The Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club of Wales and the West of England
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Things to Know
First of all it has to be said that dogs are what you make them, no different to children in many ways. If you let your dog "rule the roost" you will have a naughty dog that thinks it can do what it likes, when it likes and in return it will make your life a misery! This is not the breed for everyone, they are stubborn, wilful, intelligent, loving, mischievous, pushy and determined. You need to socialise them well when they are young. They respond well to positive, reward-based training, they love food and are very motivated by it.
If you have any questions that are not answered below please e-mail us, we will do our best to help.
Q. How much (on average) would a PON puppy cost me?
A. On average they cost about £1500, some breeders may charge more, some less. Always ask if there are conditions attached to the sale and if the breeder will want you to sign a contract of sale.. Also ask if the sire and dam of the pups have been eye tested clear within the last 12 months and what the parents "hip scores" are.
Q. Where can I get a PON?
A There are a handful of very experienced and dedicated breeders in the UK. On
average between 40-50 puppies are born every year. This is not a lot and breeders are spread throughout the country; you may not find a breeder near to you so you should be prepared to travel and also prepared to wait as often breeders will have waiting lists for puppies. Any committee member will be able to put you in touch with a suitable breeder and our puppy list co-ordinator Christine keeps details of litters and also of dogs requiring rehoming. For more information
email plscwwe@mail.com
Q. What is the character / temperament of the PON like?
A. The UK Kennel Club Breed Standard says: Lively but self controlled, watchful, bright, clever, perceptive with excellent memory; easy to train, works as a herding and watch dog. They are also alert and equable. They tend to be reserved especially with strangers -- almost as though assessing to situation before saying hello. To elaborate on this it has to be said that the PON can be strong willed. As with any dog that is really intelligent they can be very stubborn. You must be very firm and calm in your commands, also give lots of praise when they have done well. From "Day 1" please don't let them do anything that you feel is unacceptable. Always take your puppy to obedience as soon as he / she is old enough. It teaches YOU the correct way to train and also socialises the puppy with other dogs, people and situations.
Q. How long do they live?
A. The PON is a hardy and robust breed and there is no reasin why with correct care, feeding and exercise they cannot live a long and healthy life. On average you should expect your dog to live to 12 years of age and they have been known to regularly make 14 years and more, even as much as 18 years.
Q. Do they take a lot of looking after?
A. Of course they will take up a lot of your time, especially when they are pups. When they are out of their puppy stage, they should take less time if you have invested plenty of training from when they were young. As they have a long fairly thick coat your puppy has to be trained to be groomed. You should brush your puppy daily even though they will not have any coat to speak of. It will get them used to the feel of brushing for when they do have their full coat. From when they are about 9 to 18 months of age the coat can be particularly difficult while it is changing to an adult coat. At this time, invest 15 minutes every day brushing and do a full groom twice a week. When they are adult a full groom once a week should suffice but it must NEVER be left any longer or you will have problems. The coat can be difficult to manage if you are not consistent with grooming.
Q. Can you clip them? How often do you need to bath them?
A. If the coat becomes matted or too difficult to matted you may need to resort to clipping off the coat. Please bear in mind that their coat is there for a purpose, it insulates them against cold and water and also against the heat. By removing all of the coat you remove this protection and contrary to popular belief you will not make the dog cooler, you may make it hotter. If the coat is difficult to keep groomed consider a shorter trim or puppy cut asking the groomer to strip out some of the undercoat as this is the coat which mats. Bath them when they are dirty, in the Winter a water bucket by the back door and a towel to dip and dry muddy legs is a good idea. Some owners use raincoats for their PONs but if the dog has a good coat this isn’t necessary.
Q. Do they need a lot of exercise
A. A lot depends on what you get them used too. If you want to take them out 3 times a day they will thoroughly enjoy it, and expect it! Generally, a good walk once a day when they are adults will be fine. Some PONs can be quite playful and really enjoy chasing after a ball up the garden, this of course is good exercise also but be careful with young puppies as falling awkwardly, chasing at speed and twisting can cause expensive injuries and wear and tear on young joints should be kept to a minimum.
Q. Do they make much mess in the house? In the garden?
A. They are hairy dogs, they gather leaves, twigs and bits of debris in their coat. Muddy feet is normal in Winter, if you are very precious about your house then maybe a hairy dog isn’t for you. They like to dig and as puppies you may find that their keenness to help in the garden means that your flowers get beheaded, plants are dug up and eaten and your flower beds cultivated.
