Pumi – Sheepdog From Hungary

The Pumi is an ancient dog which hails from Hungary. It is medium sized dog with curly coat and unusual appearance. The primary function of this breed was to herd sheep, cattle and livestock. But eventually it was also used as hunting dog and guard dog.

The dog is high-spirited, active and always ready to work. The dog makes devoted family companion because of its overly attached nature. The dog barks excessively, so you need to teach it “no barking command” from starting.

It is highly inquisitive in nature and is always in search of fun and thrill. If the children or animals are raised with the dog, it makes lovely friendly to them. Otherwise, the dog has a natural tendency towards humans in case of non-availability of animals.

It is a multi-talented dog excels in agility, rally and obedience competition of dogs. The dog is highly trainable and can be trained to do dog dance, tracking, and search and rescue activities.

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Pumi Origin

The exact date of its origin is unknown but studies have proved that the dog belongs to 17th or 18th centuries in Western Hungary. Archeologists believe that the dog is closely related to Puli which is also a sheepdog from Hungary.

Pumi also has French and German Sheepdogs bloodline. After the Word War, this breed almost got extinct. Dr. Emil Raitsits revived the breed and referred to it as “sheepdog terrier”. Despite being a sheepdog, it has typical traits of terrier breeds. Pumi has been companion and helper to farmers since inception.

Characteristics

• The breed belongs to Hungary and is a sheep dog.
• It is proficient in herding, guarding, watching, tracking and search and rescue mission.
• It is lively, intelligent, protective and lovable breed.
• The life expectancy of this breed is 12-15 years.
• It stands at a height of 41-47 cm.
• The dog weighs around 10-15 kg.
• It comes in rust, silver, black, grey, grizzle and sand colors.
• The average price of this breed is $800 – $1000 USD.
• This breed is not recommended for apartment life. They are farm dogs and thrive in a spacious area.
• The dog barks frequently.
• The dog is suitable for kids who know how to respect dog’s personal space. It tends to be playful and cheerful around kids.
• The dog needs high intensive exercise to stay happy. This dog should be given some productive work to do.
• The dog is not hypoallergenic.
• The dog sheds lightly. They have medium length braided coat which requires daily grooming.
• The dog is suspicious of strangers and makes effective guard dog and watchdog.
• The dog is moderately easy to train. It enjoys challenging training sessions.

Pumi Appearance

It is a medium sized dog that looks absolutely adorable. Puppies are born black as they reach maturity; they turn to various shades of grey colors. The dog has long face with narrow muzzle. It has button like nose which increases cuteness of this breed.

The dog should have squarely proportionate body which means equal in length and height. The dogs have large and triangular shaped ears which fall forward on their head. The hairs on its ears are longer than rest of the body parts which gives it endearing look. The eyes of the dog are deeply set, medium sized and dark in color.

Size and Weight

The male breed stands at a height of 41-47 cm and female stands at a height of 38-44 cm. The male breed weighs 10-15 kg and female breed weighs around 8-13 kg.

Coat and Color

This breed has medium length double coat. Its hair is combination of wavy and curly hair. The hair of the dog gives it bulky look but below dense coat lie its athletic body. The tail of the dog has featherings. Pumi mostly comes in shades of grey color.

Temperament

1. Personality – Pumi may look fluffy and adorable lap dog, but it is not a lap dog. The dog was born to be a multi-purpose farm dog. It can be used as herd dog, hunt dog, guard dog, watchdog, and for tracking and search and rescue mission. The dog is reserved with strangers and street animals and protective towards family and other pets inside home. Pumi is affectionate and playful with kids. If you like stay more at home, this dog is not meant for you. Pumi love to explore outside environment; it needs space to outlet its energy and to express itself.
2. Behavioral Traits – Pumi is hard working and a versatile dog. They have keen sense of smell and can be used as tracking and defusing bomb. They tend to be barky and always ready for action. You can hardly find this dog relaxing in daytime. They are incredibly inquisitive in nature and will strive hard to search for fun and thrill in life. This dog is suitable for adventurous owner who want a dog partner for travelling, hiking and trekking.
3. Activities Requirement – Pumi are always brimming with energy. They are spunky dogs with tremendous endurance. This dog can be taken for hunting. Herding is something which comes to them naturally. Being athletic in nature, they love to run. They enjoy chasing, catching, jogging and herding. They also enjoy playing with other canine friends.
4. Trainability – Pumi is a bright and smart dog that is fun to train. It catches skills quickly and once it learns something; it remembers it for lifetime. Socialization is essential because they are naturally defensive and dominant around unfamiliar faces and animals.

Feeding  

An adult dog needs 500 calories per day to remain fit. It can burn down its calories efficiently so diet should be rich in proteins, minerals and fat.

Lifespan

This breed can live up to 12-15 years.

Health Issues

This breed is not hypoallergenic. Generally, they are healthy and hearty dogs and rarely suffer from any major health issues. Minor health issues include – hip dysplasia, luxation or floating patellar.

Grooming

The dog sheds negligibly even though it requires daily brushing to keep it in neat and tidy look. Its fluffy and shaggy hair easily attracts mats so make sure to brush it every day. You can also trim its hair especially of the ears part to make it look well groomed.

The dog should be bathed several times a year. Allow its coat to dry naturally so that texture of the hair remains the same. Clean its ears regularly because it is profusely covered with hairs. Other process of grooming related to brushing its teeth and clipping its nails are same as other breeds.

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Habitat

The dog is meant for countryside dwellers that have farms or big yards where the dog can thrive happily. It can survive in any kind of climate.

Pet Names

1. Teddy
2. Ruby
3. Rose
4. Tulip
5. Shishimanu

Things To Consider Before Buying

Pros

1. The dog is jack of all trades. It can be trained to do many tasks like herding, tracking, hunting etc.
2. It makes perfect partner to owners who love to explore places with dogs.
3. The dog is highly trainable.

Cons

1. It is not hypoallergenic.
2. The dog tends to be dominant with unknown animals.
3. It needs space to express itself and live happily.