Plate 177 · Continental Europe
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
波兰低地牧羊犬
“Poland's shaggy flock dog, rebuilt after the war by a breeder and her dog Dragon.”
- Origin
- Poland
- Country of origin
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- Said to be an old Polish herding type; rebuilt in the 1950s
- Today
- Herding dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Poland
A medium-sized, shaggy Polish sheepdog that herds by day and guards by night.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Herding flocks and guard duty.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Nearly wiped out in the Second World War, it was restored mainly by Dr Danuta Hryniewicz and her dog Smok, who sired the first litters in the 1950s; the first standard was accepted in 1959. A legend makes it an ancestor of the Bearded Collie.
04 · Today
Herding dog · Companion
A companion and herding dog.
Personality
- Confident
- Lively
- Clever
- Watchful
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- High energy: at least an hour or two of running daily, ideally with its owner.
- Grooming
- High maintenance: thorough brushing at least weekly.
- Training
- Quick learner but can be dominant and stubborn; socialize early.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 12–14 years
- Coat
- Long, dense, shaggy double coat in any colour
Field note
Smok ('Dragon'), who sired the first litters in the 1950s, is called the father of the breed; some accounts make him the ancestor of every PON today.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Herding Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 1, standard 251), Polish Kennel Club
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Herding Group, recognized 2001.
AKC registrations: ranked 192 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Polish Lowland Sheepdog — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/polish-lowland-sheepdog/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Polish Lowland Sheepdog — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Lowland_Sheepdog
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Known from the 13th century, wartime near-extinction, Danuta Hryniewicz and Smok, the 1959 standard, the Bearded Collie legend, AKC 2001.
- Polish Lowland Sheepdog — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/POLISH-LOWLAND-SHEEPDOG-251.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Poland; Group 1, section "Sheepdogs"; accepted 1963.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions.
