This lovely, ancient working dog is native to Poland. The Owczark Nizinny dates back to the 13th century when they were bred as a herding dog. In times long past, the breed was highly prized for being brilliant at guarding flocks of sheep from predators. The Owczarek Nizinny boasts a fascinating lineage with an ancient Hungarian sheepdog being in its bloodline. The Bearded Collie is thought to be a descendant of the Owczarek Nizinny too.

As with a few European sheepdogs, the Owczarek Nizinny was nearly lost to the world but luckily was brought back from the brink of extinction by fans of the breed after the end of World War II. However, these lovely looking dogs are still considered as a pretty rare breed, although people are keen to know more about the breed renewing an interest in owning one.

Lovely Temperaments

When it comes to temperament, these lovely looking dogs show incredible loyalty to their owners. They are also keen, dedicated working dogs and like many sheepdogs, they can be just a little wary of strangers. However, Owcazarks adore being around children and are great with other animals as long as they have been introduced to them properly.

Owczarek Nizinnys are small dogs which means they are a good choice for people who live in apartments, but these busy little dogs need regular exercise to keep them happy. By nature, they are herding dogs so they need lots of mental stimulation, playing games with their owners is something they adore. As previously mentioned, these lovely dogs get on well with other animals, but they can show a little aggression to other dogs which is why they need to be well socialised when young.

The breed is well known as being playful and rather lively but they become devoted to their owners and love to please. As with all dogs, these cute dogs need to be trained so it's a good idea to take them to obedience classes. If you are thinking about trying to find an Owczarek Nizinny pup, they will need to be trained from an early age and you have to be consistent in how you handle and behave around the puppy in order to form a strong bond with them, all the while showing them you are the “leader of the pack”.

They are not the ideal breed to choose if you are a first time dog owner because these little canines are very clever and if they can, they will get the better of people. This can lead to all sorts of unwanted behavioural problems which are best avoided.

A High Maintenance Breed

The Owczarek Nizinny is quite a high maintenance breed of dog. They need to be kept busy with regular exercise and they need lots of mental stimulation. The other thing to bear in mind, is they need a lot of grooming. The breed boasts a lovely long, shaggy coat that if left to its own devices tends to quickly become very tangled and matted.

When grooming these lovely little dogs, you have to pay special attention to their ears and eyes as well as between their pads. These are areas of their coat which tend to get matted and which need to be gently and regularly combed. Their coats can be thinned out using a fine steel comb which you can buy from most good pet stores. Every now and again, their feet should be clipped too as a way to prevent any matting which can lead to sore pads.

When it comes to exercise, this is one of the breeds that really does need to have lots of regular and fun exercise. They love to play in water which is great in the summer but not so good in the winter because their coats take a long time to dry out. The breed is known to be really easy to feed, they will eat just about anything which can lead to a weight problem which is never a good thing.

A Well Balanced Diet is Essential

Because the breed is so active and lively, they need to be fed a well thought out balanced diet as do most dogs. One thing about this cute small dog is they will eat just about anything and as previously mentioned this lead to them becoming overweight. You do need to keep a close eye on their food intake to avoid this from happening.

Health Issues

When it comes to health issues, this gorgeous little sheepdog is extremely hardy which means they are not prone to suffer from any health problems that cause any great concern. The only thing to watch out for is their coat getting too matted and to keep an eye on their eyes because their fur tends to fall over them.

This is a lovely breed with a kinder than kind nature. They are active little creatures but they are by no means hyper. The breed is thought to be an ancestor of the Bearded Collie, the wonderful Scottish sheepdog. The Owczarek Nizinny boasts being really easy to train, they are clever, perceptive and have great memories which is why they are so prized in their native Poland and have been for centuries.

Conclusion

These little, shaggy pooches make great family pets and if well cared for can live anything from 10 to 14 years which means they become a valued member of a family. Although not that easy to find, it is well worth putting in the effort because these gorgeous looking sheepdogs are really fun to have around but only if you have all the time they need to keep them fit and happy. An Owczarek Nizinny is not the ideal pet for first time dog owners, but are great for people who lead active lives which their dogs can be a part of.