Pumi

The Pumi is Hungary's other herding dog — a compact, curly-coated terrier-like sheepdog with high-set ears that give it a permanently startled expression.

History

It emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when the older Puli was crossed with German and French herding dogs arriving with imported sheep. Unlike the Puli it drives stock at close quarters and uses its voice constantly, and it was also kept to clear vermin from farmyards.

Temperament

The breed is known for being lively, bold and intensely alert, quick to learn and quick to bark — the vocal habit is part of how it works stock and needs managing rather than eliminating.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and mental work. The curly coat is trimmed rather than brushed out, sheds little, and should be left to dry naturally so the curls hold. It trains readily.

Health

Generally robust, with hip dysplasia and patellar luxation among the known tendencies. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.