(POLSKI OWCZAREK NIZINNY)
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BREED
The first written information about the breed is from the 15th Century, when Pan (Mr.) K. Grabski sailed from Gdansk in Poland, to Scotland with a shipload of grain to exchange for sheep and wool. On board he had six Polish Lowland Sheepdogs to help with the sheep. A Scottish shepherd admired the way that they worked, and he bartered a ram and a ewe for three of these dogs. These three dogs are believed to be the origins of the Bearded Collie, and the Old English Sheepdog, and other breeds in Great Britain.
The records show that medium sized, shaggy, herding dogs existed in the Northern and Eastern regions of Poland for many centuries, being a possible cross of the Hungarian Puli and the ancient Hun Herding Dog. In a painting dated in the 19th Century, painted by F. Maslowski, titled "A SHEPHERD BOY", there is a small, shaggy, bobtailed sheepdog that is obviously a Polish Lowland Sheepdog,(Polski Owczarek Nizinny).
In the beginning of the 20th Century interest in pure breed livestock swept the world including Poland. This interest included dogs. Countess Grocholska and Mesdames Wanda and Rosa Zoltowska started breeding these naturally bobtailed dogs and supplied them for herding and guard duties on their estates.
World War I caused great devastation in Poland and a rough census left only 150 of these unique dogs surviving (indigenous to Poland).
The breeders somehow started again, even though food was scarce for humans let alone dogs. Then along came World War II and this again placed the breed in jeopardy.
With the industrialisation of Poland after the war was over herding dogs were not needed except by those few people who stayed on the land.
In 1948 Pani (Mrs.) Dubrowinowa took an interest in the breed with a few other people including Dr. Danuta Hryniewicz, a Polish veterinarian, and later the Polish Kennel Club.
In the late 1940's Dr. Hyrniewicz discovered that in all of Poland there were only two dogs and six bitches existing worth breeding from. In 1949 she was allowed to use Kurta and Laska the elderly dogs belonging to a shepherd to produce a litter. This resulted in a litter of only one puppy who she named Smok z Kordegardy (Dr. Hyrniewicz already had a breeding prefix).
This puppy was placed in a working situation for a few years until he matured. She then bought two puppies from Pani Kusionowicz (Dukat and Diuna z Babiejwsi). It was 1955.
She also acquired Wiga from a pet home. These dogs formed the Origins of the famous Kordegardy Polish Lowland Sheepdogs.
In 1957 four of these shaggy dogs were exhibited in Bydgoszcz. They were medium in size, lively, and alert, shaggy but not silky or woolly.
Pani Dubrowinowa wrote the breed standard in 1959 and it was accepted by the Polish Kennel Club.
At this stage the European Dog World began to take an interest. Breeders in Europe began importing, breeding and showing them. Mr and Mrs Augustowski imported some of these dogs to the USA and others followed. Mrs. Megan Butler imported them into the United Kingdom in 1986 and began to introduce them to a very receptive public. They were imported them into Australia in 1989.
WHY A POLISH LOWLAND SHEEPDOG?
This unique breed is a loyal family member and bonds to the family as if it was its flock to guard, this means that they are very wary of anything that is not a normal part of their daily routine. Polish Lowlands think for themselves and this can be a challenge to anyone trying to train them for the show or obedience rings as they can be quite stubborn at times.
Although a little too boisterous for tiny tots, they have a wonderful rapport with children and will chase and retrieve a ball for hours.
Active people will find them wonderful companions on long walks, as they are untiring walking or trotting. Their loving nature requires lots of human contact, but left alone, boredom could result in mischief and excessive barking.
Any prospective purchaser of a Polish Lowland Sheepdog should make decision to do so only after careful consideration. Contact the affiliated body of the Australian National Kennel Council in your State for further details of this unique breed.
