Hungarian Puli
Watch our video about the Hungarian Puli!
Underneath their striking coat, the Hungarian Puli is a likeable and very capable dog.Group: Pastoral
Size: Medium
Coat length: Long
Grooming required: Every day
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Small or Large House
Garden size: Small/Medium
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 1 hour per day
The most noticeable thing about this medium-sized, compact dog is the huge, corded coat. Because it completely covers their head and covers a tail that curls up and over the body, it's almost difficult to tell which end is which. The coat can reach the ground and can come in a range of colours.
They have been used for many years in Hungary as a sheep dog. The shepherds preferred the darkest colours, probably because they were easier to spot amongst the sheep. They are lively, cheerful and highly intelligent and make a good family pet as long as children are not rough with them. Their trainability means they do well in sports like obedience and even agility. They may be a little wary of strangers but as long as people adhere to general rule of 'let the puli come to you' they are usually friendly. They will bark enthusiastically but are unlikely to be aggressive.
Pulis are an active dog and need regular daily walks outside. Surprisingly, the coat seems to be able to protect them equally well against hot as well as cold conditions.
Although Pulis are bathed, they are not brushed as this would ruin the coat, instead the coat has to be hand separated into strands of the correct thickness, about the width of a pencil. The coat takes a lot of work to create the cords to begin with, and then weekly maintenance.
Reputable breeders will test for hip dysplasia and eye problems (mainly Retinal Dysplasia), but in general this breed is very hardy.