The Puli is an ancient Hungarian herding breed – one of very few breeds that has a naturally corded coat. This versatile dog is intelligent and excels in many different areas – particularly ones in which he is allowed to use his brain. These happy and energetic dogs are also masters at getting their owners to do what they want, which means a prospective owner must be determined to set down rules from the beginning and keep them enforced.
The Puli is long-lived (between 10-15 years), yet slow to mature. It will take the dog 2 to 3 years in order to completely grow up psychologically. Even when fully mature, this breed will stay opinionated and possibly even forceful if not given rules – so an owner must stay on top of this. Pulik can also be vocal when they don’t get their way (or they are excited or they just have an opinion to share).
The Puli is clever and has a good sense of humor, and especially enjoys making people laugh. Keeping a playful attitude even into old age, he enjoys it when everyone around him is having fun! He also is very sensitive to his owner’s feelings and will change his behavior based on the human’s emotions. This is an empathetic breed who will develop a somber attitude when his person is sad, making him a faithful and loyal friend.
Pulik (the plural of Puli) are reserved around strangers although should never be shy. They are naturally protective and will make sure that a new person has good intentions (toward himself and his owner) before deciding to say hello. This is a thinking breed who will make his own decisions about each new person he meets. This also makes him a good guardian for family children (as long as he was brought up with them). Socialization to the outside world is absolutely necessary in order to make sure this breed develops correctly, and so that he doesn’t become unpredictable.
The coat is one of the defining features of the Puli. It is thick and heavy and will form cords on its own, although human assistance is needed early on to make sure the cords don’t grow together to form a super-mat! Once the cords are formed correctly, it can take about 5 years for them to reach ground-length. This coat does need to be bathed when it becomes dirty, which can be a big project. The water takes time to be worked into the hair fibers, extra care must be taken to then rinse the shampoo out of the hair, and finally the coat takes much longer to dry than other breeds. Hair that hasn’t been allowed to dry completely is at risk for forming mildew.
Because the Puli was originally bred to herd, he is able to do this naturally. He wants to work and is very willing to please, and although he is not as intense as some of the other herding breeds he is still a hard worker. He will even try to herd people as they walk from room to room. Of note – the hair in front of his eyes does not detract from his vision so it is not necessary to pull it back while working, unless the owner wants to be able to see the dog’s eyes.
The Puli is very intelligent and moderately easy to train in obedience as well as other dog sports such as herding, tracking, freestyle, conformation, agility, frisbee and therapy work. Although he was bred to be independent and is capable of making decisions on his own, he is also willing to follow commands as long as the owner/trainer has a firm (yet fair) hand. Wishy-washy owners who aren’t as strong-willed as their Puli may find the dog making the household rules himself. Keep in mind, also, that this smart breed can get easily bored by too much repetition in training and the trainer must always stay one step ahead.
The Puli is spirited and bouncy – and this active fellow is often in motion. Easily bored, he can also become skilled at stealing his owner’s possessions for fun, sometimes even figuring out how to open doors in order to grab the objects. Although short in stature, he can also learn to become an expert counter surfer, much to his owner’s chagrin. These athletic dogs must have regular exercise so that their mischievous natures don’t get out of hand.
