Look out German shepherds and Labradors. A rare longhaired Polish sheepdog known for its resilience and loyalty is growing in numbers in the United States and ready to take the dog show circuit by storm.
Polish lowland sheepdogs will have their own officially sanctioned show for the first time when they appear this weekend at the All-Breed Yorkville Dog Show at Arlington Park.
The American Kennel Club, a registry of purebred dogs, expects 1,457 dogs at the show, including hounds, terriers, herders and other groups.
Fifty-two of the canines will be Polish lowland sheepdogs, which also are called Polski Owczarek Nizinny and go by the acronym PON among breeders and owners.
A PON looks every bit the cuddly and compliant dog, with its soft, shaggy hair, said Arlington Heights resident Nancy Reed, a breeder who owns five PONs.
But under that downy coat is a tough dog, said breeder Cindy Czerechowicz of Palatine.
A few weeks ago, one of her sheepdogs knocked her to the ground to snag a tennis ball from her.
“They are very much the opposite of the golden retriever. They are not a breed for first-time dog owners or older people,” Czerechowicz said.
Reed’s PON Alex, known as Alexandor the Great on the show circuit, will compete this weekend. Reed estimates there are 12 PON breeders in the Chicago area.
Polish lowland sheepdogs were first imported to the U.S. in 1979, but it wasn’t until 1999 that the American Kennel Club admitted them to the miscellaneous class.
In August 2001, they were admitted to the herding group, which allowed the Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club of America to sponsor a show for that breed.
PONs, which range from 17 to 20 inches in height and weigh 35 to 55 pounds, are survivors.
Until the years leading to World War I, PONs were popular sheep herding dogs in Poland. After World War II, fewer people herded sheep and the number of PONs dwindled. They were nearly extinct until a Polish veterinarian decided to start breeding them in the late 1940s.
Visitors to the Yorkville Dog Show will be able to watch the dogs compete in obedience trials, where dogs respond to verbal and non-verbal commands; open events, where dogs perform tricks such as picking up miniature dumbbells; and utility trials, where dogs perform tasks such as trying to find a glove or set of keys.
“It’s fun watching those little canine minds work,” said Janet Zlatoff-Mirsky, vice president of the Yorkville Kennel Club.
The show will be held at Arlington Park, 2200 W. Euclid St., Arlington Heights. Judging starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and is expected to last until 6 p.m.
Admission is $6; children under 12 are admitted free. Parking is $6.
