival of interest in the breed. Her breeding developed the breed-type recognized today. The PON is the most popular of all native Polish breeds and is, unofficially, considered the national breed.
In 1979 Moira Morrison, a Bearded Collie breeder, upon learning of PON ancestry in her breed, imported the first 2 PONs from Poland. In 1983 Kaz and Betty Augustowski, both of Polish heritage, immediately acquired their first PON after seeing an ad in a dog magazine. Over the next 18 years their passionate devotion was met with an increasing interest in this lively breed. Betty's goal was to gain AKC recognition, which became reality on July 1, 1999 in Miscellaneous Class, and full recognition in the Herding Group on August 1, 2001.
Hopefully, the fellow exhibitor will share this history with others. We are proud to be known as The New Kid On the Block.