The Puli is a small-medium breed of Hungarian herding and livestock guarding
dog known for its long, corded coat. The tight curls of the coat, similar to
dreadlocks, make it virtually waterproof. A similar looking, but much
larger breed – also Hungarian – is the Komondor. The term used for a group of
Puli is Pulik. Description
= Appearance= The Puli is a solid colored dog that is
usually black. Other less common coat colors are white, gray, or cream. A
variety of the cream-coated dogs have black masks. The white Pulis are not
albino, nor do they have blue eyes. They commonly have dark pigment, black pads,
black noses and black pigment inside the mouth. The white gene is recessive to
the pure black gene. The breed standard is for females about 16.5 inches at the
withers, and 17 inches for males. Females weigh 23-25 pounds, males
slightly more. The coat of some Puli dogs can be different, thinner or
thicker cords, either flat or round, depending on the texture of the coat and
the balance of undercoat to outer coat. The coat is the result of a controlled
matting process. Thin rope-like corded coats are desired and the grooming
should control the coat towards the forming of thinner ropes. The Puli's
coat needs considerable grooming to keep its cords clean, neat, and attractive.
With age the coat can become quite long, even reaching the ground. Alternatively,
the coat can be trimmed short regularly for easy maintenance, although the
corded coat is what attracts many people to the breed. Contrary to some beliefs,
the coat of a healthy puli will grow out again after trimming. This breed has
little to no shedding. = Temperament=
The Puli is an intelligent and active dog. It needs obedience training while
still young. If a Puli gets enough exercise it can live in the city. But
Pulis do best when not kept as indoor pets in a small living space. Pulis kept
indoors need a lot of exercise to use up their energy, or they can become either
shy or overactive. They need to get the kind of exercise they were created for.
A Puli without enough exercise can become mischievous and cause trouble.
The right kind of exercise includes running, biking, hiking, jogging and
field work; not just a walk around the corner. Pulis are best kept in a house
with a garden. Cozy and very friendly, especially towards children, but
sensitive and prone to resentment. = Activities=
Pulis are intelligent, agile dogs. Despite their bulky appearance and very
thick coat they are very fast, agile and able to change directions instantly and
are obedient enough to train for athletic competition. They are devoted
and form close bonds with their owners. The breed is intelligent and can do well
in obedience training if begun early. Traditionally, the Puli dog breed was
used as a herding dog and sometimes even as a livestock guarding dog as well.
They make very good guard dogs, as they are very protective of their master and
territory. The Puli is sensitive, fun-loving, courageous, but also at
times tough and headstrong. They are loyal to their owners and wary
of strangers. They are highly active and keep a playful, puppy-like behavior
their entire life. They need a lot of exercise and free space, preferably
outdoors. They can be trained and housebroken, but Pulis are generally not
very well suited to be city or indoor pets. When restricted to closed spaces
for long times, they grow restless and might develop unwanted personality
traits, such as becoming hyperactive or, instead, increasingly aloof and lazy.
As a working dog, the Puli is very obedient, focused and determined when
assigned a task. Some of them are used as police dogs. As a livestock guarding
dog they are fiercely protective of their territory and flock, and, despite
their relatively small size, will fearlessly try to scare and drive any
intruder away, however they very rarely inflict any real injuries.
As a family dog, they make good security dogs and faithful family guardians. They
can be very friendly and playful, even in old age. They regard their family as
their flock, and will keep their distance until they are sure a stranger
is not a threat. When annoyed, they may attack without warning, so a
considerable distance may be advisable for strangers. They can be extremely
independent and obstinate, and only accept strong-willed individuals as
master. Pulis can compete in dog agility trials,
obedience, Rally obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, and herding events.
Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding
tests. Pulis exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in
herding trials. = Training=
Pulis are valued for their energy and determination, which is a result of
their sheepdog history. Every Puli is a natural shepherd, and instinctively
knows how to herd a flock of sheep or livestock, even if they have been raised
as a family dog and never been trained to do it. It is advisable to start
training the Puli early, especially obedience. They are very independent,
strong-willed and hard to train in adulthood.
History The Puli is an ancient sheepdog, from
Hungary, introduced by the migration of the Magyars from Central Asia more than
1,000 years ago. The Puli were used for both herding and guarding livestock. The
Puli would commonly work together with the much larger, white Komondor, a
Hungarian breed of livestock guardian dog. The Komondor is a large, solidly
built dog, around 30 inches tall. The Komondor guarded the sheep or cattle
mostly at night, while the Puli herded and guarded them during the day. When
wolves or bears attacked the livestock, the Puli would alert the pack and the
Komondors would come and fight the intruders. Puli can be good at fighting
off wolves, because the thick coat protects their skin from being bitten.
The Komondors usually rested during daytime but at night walked around the
flock, constantly moving, patrolling the area.
Nomadic shepherds of the Hungarian plains valued their herding dogs, paying
as much as a year's salary for a Puli. In Asia, the breed dates back 2,000
years and anecdotal evidence suggests that a Puli-like dog existed 6,000 years
ago. Although the coats may look slightly similar, the Puli has never
worked in water and the Puli's coat does not grow continuously in the same
fashion as a corded Poodle's once the cords are formed. The ancestry of the
Puli, however, is not known with certainty, as there are some references
to ancient Rome. Possibly the Puli’s ancestors are
ancient Hungarian shepherd dogs. Travelers brought the Puli with them to
the Carpathian basin, to help organize the flocks, and herd the stallions of
the area. The huge Komondor and the Kuvasz were used for guarding the
belongings of the owner. while the Puli would keep the animals together. Around
the beginning of the 20th century a real turning point for the breed came when it
was rediscovered but no longer used much as a sheepdog; extensive shepherding was
replaced by intensive farming. The Puli’s role was reduced in the life of
the flock. Although, their traditional duty was kept, they started to fulfill
jobs that were convenient in the circumstances of their owner: they
became house dogs. After World War II, the breed became a less popular pet;
even now the breed has not been able to regain the popularity it previously
enjoyed. Notable Pulis
In 1978 a Puli called Cinko Duda Csebi won the world exposition organized by
the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. The Mexican-born dog was
owned by breeder Roberto Hernández Ávalos.
The dog known as "The Auditor" is assumed to be a Puli. It lived in the
contaminated Berkeley Pit copper mine in Butte, Montana. Notable for being one of
the few things that could live, and thrive in such a place, in time it
became a sort of mascot for the town. After The Auditor died, several
memorials were erected, celebrating its existence.
British grunge-rock band Bush featured a picture of a leaping Puli in the booklet
to their album Sixteen Stone. This particular Puli belonged to frontman
Gavin Rossdale and was named Winston. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a white
Puli named Beast. In the 1960s, writer Harlan Ellison
adopted a Puli named Ahbhu and wrote about him in the 1975 Hugo-winning
novelette "The Deathbird". In addition, Ahbhu appeared in the 1969 short story
"A Boy And His Dog" as a predecessor to the main character's telepathic dog
Blood. American novelist T.C. Boyle used to own
several Pulis and still has one. One of them, named "Kutya", is commemorated in
his novel The Harder They Come. Puli pictures
White and black Pulis See also
Puli Space Technologies National symbols of Hungary
References External links
Puli at DMOZ