Breed Info
Pulik (the plural form of Puli) are self-confident, highly intelligent, and sensitive to their owners. Many tend to act as babysitters and guardians of children and other animals in the family. They can be very sensitive to the needs of the elderly and the sick. making them great therapy dogs. Although he’s affectionate and enjoys (and expects) the adoration of his family and friends, he’s suspicious of strangers.
The Puli is a strong-willed dog who will attempt to boss you around (nicely), sometimes without you even realizing it. His instinct is to protect and herd, which can sometimes extend to telling you when it’s time to go to bed or where to sit, or moving the kids from one room to another.
The Puli is fun-loving and affectionate, and he enjoys the company of his family. He’s also smart, hardworking, and athletic. Being suspicious of strangers, he makes a good watchdog. He’s also a strong-willed dog who requires a firm but kind owner. Don’t be surprised when he tries to “herd” you or your children.
Pulik are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they’re prone to certain health conditions. Not all Pulik will get any or all of these diseases, but it’s important to be aware of them if you’re considering this breed.
- Hip Dysplasia: This is an inherited condition in which the thighbone doesn’t fit snugly into the hip joint. Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but others don’t display outward signs of discomfort. (X-ray screening is the most certain way to diagnose the problem.) Either way, arthritis can develop as the dog ages. Dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred — so if you’re buying a puppy, ask the breeder for proof that the parents have been tested for hip dysplasia and are free of problems.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): This is a family of eye diseases that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina. Early in the disease, affected dogs become night-blind; they lose sight during the day as the disease progresses. Many affected dogs adapt well to their limited or lost vision, as long as their surroundings remain the same.
- Cataracts: These afflictions cause opacity on the lens of the eye, resulting in poor vision. The dog’s eye(s) will have a cloudy appearance. Cataracts usually occur in old age and sometimes can be surgically removed to improve vision.
A large, fenced yard (make that a very tall fence) or a farm is ideal. He can adjust to smaller living spaces, but be prepared for his running laps around the dining room chairs and taking leaps over the couch.
Exercise and playtime aside, bring the Puli indoors to live with you. He’s a loyal companion who enjoys being with people, and he shouldn’t be permanently relegated to the backyard.
The agile Puli is a good candidate for many canine sports, especially herding tests, agility, and obedience competition (though obedience work can seem repetitive to the fun-loving Puli). If he’s not a working dog, he needs the mental and physical challenges available in dog sports. Otherwise he can become bored, which can lead to destructive behaviors such as barking, digging, and chewing.
Most Pulik are black, though white and gray are also found in the United States. In Hungary, the most common color after black is the brownish fako (described as the color of a whole-wheat roll).
Black coats are described as a “weathered” black, because some white hairs begin to grow in when the dog is about a year old. In addition, because the cords don’t shed, they lose some of their color intensity over time due to exposure to the sun and air.
Some Puli coats are self-cording, though most are helped along by humans who separate the cords by hand when the adult coat comes in (at about one year of age). As the coat texture changes from puppy fluff to adult coat, the undercoat is packed into the interior of the outer coat tendril to form a felt-like structure. It takes about four years for the coat to become fully mature.
Keep the fluffy, uncorded Puli coat in good condition through regular brushing and combing to remove tangles and dirt and to distribute natural skin oils.
The corded coat is never brushed but managed by hand: first it’s dampened with water, then the cords are separated and twirled. The length of the corded coat is sometimes trimmed to keep it from collecting dust and dirt.
Bathing a fluffy Puli coat is like bathing any other breed. Put the dog in the tub, add water and soap, and scrub.
Dunking your corded-coat Puli in the tub, however, is a time-consuming task that takes a lot of hard work.
He’s playful — probably even more playful than the kids. He’s protective of the children in his family and shuttle them around the house, tugging gently at them to move them away from perceived (or real) danger.
As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs, and always supervise any interactions between dogs and young children to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. Teach your child never to approach any dog while he’s eating or sleeping or to try to take the dog’s food away. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be left unsupervised with a child.
The Puli gets along with other dogs and pets, as long as he taught to do so from a young age.
