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I’m a firm believer in biodiverisity. Variety is the spice of life, after all! For that reason, I’ve decided to start occasionally profiling a rare breed on Petlvr: The Blog, in hopes of encouraging dog lovers who’ve decided on a purebred dog to investigate rarer dogs. Of course, I always encourage adoption as a first choice for most pet parents, but for those who want a purebred, owning a rare breed can be fun. It’s a great conversation starter, too!

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the Hungarian Pumi!

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The Pumi

By Michael Russell

The Pumi is a cattle drover that is used extensively in Hungary and is native to that country. He is prized for his abilities to drive cattle without spooking the herd and to round them up effortlessly, employing techniques similar to that of the Border Collie. Unlike the Border collie he is not a quiet dog and will bark when performing his herding functions and will also bark when alerting against intruders and is valued for this behavior also. The Pumi is a useful and versatile farm dog . With his high spirit and an unquenchable activity level, the Pumi is not a dog for the elderly apartment dweller in any respect. He is a long lived and active dog and seeks to find trouble if he isn’t given a job to do. As a farm dog he will make work for himself rather than just lie about the yard in the sun. If kept in the city he is friendly and personable but does need regular exercise and the family who owns one in the city will find themselves going on long walks twice a day. He is playful and good with children and that is a bonus.

The Pumi is believed to be descended from crosses with the original native Puli and the Hutespitz and Pomeranian dogs that were brought to Hungary during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by traders. Barter was a common form of commerce and good farm dogs held as much value as the sheep and cattle themselves and were often exchanged as much as the livestock. The Hungarian, German and French Spitz breeds were numerous and had considerable impact on the development of the Pumi. The Pumi has always been used as an extension of the shepherd and has always worked with mankind rather than independently. Consequently he is a willing worker , learning quickly and is easy to train.

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