So it’s a Poodle and a what..?
No. It’s a puli. An ancient Hungarian sheepdog. The puli dates back thousands of years, it probably has less to do with a poodle than a chihuahua has to do with a blood hound. It’s not a designer breed.
Is that really a dog?
The jury is out on that one. The common ancestor for all dogs, Canis familiaris, is dated at about 4000 years ago, however a puli-like animal is referenced as “precious animal” in Magyar literature around the same time. Thus the breed must have been domesticated and trained much before this time. Also the genetic markers that link most other dogs are not found in the puli. We are looking to confirm this information.
There is a saying among those owned by a puli: “It’s not a dog, it’s a puli!”
Can they see?
Yes, a puli can see just fine. Tying the hair up can actually damage their eyes in bright conditions, although it is done for some sports.
Do you have to do that to their coat?
No. A puli’s coat will cord naturally. They do need the occasional trim, and you do have to make sure the cords don’t mat. While they don’t shed hair, and you don’t brush the cords, there is the never-ending battle of picking leaves and grass out of the coat by hand.
Don’t they get hot?
The coat acts as an insulating layer. The keeps them warm in the winter, and helps keep them cool in the summer. In direct sun the outer coat can get quite hot, however if you feel in underneath they are much cooler. Although they stay cool for much longer than other dogs, they can have difficulty cooling down if they do overheat.
Do they have a tail?
Yes, a fairly decent one at that, it’s curled up on their back. Some herding breeds have curled tails so that their tail stays close to their body and doesn’t get trampled on.
