Pumi

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Pumi is a medium small multi-talented and multifunctional terrier-type dog that originated in Hungary. Known and valued for its working skills as a herding dog that can herd not only sheep but cows and pigs and as general farm dog, the Pumi is also an efficient small rodent hunter. It originated during 17th and 18th century from crossing between German and French pricked ears sheepdogs and Puli dogs. Though initially, this breed was considered same as the Pumi but it was recognized as a separate breed in 1920 and a separate breed standard was written for it.

This breed has a typical terrier appearance. Standing between 13-19 inches and weighing between 18-33 lbs, the dog comes with a terrier-type long and narrow head, elongated muzzle, long and slightly doomed forehead and always black, narrow nose. Medium size, dark brown eyes are set moderately apart with expression of liveliness and intelligence. Medium size, high set, erect ears are reverse V shaped and bending forward from tip. Medium length neck is slightly arched, muscular and comes with tight skin, without any skin folds. The body is lean and well muscled and comes with a rigid and straight back, deep chest and slightly tucked-up belly. This dog comes in thick and medium double coat. Topcoat is strong and a bit rough while the undercoat is soft. Grey and all shades of grey is the most common colour for this dog however this breed also comes in white black and the yellow-brown coat with a darker mask that is called maszkos fak�. Tan, brown and blue coated pups are occasionally born but these coat colors are disqualified for shows.

This breed is NOT recognized by AKC however it is recognized by other major kennel clubs like FCI, UKC, NZKC,ANKC and AKC (FSS).

Color

Grey and shades of grey is the dominant color for the Pumi. These grey colored Pumis are actually born black but the color whitens as they grow, eventually turning into grey color. Other colors are white, black and fawn. A small white marking on chest and/or white line on toe is acceptable.

Coat

The medium length coat is dense, thick, shaggy, curly and wavy. It has a strong but not coarse topcoat and a very soft undercoat.

Personality

A lively, spirited and highly intelligent dog that will entertain the whole family with its funny antics and clownish behavior while making an able herding and general farm dog, the Pumi is highly valued for its versatility. It is affectionate, loving and obedient to its family. The dog loves to be part of the family and will be happiest if included in family activities. Though very playful with children, the dog can be easily provoked and should be supervised around small children. It is a naturally inquisitive breed that will investigate each and every unusual sound and if an intruder detected, would not wait a second to attack. This protective nature makes this dog an able watch and guard dog. It is one of the more easier breeds to teach as this dog shows its willingness to learn new commands and obey them. It does have a tendency to bark at every unusual sound and is best suited in a suburban or rural setting where its barking will not disturb the neighbors. This multifunctional dog is used in search & rescue operations, narcotics and bomb detection. It can also take part successfully in dog agility, dog dancing and obedience trials. This very active and lively dog is seldom seen sitting idle. It is always on the go, doing something. It seems to have tireless stamina. The Pumi makes an excellent family pet but it should be supervised around small children.

Care

Its coat needs a once a week brushing to remove dead hair. Bathing is needed when necessary and it is important to brush the coat before bathing to maintain its elegance. It should never be blow-dried as this will strip the coat of its natural locks and lessen its beauty.

Training

The Pumi is not a difficult to train dog at all. With its willingness to learn and high intelligence levels, it can learn simple commands from very young age. This dog will not pose any difficulty when it comes to training.

Activity

A high spirited and lively breed, the Pumi has very high exercise requirements. Although this dog is very active inside the house, it still needs a daily long walk and ample playing time outside.