Is the Hungarian Puli Dog Breed Right for You?
If you are looking for an intelligent, medium-size dog breed that is hypoallergenic, and more than willing to please, then yes, the Puli is right for you! As a Puli owner and obedience competitor, the Puli dog has been my preference to enjoy my canine partnerships with for the last 33 years. I’d like to introduce you to the Puli dog breed, as well as the intricacies of raising and training this extraordinary, rare dog breed.
What Kind of Dog is a Puli
Puli dogs are a member of the herding group, originating from Hungary. Pulik (the plural for Puli) do not shed and have hair rather than fur. As a result, their coats can “cord” to create a distinctive look shared by Komondors and the occasional Poodle. In fact, Puli cords, untrimmed, can reach to the ground when mature.
Today the Pulik popularity is 161 out of 200 registered breeds by AKC. In 2022, there were only 117 Pulik out of 717,612 dogs registered, in all breeds within AKC. This was only up slightly from the number of Pulik registered in 2010. Sadly, the number of Pulik competing and placing in obedience and rally has dropped dramatically since 2010. Out of an estimated 48,000 AKC dogs placing in all companion events, the average number competing for the Puli is 5. (Companion events include agility, obedience, rally and tracking) In this same time period of 2010 to 2024, 16 OTCHs, 18 UDXs and 1 OGM in the Puli breed. This is an amazing number for a breed registry as small as the Puli.
How Intelligent Are Puli Dogs?
The Puli is an exceptionally smart and willing dog for obedience. Pulik have always been considered a rare breed and Pulik with an OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion), UDX (Utility Dog Excellent) titles there is an amazingly high percentage. As of today, there are 16 Pulik who have achieved the OTCH title, 18 that have achieved the UDX title and 1 that has achieved the OGM (Obedience Grand Master).
Be forewarned, while the Puli is very smart and eager to learn, they, like many breeds, are strong willed. Therefore you must first establish your relationship with your Puli, that you are Alpha of the pair. Like many of the top obedience breeds, they have a strong desire to please you. But only if you first establish that you are in charge. Again, they will take charge and set the rules, if you do not establish your role as leader from the beginning. If you fail to establish this role, the Puli will then establish they are in charge. As we will discuss, a strong bond with your Puli is important for obedience, as well as basic puppy manners, and starts the minute you get your Puli home.
How Do You Train A Puli Puppy?
Training Motivators for Puli Puppies
Training starts when you first get a puppy. Start with small things like – come on command; sit; down and stay. Food is a great motivator and reward for correct behavior. Some Puli dogs prefer a toy as a reward, and it is good to be able to use both as rewards for your dog. Keep in mind, rewards should only be given for the correct behavior. Eventually, you can also use verbal praise in a very positive tone of voice, without giving food.
At first, food can be used as a lure, and can be given with verbal praise but with time, you should move from food to praise as a reward. (That is not to say never give food but use it with care and as a reward for getting the behavior you want). There are also higher value treats, ones that a dog likes even better than others – learn your dog’s preferences. When you go into an obedience ring, rally ring or agility ring, you cannot take food. Therefore, the dog must learn the meaning of your voice as a positive reinforcement.
Training for Competition with Puli Puppies
There is a lot of foundation work you can do in the first two years of your Puli’s life that does not require jumping full height jumps. Be familiar with how a dog or puppy’s bones and body develop and when growth plates close. Initially, puppies need to learn where their feet are, and poles set on the ground as a cavaletti are great for this. I start by teaching parts and pieces of exercises. I will teach parts and pieces of all levels of obedience exercises. Do not wait for a title at one level to begin training the next level. You will find that your puppy loves the attention, learning and time bonding with you. Do not be in a rush to get into the ring, enjoy the journey.
Socializing Puli Puppies
It is good for puppies to get used to different environments and people. Dog parks are dangerous for all dogs, especially young dogs. You never know what another dog will do, even if the owner says “oh, my dog loves all other dogs.” Introduce your puppy to others in a controlled and safe environment. Many stores will allow you to take your dog in on a leash (Lowes and Home Depot). These are excellent opportunities – use them. You are there with the dog and can protect them, if there is something scary to them. Always have treats in your pocket that you can reward with, as well as verbal praise and assurance. Or even ask a stranger in the store to give a treat to your dog.
There are many activities like a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) class, pet manners classes, Trick dog and even conformation that can help with your dog’s socialization and confidence. They are truly little sponges and love learning and new challenges.
Puli Dog Breed Specific Challenges in Training
I never give my Pulik the excuse that they are a Puli. They are first a dog and only secondly a Puli. The only leeway I will allow is if they have a long, corded coat. It is then up to me to teach them to jump a little higher, so the coat does not knock bars. But for your beginning levels of obedience and rally, there are no jumps.
If you want to go on with these sports to the upper levels, you should think about trimming the cords or cutting them completely and competing with a brushed coat. A fully corded coat can also add weight to your dog that can slow them down. I have found when I trim their coats to a shorter cord or brushed coat, they move faster and with more ease in companion and performance sports. It is like taking a heavy coat off and putting on running clothes if you are going to run a race.
