Polish Tatra Sheepdog - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The exact origin of this breed is rather unknown, but it is believed that they developed from various mountain herding breeds in Poland. They are named after the place where they were developed, the Tatra Mountain region of Poland, where they served as livestock guardians for thousands of years. Their history is so long, that it is impossible to date it precisely.

2) Livestock guardian
The Polish Tatra Sheepdog is not agressive, but it is definitely very protective and extraordinary skilled livestock guardian. When they spot a stranger or a predator, they will place themselves between them and the flock and they will start barking to deter the intruder and to alert the shepherd. Normally, they will not attack, unless the intruder will try to move closer.

3) Rarity
After the second world war, the breed was close to extinction. Luckily, group of breeders stepped in to improve its numbers and promote them. Today, the Polish Tatra Sheepdog is not endangered breed, but they are still extremely rare outside Poland and Central Europe. Overall, it is believed that there is between 5 – 10 000 purebred Polish Sheepdogs in the world these days.

4) Personality
This is an independent dog, but also very social, affectionate and loyal. They are like this because of their working history. When they were working as livestock protector, they had to be independent thinkers, but they were also bred to work in company of the shepherd, which leads into very strong bond between them. Polish Tatra Sheepdogs are big attention seekers. They are also very protective over their family and territorial, which makes them good personal watchdogs. They are also intelligent, calm and they are good partners for other dogs and animals.

5) Energy
This is a highly energetic breed and again, this comes from their past. After thousands of years of running with the sheeps, you just have to expect a highly active breed. The Polish Tatra Sheepdog needs good ammount of daily exercise to stay healthy and happy. Regular long walks are a must with this dog.

6) White coat
The Polish Tatra Sheepdog has a thick, dense and wavy double coat, which is always in white color. There is not other color possible. Thanks to the white color, it was easy for shepherds and other workers to distinquish them from wolves on larger distances. Other typical signs of this breed are robust head with a squarish muzzle tipped with a black nose, folded ears, and alert and vigilant eyes.

7) Size
This is a large breed with muscular and robust build. Their average height should be between 60-70 cm, which is 24-28 inches and weight is between 35-60 kg, which is 80-130 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

8) Yarn
Especially during the late spring and early winter, the Polish Tatra Sheepdog sheds its undercoat profusely. For centuries, people used this fur to make yarn and as well as spun into wool.

9) Versatility

Throughout the video i very often mentioned the Polish Tatra Sheepdog history as a livestock protector. But this is a very versatile breed and they were used for many more purposes, for example as drover dogs, herding dogs, cart pullers, but also as police and military dogs.

10) Health
This is usually a very healthy dog breed with good lifespan for a giant breed, which is between 10-12 years. The biggest health issues is hip dysplasia, which is quite common with the Polish Tatra Sheepdog.