Pumi

The Pumi is a herding breed that was developed in Hungary. It is closely related to the Puli. This is a very versatile farm dog, able to herd sheep, cows and pigs, and hunt both vermin and wild boar. Its curly coat is thick and waterproof, and serves to insulate the dog from hot and cold weather extremes. Also called the Hungarian Pumi, this breed makes a good household companion and an excellent watchdog. It is naturally tenacious, and has an impressive sense of property boundaries which it will insist that the stranger honor. The Pumi is a member of the herding group of dogs, and as such is naturally intelligent, territorial and an independent thinker. This breed is active, lively, alert and clownish. Its hallmark traits are an agility of movement, stamina, versatility, and a willingness to work. The Pumi is a medium-sized, square dog and stands from 13 to 19 inches tall. This breed is agile and light, and looks bigger by virtue of its coat. The Pumi is distinguished by its long muzzle, its ears, and curly coat. Puppies are born with a dark coat, but begin to turn lighter at six to eight weeks. Adult Pumis are usually gray, but may be black, white or "maszkos fako"� which is sable with a dark mask. The ears of this breed are high-set and triangular, always alert, and the tip bends down. The ears have longer hair than the rest of the body. Average lifespan of the Pumi is 10 to 15 years, but individuals frequently reach 19 years. The Pumi is a direct descendant of the ancient sheepdogs of the drover style. These dogs are believed to have traveled west with the Magyars of central Asia over one thousand years ago. Some historians believe that the type of herding dog existed six thousand years ago, and has come down to modern Hungary is several variations, including the Mudi and the Puli both highly valued as herding dogs. In the 17th century, prick-eared sheepdogs of the Spitz type were brought to Hungary from France and Germany. For two centuries these were liberally crossbred with the Puli, along with terriers, finally creating the uniquely versatile Pumi. This breed was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 1966. Although up until then it was hardly known outside its native Hungary, through the next decades the breed was exported to other European countries, in particular into Finland and Sweden where it is immensely popular, and into the United States in the 1990's. The Pumi was listed with the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service program in 2004, and the Hungarian Pumi Club of America was founded in the same year. Today Pumis are frequently seen in dog shows in Europe, and often take home titles in agiliy and competitive obedience. Recently they have become popular for use in Canine Freestyle (dancing). The Pumi is an active dog, and is not suited to apartment life. This breed needs room to roam and burn off its excess energy. It requires vigorous daily exercise in the form of a good brisk, long walk, in order to stay fit. This breed is capable of long hikes when asked, and enjoys the outdoors immensely. Some Pumis are fond of water play. The coat of the Pumi is surprisingly easy to care for. It should be combed every week to keep it free of mats. Allowing mats to form in this breed can result in a painful condition for the dog, and encourage skin infections. The Pumi needs clipping of its coat every 2 to 4 months. Like the coat of a terrier, it is continually growing. These dogs have little to no "doggie odor"�, and shed very minimally. Bathing is rarely needed. Eyes and ears should be cleaned occasionally, and fur between the pads of the feet may be trimmed. The Pumi is never lazy, and is always cheerful. Intelligent and playful, it will keep you on your toes. This dog is described in the standard as "unable to keep quiet."� This refers to its propensity for barking to warn the owner of anything suspicious in the environment. The Pumi is extremely vocal and will use its "voice"� liberally to communicate with the owner. This breed is known to have a life-long puppy-like attitude. Like most herding breeds, it looks to the owner continuously for leadership and direction, and the Pumi has an enormous ability to empathize with human emotions. This breed is not recommended for households with very small children, because the individual Pumi may not be tolerant of rough handling and may want to herd and control youngsters. Generally, this dog gets along well with other household pets when raised with them, and is rarely dog aggressive. However, the Pumi that has not been socialized early to other dogs can be quite dominant. The Pumi is characteristically suspicious of strangers and visitors should be cautioned to let the dog come to them, rather than the other way around. A Pumi which is socialized as a small pup to many people and to other dogs and household animals, will be a much more balanced adult. The Pumi is considered highly trainable due to its intelligence and innate eagerness to please the handler. However the breed is extremely independent-minded and training should begin very early and must be consistent throughout its life. Repetitive training may lead to boredom in this breed, causing the dog to shut down. The handler should keep training interesting by varying location and task, and doing training in small increments of time 20 minutes at a time a few times a day is sufficient. The Pumi needs firm but fair leadership or can become obstinate and overly-independent. Mental stimulation is very important in this breed. The Pumi excels in obedience and agility competitions. For both of these, the hair may be pulled away from the eyes and put in a topknot. Pumis also enjoy herding training and trials.

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