Puli

A Puli’s coat can be coloured completely black or black with some areas of grey. Other less common coat colours are white, grey or fawn. Fawn-coloured Pulik often have black faces; this gives us an impression of them wearing a mask.

Their hair is long.

The Puli’s coat is usually corded or curled but can vary slightly in appearance from dog to dog determined by the nature of the undercoat and texture of the top coat. Some Puli coats are self-cording but most are corded by the dog’s owner. The Puli’s coat takes around four years to fully develop.

The Puli’s eyes are usually coloured dark brown.

The Puli has a sturdy and well-balanced look. The thickness of the fur belies the lean but muscular body. The top line of the dog appears almost horizontal. The dog’s long tail curls flatly over its croup. Despite its sturdy appearance the dog’s skull is usually small and fine and its muzzle short. The ears are reasonably high on the dog’s head and hang close; they widen at the base.

The Puli has a pleasant personality and if trained and treated correctly is affectionate and loyal. They are highly-strung dogs and their ancestry as an active and agile herding dog should be taken into account before choosing this breed as a pet. A Puli will consider itself the guardian of the family.

Some Pulis are playful but others can be a little standoffish. This breed has a juvenile sense of fun throughout almost its entire life and generally tolerates playtime. However, it can become impatient for too much rough play.

The Puli is not a nervous dog and does not easily scare. It is exceptionally inquisitive. Sights, smells and sounds are just causes for the Puli to become excited. The Puli has a tendency to lose itself in a moment of great enthusiasm and then to become silly.

The Puli’s exceptional intelligence lends itself to excellent obedience and an ability to win agility contests, but the dog’s intelligence also gives rise to traits of manipulation and demand. The dog possesses a great deal of energy and determination; its tendency to cause mischief cannot be emphasised enough.

Pulik are not hunters; they are herding dogs. As such they do not have a high prey drive.

The Puli is not wary of strangers. In fact, the dog’s will to protect his family comes to the fore when meeting unfamiliar humans. It will tend to rush up to a visitor in order to gauge their intentions. If the dog is not happy with the meeting, an owner’s gentle encouragement and patience is required in order to allay the dog’s fears and let it finally make a connection with the visitor.

Pulik were bred to make their own decisions in the field, and the modern Puli is in all respects independent. If the Puli is not socialised and trained correctly in early life it will attempt to take control of the environment in which it finds itself.

Pulik do not tolerate solitude. If left alone for an unduly long time the Puli becomes agitated and upset. Leaving any dog for a long time on its own is not advisable. Doing so can cause behavioural problems that are not easily tackled.

The Puli is a strong-willed animal and one that is not easily trained. Being independent the Puli will learn when it wants to learn. An owner’s half-hearted efforts won’t make much difference. The Puli requires an even stronger-willed leader who is confident and consistent. Do not berate a Puli; this is a proud dog yet sensitive and any harshness of language or actions will only make the job of training harder.

The Puli’s bark is notably irritating. However, it is worthwhile to say that any dog’s excessive barking will probably be the fault of the owner: leaving the Puli on its own for too long, and not giving the dog adequate training and exercise are all causes of excessive vocalisation. The bark is not high-pitched but it will grate after a while.

Consistent training will ensure that on most occasions your Puli will respond to your voice and not run away. Reinforcing the ‘recall’ command is always worthwhile.

If it finds itself at home for long periods of time without human company the Puli will inform you of its displeasure by destroying your furnishings and carpets.

To own an active dog does not preclude someone from administering a strict dog food diet. Pulik require two meals a day of high-quality dog food, ideally formulated for active dogs. The Puli is prone to obesity if fed too many treats or too much human food.

The alertness of the Puli makes this breed a worthwhile watchdog. Even the slightest sounds or movement outside may cause it to bark. The Puli is also not afraid to back up its bark with a bite.

It is a very good choice for a first adoption. This breed is suitable for many profiles and its great qualities will allow novices to learn to educate a dog without much difficulty (but always with consistency and firmness).

The happiest Pulik are those that live in the countryside and are able to roam freely. However, a Puli can live in a flat if exercised and interacted with regularly. The Puli will not do well if confined to a flat that is empty for the greater part of the day.

Pulik enjoy hiking, running, swimming and roaming across fields. They are active dogs that are accustomed to endless solo explorations. An owner must take into account the original nature of the Puli in order to tailor an exercise regimen accordingly. Failure to exercise these dogs enough will result in them behaving antisocially.

Once trained, Pulik are exceptionally obedient and comfortable with new experiences. The Puli is not a dog that prefers to stay in one place for a long period of time.

The Puli will tolerate a household cat but only if he is taught (and reminded about) how to behave. Early socialisation with cats will help the Puli to understand the cat’s importance to us.

Pulik interact well with other dogs but they have a tendency to want to dominate and boss.

The Puli does not tolerate rough play. Its patience is liable to run out with young children who do not understand the dog’s nature and who enjoy teasing the dog. The Puli will also try to herd children and may nip at them to try to bring them into line. The dog holds no malice towards children but sees them as he would a herd of sheep. Playtime should be supervised.

Because it is a dog that requires lots of grooming and exercise the Puli may not be the perfect choice of dog for some of senior years.

The Puli coat is considered to be non-shedding and hypoallergenic.

13 to 15 years.

A Puli outdoors will not care what the weather is like. This particular breed of sheepdog is one of the hardiest. The agility and strength of the Puli prevent it from injuring itself.

The Puli does not tolerate hot weather at all. A four to six inch trim in the springtime is recommended in readiness for the summer heat.

The double coat of the Puli keeps the dog warm even when walking in the rain and snow. Dry a Puli off after a particularly wet walk (it can take up to 12 hours for the Puli’s coat to completely dry).

Weight gain can be a feature of the Puli. If your Puli is not exercised as regularly as it should be and is fed too much human or substandard food it will become obese.

• Bardet Biedl Syndrome
• Cataracts
• Degenerative Myelopathy 
• Mammary neoplasia
• Primary Lens Luxation

Pulik are an ancient breed of dog known to have been used by Hungarian farmers of the Middle Ages. They were introduced to Hungary by nomadic Asian tribes and so are believed to have first been used by farmers of the Middle East and India. Pulik with light-coloured coats were set among herds of sheep in an attempt to protect the animals from poachers and wild animals. The popularity of the breed as a house dog in the United Kingdom waned after World War II and has not surged since.