Polish Lowland Sheepdog
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog, the Polski Owczarek Nizinny, worked the flat country of central Poland as a herder and watchdog, and it is thought to lie behind the Bearded Collie by…
About the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog, the Polski Owczarek Nizinny, worked the flat country of central Poland as a herder and watchdog, and it is thought to lie behind the Bearded Collie by way of dogs traded into Scotland in the sixteenth century. The breed was reduced to a handful after the Second World War and rebuilt largely through the efforts of one veterinary surgeon, Danuta Hryniewicz.
Dogs stand 45 to 50 cm, cobby and strong, under a long shaggy double coat that falls over the eyes; all colours and patterns are permitted. Many are born with a short tail. The breed has a long memory and a stubborn streak, learns quickly, and can be aloof with strangers. A stud should be steady and confident, and demonstrably sound in movement, since the coat hides a great deal.
Ask for hip scores under the BVA/KC scheme and for a current eye certificate, since progressive retinal atrophy and hereditary cataract are the eye conditions reported in the breed. Patellar luxation and hypothyroidism are both worth raising. The post-war bottleneck makes the coefficient of inbreeding a fair question, as is the origin of the recent imports behind the stud.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Polish Lowland Sheepdog
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — rcd4-PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy, rod-cone dysplasia 4) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
| Eye testing (BVA/KC/ISDS) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC/ISDS | Result printed on the eye certificate. |
Breed hip median
Breed median 9 (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years, 22 dogs scored — indicative only, from a small sample). Lower is better. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Polish Lowland Sheepdog stud dogs
No Polish Lowland Sheepdog studs are listed right now
When a Polish Lowland Sheepdog on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Polish Lowland Sheepdog litters
No Polish Lowland Sheepdog litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