AKC Competitions for the Puli Dog Breed
Whether you ever compete in obedience or rally, a well-trained dog is more of a pleasure to live with. If you enjoy doing things with your dog and being a team, then the Puli is an ideal choice. Each experience in a ring should be fun, and the dog needs to feel your support. Even if there is a mistake, you need to remember that you still get to take the best dog there home with you! Always keep a smile on your face, and let them know you still love them.
While herding, obedience, rally and even agility, are relatively small participation sports, that we can do with our dogs, they are fun and rewarding companion events. The Puli is well suited to these.
Find a good instructor or school in your area. Go and watch a class to see how they teach. Be sure you are comfortable with their methods. Watch a few parts and pieces of exercises. Even in the beginning, I will teach parts and pieces of all levels of obedience exercises. Do not wait for a title at one level to begin training the next level. You will find that your puppy loves the attention, learning and time bonding with you. Do not be in a rush to get into the ring, enjoy the journey.
Are Puli Dogs Good with Children?
Yes, like most dog breeds, if they are raised with children under proper parental supervision, they will be loving pets for the children in the family.
Are Puli Dogs Good with Other Dogs?
Generally yes, but it depends on how they have been raised. Pulik are good with other dogs, particularly if they have been properly socialized at an early age. After their vaccinations, they should be enrolled in a Puppy Manners class or AKC CGC class to learn basic manners with other dog breeds present, to fully socialize them.
Do Puli Dogs Bark a Lot?
That depends on the line they are descended from. They can be barkers, some are and some are not. If it matters to you, ask the breeder about how talkative the Puli puppies’ parents are. That can give you an indication if the Puli puppies will be barkers or not.
Are Puli Dogs High Maintenance?
Yes! In fact Stephanie Horan’s guide to grooming Puli Dogs, Striking the Right Cord, is 56 pages long! If you want to better understand the various grooming rituals available to owners of Pulik, there are many great grooming resources on the Puli Club of America’s website.
Bathing a Puli does not take very long. One must be sure to remove all of the soap from the coat and cords. Drying the Puli, however, does take several hours. It is important to ring out the cords gently, towel dry them and then fully dry them with a non heat dryer. Otherwise, you can risk mildew in the cords. Having said that, Puli dogs do not have the typical “doggy” smell, and require fewer baths than your typical Labrador Retriever.
Also, I would add in discussing the Puli’s coat, that I don’t fully consider them a hypoallergenic dog breed. They do shed fuzz, but not much and no hair, like other dog breeds. Also, the cords of the Puli help to insulate them from frigid weather as well as hot summer days.
Puli Breed FAQs
How Long Do Puli Dogs Live?
The average lifespan for a Puli dog is 10-15 years.
Are Puli Dogs Crossed with Poodles?
No, the Puli Dog Breeds is an ancient purebred breed, dating back at least 2000 years to a region in Asia. In fact, there is evidence that this proud breed existed as far back as 6000 years ago.
Do You Have to Braid the Coat to Make the Cords?
No, the cording happens naturally.
Where to Find Puli Puppies For Sale?
The best place to look for reputable Puli Puppy breeders is through the Puli Club of America’s website. Their breeder referral page can help you find a reputable Puli breeder in your area. Additionally, you can attend an AKC conformation dog show, and hope to meet a Puli breeder there. You can check online before the show to see if they have Puli entries. Infodog’s, show information can guide you to the upcoming shows in your area, as well as the website of the superintendent who is managing the show. Approximately one week before the show, breed counts will be posted, and you can see if there are any Puli entries. Meeting a breeder and developing a rapport with them will help you to get on their Puli puppy wish list.
The AKC Marketplace also lists puppies for sale from AKC registered Puli puppy litters.
Final Thoughts on the Puli Dog Breed
Puli dogs are an ancient breed that were bred exclusively for their intelligence, speed and agility in working livestock. In fact, in earlier centuries, a good, working Puli was worth a shepherd’s annual salary. Their ability to work and think for themselves, means you will have to take extra care in training to maintain your alpha role, through consistency and positive reinforcement methods. The Puli do have a strong desire to please, and as your training progresses you will enjoy a special bond with your little genius, as you work towards earning a canine PhD!
About the Author
Breed specialist, Nancy Kelly, has shared her home with Pulik since 1979. She began training in competitive obedience in 1992. Since then she has trained and shown in conformation, obedience, rally, herding and agility with her Puli dogs.
Currently, she shares her home with her seventh and eighth Pulik. To date, she has earned in AKC obedience 5 OTCHs, 5 UDXs, 1 OGM with several High In Trials and High Combined awards, as well as a number of lower obedience titles. In the conformation ring, she has earned 4 championships, all as owner handled Pulik. And in AKC agility, she has earned 1 MACH, in addition to several other agility titles. In AKC herding, she has earned 1 HSAS and 3 PTs with Puli dogs in herding tests and trials.
