The Pumi (in
Hungarian, the plural form is ''pumik'') is a medium-small
breed
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...
of
sheep dog
A sheep dog or sheepdog is generally a dog or breed of dogs historically used in connection with the raising of sheep. These include livestock guardian dogs used to guard sheep and other livestock and herding dogs used to move, manage and co ...
from
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
. They are versatile stock dogs equally adept at gathering, driving and keeping stock under control. They have a long head with semi-erect ears, a whimsical expression, and a tail that forms a circle over the back. The coat (black, white, grey, or fawn) is a combination of wavy and curly hair forming curls all over the body.
The Pumi is considered to have arisen from the cross-breeding of Hungarian
Puli with French and German herding dogs from the 17th century onwards. The international breed standard was approved in 1935. The Pumi became an officially recognised breed in the US in 2011 and in the UK in 2015. There are over 2,000 Pumis registered in Hungary, with notable populations in Finland and Sweden and small but growing numbers of registrations in the US, UK and Germany.
Some refer to the Pumi as the "Hungarian herding terrier" because it has some terrier-like attributes such as quick movement, alert temperament, and a quadratic, lean and muscular body type.
Description
Appearance
Pumis can be in varying shades of grey, white, or fawn (known as 'fako' in Hungary). Grey Pumis are the most common,
born black, and ranging from almost black to light grey in adulthood. Puppies usually start greying at six to eight weeks old and the shade progressively lightens. The final shade is predicted by the colour of the parents.
Other accepted colours are black, white, and cream to red with a darker
mask
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practic ...
, known as fawn with mask.
An analysis of 1023 Pumi puppies carried out in 2009 by the
University of Debrecen
ThUniversity of Debrecen( hu, Debreceni Egyetem) is a university located in Debrecen, Hungary. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest continuously operating institution of higher education in Hungary ever since its ...
found that 56% were born black turning grey, 14% were black, 13% white, 11% grey, and 4% are fawn-coloured. Brown, mottled or blue-merle-coloured puppies are born occasionally.
The thick coat is curly and of medium length approximately 4–7 cm (1.5–3 inches) long
and consisting of a harsh
topcoat and soft
undercoat,
which provides good insulation and enables the dog to tolerate extremes of weather.
The coat is maintained by combing every few weeks, and trimming every two to four months. The coat grows constantly (similar to that of the
Poodle
, nickname =
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, country = Germany or France (see history)
, height =
, maleheight =
, femaleheight =
, weight =
, maleweight =
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, coat ...
) and, if grooming is not maintained, it may start matting. The
breed
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...
has little to no
shedding.
The Pumi is known for its alert and lively ears, which are high-set and carried semi-erect and with longer hair than the body.
The Pumi is a square, light-bodied dog which looks somewhat larger because of its thick coat with a long, narrow head. The
muzzle is 45% of the length of the head, which is of equal length to the neck. The stop is barely noticeable, and the skull is flat when seen from the side. The eyes are small, dark, and slightly oblique. Movements are lively and energetic as is the Pumi itself.
Male Pumis stand at the
withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle ar ...
and weigh ;
bitch
Bitch may refer to:
* A female dog or other canine
* Bitch (slang), a vulgar slur for a human female
Bitch or bitches may also refer to:
Arts and media Film and television
* ''The Bitch'' (film), a 1979 film starring Joan Collins
* ''Bitc ...
es are and weigh .
Temperament
The Pumi is lively, expressive, bold, a little suspicious of strangers, but never aggressive or overly shy, somewhat vocal and always ready for action.
They can be very protective of their own families. Early
socialisation
In sociology, socialization or socialisation (see spelling differences) is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of society. Socialization encompasses both learning and teaching and is thus "the means by which social and cultur ...
is important.
Pumis are intelligent and bark easily, but are easy to train.
With the intelligence of a herding dog and the alertness of a terrier, this breed needs to be kept busy, for example with herding, agility and obedience training, flyball, jogging, or playing fetch.
Pumis are good with children and other animals, as long as they are trained from an early age. It retains a playful temperament into adulthood and this, together with its tufted ears, gives its Hungarian nickname, "the clown".
A well-socialised Pumi with mental stimulation and physical activity should not have behavioural problems, but some natural behaviours that might become a problem if not managed properly include digging, barking, and a tendency to try to herd people. The Pumi was bred as a herding dog and it is still so used today, working close to and driving livestock with its rapid movement, barking, and the occasional nip. It has also acted as a
guard dog
A guard dog or watchdog (not to be confused with an attack dog) is a dog used to watch for and guard property against unwanted or unexpected human or animal intruders.
The dog is discerning so that it does not annoy or attack the resident hum ...
barking at any strange person or animal. Consequently, it can be a vocal breed and dogs that are not engaged in farm work should be discouraged from barking unnecessarily.
Name
The name "Pumi" was first used in 1815. The name may have been derived from "Puli"; the two names were used interchangeably for centuries, often depending on the region where the animal was from.
Alternatively, the name might have been derived from the German word "pummel" ("puppy") or from the word "Pomeranian", the origin of many German herding dogs used for cross-breeding. The most commonly accepted theory, from Otto Hermann, is that the name originated in "pommern", the short name of the Pomeranian Spitz. This was also accepted by Emil Raitsits in 1924.
