Other names/Nicknames:
- None
Country/Date of origin:
- Hungary
- 1800′s
Height:
- 13 to 19 inches
Weight:
- 18 to 29 pounds
Personality:
- Super intelligent, self-assertive.
- Pumis are intensely curious. Nothing escapes their attention.
- The Terrier’s passion for rat hunting lives in the Pumi.
- It is not possible to exhaust a Pumi. They bubble with energy.
- Pumis have a real sense of humor, which is probably a valuable asset for a pig herder.
History:
The Pumi began to emerge as a separate breed from lines of the more ancient Hungarian Puli in the late 19th century. The Puli is a long-haired sheep dog while the Pumi is a herding terrier with a medium-long coat. The Terrier characteristics are an essential part of the Pumi—both physically and temperamentally. In 1920 they appeared as a regional variety at a Hungarian show, and in 1923, appeared as a separate breed. It has never, however, attained the popularity of its parent breed. The Pumi is a versatile herder, taking responsibility for sheep, geese, and pigs in its homeland.
Body Type:
- Ears are pricked and curl over at the tips. They are not altered.
- Tail is set high, forming a loose curl over the back or carried horizontally. In Hungary, the tail is usually cropped to two-thirds of its original length to give the dog a more Terrier-like appearance.
Coat:
- The coat is medium in length and curly, not long and corded like the other Sheepdogs of Hungary.
- Any color is acceptable as long as it is a solid color.
- Parti-coloring is not permitted.
- Gray is the most common color but a rusty-brown and a pale, sandy-yellow are frequently seen.
- Pure white and pure black are quite rare.
- The Pumi coat does not mat.
Health and Wellness:
- A robust and hardy dog that can be kept indoors or out.
What you should know:
- Very noisy. Pumi is described as a four-footed burglar alarm. Their method is not intervention, but prevention. They nip any attempts at intrusion in the bud.
- The Pumi listens to everything its master says, often acknowledging the instructions with a little bark. To anyone watching, it appears that they are having a conversation.
- Puppies are born black and begin to get their gray coat color around the lips and eyes first, which makes them look like little old men.
- This breed has never been popular in the United States and puppies will be very difficult to find.
