The original Puli was a multi-colored breed but today black is considered the predominate color. You can, however, find Puli colors such as white, gray, and apricot. The gray and apricot are somewhat rare.
Long
Medium
Does Not Shed
16 inches-18 inches
25 pounds-35 pounds
14 inches-16 inches
18 pounds-30 pounds
One of the benefits to the Puli is that the breed can do well in many different circumstances. The Puli will adapt to almost any setting from urban apartment or a isolated farm. Because of this adaptability they are excellent pets for those living in smaller homes as well as for those who live on bigger acreage homes.
The Puli are suited to all climates. They live quite well in areas such as Florida where the heat is high and they do equally well in colder climates such as found in mountainous areas.
It should be noted that they enjoy being out of doors when possible and will happily play outside if given the chance.
Because of their quiet nature they make great pets for those living in apartments or in close quarters with others. Their lack of aggression is also a benefit in that they do not start fights with other dogs unless provoked.
Description
One of the most unique looking breeds, the Puli (Pulik plural) was first bred in ancient Hungary. It is a very old breed of the Hungarian sheep dog. When healthy, it is medium-sized, and very sturdy and hardy. It has a wonderful corded coat that makes it one of the most unusual breeds in the world. The coat can grow long and a full adult coat can reach to the ground.
The body shape of this breed could be considered as square. The breed is fairly muscular and strong while at the same time being somewhat fine-boned. If looking at the head from the side of the dog, the head should be egg-shaped. If looking at the head from the front it should be rounded.
When healthy, the Puli's tail should curl tightly over the back. In the healthy dog, the eyes are bright and alert. They are almond-shaped, dark brown in color but they are almost always covered by the coat that hangs low over the eyes.
The ears are about medium size and will hang over the sides of the head. The nose of the dog will be black. The entire coat will be corded and thick and requires some special care.
The coat of the Puli is unique and wonderful. It is a corded coat that will grow out as the animal ages. It is very important for the Puli owner to understand that this type of coat should never be brushed. Not only will brushing destroy the unique character of the animal but the brushing will be very uncomfortable to the animal.
New owners of Puli animals may wish to attend a pet salon class on the proper method for separating the cords. This grooming activity must take place often, so it is a worth while class to attend.
History
The history of the Puli is fascinating. Since the ninth century, nomadic shepherds on the Steppes of Hungary have utilized two kinds of sheep dogs. One is the familiar large, white guard dog (Komondor) that was used to protect the flock at night. The other was a small active herding dog, the Puli, and it was this little bundle of energy that actually herded the sheep by day.
The shepherds did not cross breed the two types and through the centuries the unique characteristics of each became firmly fixed and it has remained that way to present day.
For these ancient shepherds, the size of the Puli did not matter to them. They were impressed with the animal's intelligence and willingness to work. For these reasons, the Puli were highly regarded and respected by these ancient nomads. It may also be reasoned that their responsibilities as a herding dog may have added to their sense of independence.
Many people do not know that the original the breed was a multi-colored breed. It has only been through years of specialized breeding that the color variations were eliminated. By the 1940's black was believed to be the only purebred Pulis.
Pulis were imported to the United States in the 1930's.
Temperament
Many families and single people are looking for a dog that can join in and become a part of the family. The Puli is a breed that can fit that bill perfectly. In general, the Puli is a chipper and lively breed that enjoys being with its owner and the members of the family. When treated properly and cared for properly the Puli will become a very loyal member of the family. This breed may be small in size but they are big in joyful expressions of love.
For owners with families the Puli is an excellent choice as a family pet. The Puli will adapt to most surroundings and circumstances easily, but they do better with this if they are brought into the home at an early age.
The Puli are very intelligent and that is a bonus when it comes to training. However, this same intelligence can give them a sense of independence in that they often have a mind of their own. It is this same level of intelligence that allows them to do well in obedience training and gives them the agility they need for the showring.