History
This breed emerged in the 17th–18th Century as a descendent from the
Puli,
German spitz, French
Briard
The Briard or is a French breed of large shepherd dog, traditionally used both for herding sheep and to defend them. It was first shown at the first Paris dog show, in 1863; the first Briard to be registered in the ''Livre des Origines Franç ...
and some type of terrier. The breed was first mentioned by name in 1815 but it was regarded by many as a regional variation of the Puli. In 1921, the breed was recognised as a distinct breed when Emil Raitsitz distinguished the Pumi from the Puli by writing a separate breed standard for the Pumi.
The breed evolved spontaneously and was not the result of planned breeding.
Pulis were cross-bred with German
Pomeranians, French
Briard
The Briard or is a French breed of large shepherd dog, traditionally used both for herding sheep and to defend them. It was first shown at the first Paris dog show, in 1863; the first Briard to be registered in the ''Livre des Origines Franç ...
s, and several varieties of
terrier
Terrier (from Latin ''terra'', 'earth') is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. Terrier breeds vary ...
s during the 17th and 18th century. In the 18th century, many
Merino sheep
The Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monopoly; exports of the breed ...
were imported to Hungary, along with small
Pyrenean Mountain Dogs that probably contributed to development of the Pumi producing dogs with a shorter and curlier coat. The first known drawing of a Pumi is from 1815.
The breeding of pedigree dogs began on the initiative of Count
István Széchenyi
Count István Széchenyi de Sárvár-Felsővidék ( hu, sárvár-felsővidéki gróf Széchenyi István, ; archaically English: Stephen Széchenyi; 21 September 1791 – 8 April 1860) was a Hungarian politician, political theorist, and wri ...
, founder of the Hungarian Academy of Science. Within the
Austro-Hungarian empire
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, during the later part of the 19th century, breeding of native Hungarian dogs was not encouraged. During the early twentieth century, Hungarians separated their herding dogs into the various breeds according to their
phenotype
In genetics, the phenotype () is the set of observable characteristics or traits of an organism. The term covers the organism's morphology or physical form and structure, its developmental processes, its biochemical and physiological proper ...
s, and so the first distinction between Puli and Pumi was published in 1902. The Puli was most common on the east Hungarian plains the Pumi in the hills of west Hungary with the
Mudi
The Mudi is a herding dog breed from Hungary. It is closely related to the Puli and Pumi, from which it was separated in the 1930s. They continue to be used in herding, as well as participating in a variety of dog sports.
History
The ...
common in southern Hungary. In the 1910s, controlled breeding began, but many large herds and their dogs were lost during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and the subsequent
division of Hungary.
Dr Emil Raitsits who created the Pumi breed standard in 1921, referred to it as a "sheepdog terrier". Numbers rose between the wars with 130 of the dogs registered in 1924 when they were seen in the show ring and as working dogs. Raitsits was keen to preserve its typical terrier qualities. Before 1923, Pumis had been shown as local varieties of Pulis, but, by 1927, the two breeds had been officially separated.
The Pumi standard was approved by the FCI in 1935 along with the scientific name ''Canis familiaris ovilis villosus terrarius-Raitsitsi''. This had been proposed by Csaba Anghi to reflect the great deal of terrier in the Pumi both in its features and character.
The early breed standards, focused on the differences between the related breeds noting for the Pumi with its distinctive features such as a longer muzzle, smoother stop line, upright folding ears, and its non-corded coat.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, food shortages and lack of veterinary care reduced their numbers again and many dogs were shot by soldiers. Ria Hörter wrote that "Ilona Orlay, one of Dr Raitsits's assistants, walked through a burning Budapest pushing a chart
'sic, ?cart''containing valuable Hungarian sheepdog papers, from the office of the Hungarian Kennel Club to a place of safety."
Breeding became possible again in the period after the
1956 uprising. The 1960 breed standard, which remained current through to the 1980s, allowed any solid coat colour,
but the variations seen within the breed during the 1950s had since been reduced.
It was first exported to Finland in 1973 and Sweden in 1985 and then to Italy and the Netherlands and the US in the early 1990s. The current international
breed standard
In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athletic ...
dates from September 2000.
In 2016, the Hungarian government named the Pumi as one of its eight indigenous dog breeds, created a
gene bank
Gene banks are a type of biorepository that preserves genetic material. For plants, this is done by in vitro storage, freezing cuttings from the plant, or stocking the seeds (e.g. in a seedbank). For animals, this is done by the freezing of ...
to preserve its characteristics, and announced support for breeding at the Hungarian national breeding centres.
Health
Pumis have a typical life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, but have been known to live to 19 years.
Known medical issues are a knee problem called
patella luxation
A luxating patella, sometimes called a trick knee, is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location.
Patellar luxation is a common condition in dogs, particularly small and miniature breeds. The condi ...
and canine
hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the socket portion does not fully cover the ball portion, resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation. Hip dysplasia may occur at birth or develop in early life. Regardless, it doe ...
