Thanks in no small part to their history as a Hungarian sheep dog, having kept company to many a shepherd on many a freezing cold night, the Puli makes for a fine companion dog. Intelligent, playful and bouncy, the breed is a lot of fun to be around, and with their thick coat of curls and locks, just as much fun to pet.
For these reasons, the breed is an absolutely wonderful addition to a family full of children who will have the time and energy to play with the dog as he or she needs, this, by the way, is of particular importance. The Puli was bred to herd huge flocks of sheep and is known to be extremely energetic and demanding of attention at every opportunity, so a band of energetic children would seem to be just what the doctor ordered. Nonetheless, a decision like adopting a dog can never be jumped into without taking certain things into account.
As the reader may find advised in near any article about picking up a new dog, a dog should not be adopted solely for the purpose of accompanying a child. The Puli is fine with children, the breed is definitely not prone to biting, as well as resilient enough to bounce back from any rough play a small child throws at him or her, but the Puli needs a human adult for their education and training. A full grown dog is mentally equivalent to a five year old child. While children of any age can, and should, help out with caring for the dog, feeding, grooming and exercising, leaving the dog's growth in the hands of a child may wind up being a pretty bad idea. The dog's mental development can be stunted and the dog may develop emotional problems as a result.
Around strangers, there is really nothing to worry about. Any sheep herding dog will be protective of their family, and the Puli is certainly that, but the Puli's friendliness is world renowned. Their protectiveness is neither violent nor excessive. As far as the dog is concerned, a stranger is just a playmate they haven't hopped in circles around yet.
Nonetheless, it cannot be stressed enough that any dog needs to be trained and cared for properly. There isn't a single known breed that is magically invulnerable to neglect or abuse, and the Puli is no exception to this rule. A potential Puli lover needs to make sure they know the individual dog's personality and history before bringing them home, and they need to make sure that they know what the responsibilities are and that they can meet them, that they will have the time and patience for this particularly high maintenance breed of dog.
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