They can be stand offish with strangers, but they are rarely aggressive. They may, however, bark when they feel their owner is being threatened.
Families with very small children may want to wait a while before bringing a Puli into the family. They are not recommended for small children who may tease or be rough with them. However, if they are raised with a child from puppy age, they can do just fine with the kids.
Health Problems
The Puli is generally robust and healthy. They may, however, be prone to hip dysplasia. In addition they may also be prone to eye inflammations caused by hair getting under eyelids.
In general, though, the Puli is a very healthy breed.
Grooming
It is very important to understand that this breed should not be brushed. The corded coat of the animal begins to form at around the age of 6 months when the soft woolly undercoat intermingles with the harsher outer-coat. At this point, the mats that have formed should be separated by hand. This should be done on a regular basis.
The clumps should be separated by hand from the tip of the clump back to the skin. It should be noted that each coat is individual to the animal but as a rough guide, the sections should not be made thinner than the width of a pencil. Learning this may take a bit of time and practice but the animal itself often finds this hand care to be relaxing and will not usually complain.
Once you have learned the technique for this the care is quick and easy.
Bathing the Puli is much like washing a sweater. The time consuming part of bathing is with the drying of the animal. You can use an electric dryer as long as the heat setting is monitored. Even with the dryer this can take a long time, up to two hours. However, if left to air dry the animal can remain wet for up to two days.
The teeth need to be kept clean as well. If the owner is not able to perform this grooming task, a pet salon should be used. Proper dental care is extremely important as it helps your pet to keep its teeth for as long as possible.
For general ear cleaning, you can use baby oil and a cotton ball. Take special care to not go too far into the ear as you could damage the ear drum. It is best to gently wipe around the outer ear and remove any debris that you may find.
You should trim nails once a week or so to prevent overgrowth. This is very easy to do. You will need a pair of animal nail clippers that can be found in most pet stores. Only trim the top portion of the nail and do not over cut into the nail.
The hair between the pads of the feet should be trimmed when it becomes long.
Because of the drying time, baths should be given only when needed.
Exercise
While the Pulik may be calm and peaceful animals they are, nonetheless, a breed that enjoys activities. When they are healthy they are energetic and lively and they love to play.
Many of these animals love to swim, but it should be noted that not all Pulik are good at swimming and they should not be allowed to go into the water unsupervised.
In general they are a medium level breed as far as exercise is concerned. They love to be walked and can walk a good distance before tiring. When being walked they should be on a leash as they may decide to run off to explore something they see.
If the owner has a fenced yard, the Puli will often exercise itself with play and running. They will happily play with their owners and with other dogs who are a part of the family or with whom they are familiar.
Generally, an exercise period of 30 minutes or so will suffice to keep the animal healthy and in shape.
The breed's high level of intelligence allows owners to set up small training courses for the animal as well. These can be simple running and jumping items or they can be more advanced.
Training
There are many breeds that take well to training and of these the Puli is one of the best. This breed has long been used as a working herd animal and that long history of working has made the animal very receptive to training.
It is truly up the owner to decide the level of training that is needed. For most owners, simple obedience training can be performed at home and by the owner. This includes many of the routine issues such as housebreaking and breaking bad behavior patterns.
Other owners may wish a more advanced level of training for the animal. One reason for this is that the Puli is a good show breed. With more advanced training the Puli can become very impressive and is often regarded as one of the most "trainable" breeds around.
Then there are the owners who wish to have something in-between. For many owners this is the best of both worlds. This type of training is best conducted by a professional trainer who can get the training started with the animal and then hand over the training to the owner.
Because of the high level of intelligence that this breed has most owners will find training easy and fun. It is advisable, however, to not "push" the animal too hard or too fast. As mentioned above, the Puli can be stubborn and independent at times, but this makes the animal even more enjoyable. If you decide to train your Puli yourself, you get valuable information online concerning what works best and what does not work very well.
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Ratings and Attributes
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