. Responsible breeders have DNA testing performed for degenerative myelopathy and an eye disease called primary lens luxation, although neither is common. They also screen for patellar luxation and sometimes for elbow dysplasia.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the socket portion does not fully cover the ball portion, resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation. Hip dysplasia may occur at birth or develop in early life. Regardless, it doe ...
is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that can lead to serious joint problems for the dog. It is a genetic trait also affected by environmental factors, and can be identified by X-Ray. It is probably the most common health problem specific to the breed. Tests on 93 Pumis in America found that about 9 per cent had abnormal hips.
Health records of the breed from
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
indicate that 80 per cent of the Pumis born there have healthy hips.
Degenerative Myelopathy
Degenerative myelopathy
Canine degenerative myelopathy, also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy, is an incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord that is similar in many ways to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Onset is typically after the ...
is an incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord, found typically after the age of seven years. Pumis can be carriers of the trigger gene. DNA testing can identify those dogs that are carriers, and these should not be bred with other carriers. Twenty per cent of 65 Pumis tested in the US were found to be carriers.
Primary Lens Luxation
Primary Lens Luxation
Ectopia lentis is a displacement or malposition of the eye's crystalline lens from its normal location. A partial dislocation of a lens is termed lens subluxation or subluxated lens; a complete dislocation of a lens is termed lens luxation or lu ...
is a dislocation of the eye's lens. This is also a genetic disease, for which the carrier gene can be identified by DNA testing. Of 60 Pumis tested in the US, about 22 per cent were found to be carriers.
Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is a condition involving multiple developmental abnormalities of the elbow-joint in the dog, specifically the growth of cartilage or the structures surrounding it. These abnormalities, known as 'primary lesions', give rise to ost ...
involves developmental abnormalities of the elbow-joint, and the growth of cartilage or the structures surrounding it, leading to osteoarthritis. As of 2016, none of the Pumi tested in the UK have recorded abnormal scores.
Testing
According to the Hungarian Pumi Club of America, the tests that are recommended for the Pumi are:
*Hip Dysplasia (X-ray)
*Patellar Luxation (veterinary certification)
*Primary Lens Luxation (DNA test)
*Degenerative Myelopathy (DNA Test)
*Eye examination by an ophthalmologist (optional)
*Elbow Dysplasia (optional) (X-ray)
*DNA repository (optional) (blood sample)
Activities
The Pumi was originally used as a
herding dog
A herding dog, also known as a stock dog, shepherd dog, sheep dog or working dog, is a Dog type, type of dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to dog breed, breeds that are developed for herding.
Herding behavior
All herd ...
and most working sheepdogs in Hungary are Pumis.
However, today many are used for
dog agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. The handler ...
,
dog dancing, and
obedience. They also can be trained for detection,
search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
, and other purposes. Since the Pumi was originally used for herding, they are eligible to compete in
herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group (herd), maintaining the group, and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. Herding can refer either to the process of animals forming herds in ...
events; appropriate instinct and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive tests. Pumis that exhibit basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in trials.
Pumis have also been used for hunting
wild boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
.
Recognition
The Pumi is little known outside Hungary where in 2015 there were 2,064 registered dogs. The first Pumis were introduced into Finland in 1973, and Sweden and Finland have registered around 100 Pumis every year. In both countries, the Pumi is a popular agility dog seen in championship competitions, and also used for competitive obedience and dog dancing. At the end of 2014, there were about 881 Pumis registered in Finland, 74 in the Netherlands, 111 in Germany, 84 in the Czech Republic, 36 in France, 29 in the UK, 9 in Ireland, 10 in Ukraine, 10 in Estonia, 2 in Latvia, 5 in Slovenia, 1 in Spain and 5 in Japan.
In 2004, the Pumi was accepted to the
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kenn ...
Foundation Stock Service program and the Hungarian Pumi Club of America was founded. On 1 January 2011, the Pumi was accepted into the AKC Miscellaneous class having achieved 150 US registrations, and, on 1 July 2016, into the
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group (herd), maintaining the group, and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. Herding can refer either to the process of animals forming herds in ...
group with over 300 registered dogs as the 190th dog breed that the Club had officially recognised.
In the UK,
the Kennel Club
The Kennel Club ("KC") is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Its role is to oversee various canine activities including dog shows, dog agility and working trials. It also opera ...
accepted the breed standard for the Pumi in 2015.
There is an active breed club, and, as of December 2017, about 100 UK registrations.
See also
*
Hungarian dog breeds
This is a list of recognized Hungarian dog breeds.
Hunting dogs
* Vizsla
* Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla
* Hungarian Hound-Transylvanian Scenthound
* Hungarian Greyhound
Guard and shepherd dogs
*Kuvasz
*Komondor
* Puli
* Pumi
*Mudi
See also
...
*
Dogs portal
*
List of dog breeds
This list of dog breeds includes both Neontology#Extant taxa versus extinct taxa, extant and extinct dog breeds, Designer breed, varieties, landraces, and dog types. A research article on genomics, dog genomics published in Science/AAAS defines m ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pumi (Dog)
Dog breeds originating in Hungary
Herding dogs
Rare dog breeds
FCI breeds