Puli Profile

history

The Puli is an ancient breed with a history that reaches back at least 2,000 years. Some believe a dog similar to the Puli existed 6,000 or more years ago; others believe the Puli derived more recently from the Tibetan Terrier.

Around the turn of the century, crews excavating for oil in what is now known as Iraq--once home to the ancient civilization known as Sumeria--came across the grave of a man who had been buried with a medium-sized dog and a sheep. Among the artifacts in the grave, they found a long, coarse knot of hair that was almost white with age. The makeup of that hair was very much like that of today's Puli. It's believed that this man was a shepherd, buried with his favorite sheepdog and a sheep.

There are indications that the Sumerians used Pulik or Puli-type dogs to herd sheep thousands of years ago. Clay plaques found in excavations of the town of Eridu reveal the Sumerian laws about animals. One of these has lines that refer to a Puli and a Komondor, another herding dog. Also in the same excavation site, an undamaged statuette of a Puli was found in the crypt of an eight-year-old girl.

About 1,100 years ago, Magyar tribesmen brought Pulik to Hungary, where they became prized for their herding abilities. Many of the shepherds preferred black dogs because they were easier to see among the white flocks. It's thought that the Puli was used to herd and drive the sheep, while the larger Komondor was used to guard the flocks.

Back then, a good Puli cost as much as a shepherd's full year of wages. As much as they valued their dogs, however, they were ruthless in culling those who weren't as intelligent or weren't able to perform their duties well. Many think that this culling is the reason why the Puli is such an intelligent and healthy breed today.

By the 1800s, the Hungarian shepherds determined the very best characteristics of these small sheepdogs, and they tried to breed specifically to produce high-quality animals. In the late 1800s, the first description of the Puli was written--but by then the need for the sheepdog was diminishing, and so were his numbers.

In 1912, Dr. Emil Raitsits, a professor at the Hungarian University of Veterinary Medicine, began a program to save the Puli from extinction. Adolf Lendl, the director of the Budapest Zoo, joined in the efforts. Together they remodeled part of the zoo for an experimental breeding program and exhibit. The program expanded, and they eventually named their kennel Allatkert. The foundation stock for many Hungarian kennels came from the Allatkert Kennel.

In 1915, enthusiasts wrote the first breed standard for the Puli. In 1924, the Federation Cynologique Internationale (International Kennel Club) approved this standard. At first there were three categories of Puli: the ancestral (working) Puli with a shaggy coat; the luxury or show Puli; and the dwarf Puli.

In 1935, four sizes of Pulik were recognized: the police Puli (19.7 inches high); the working or medium Puli (15.7 to 19.7 inches); the small Puli (11.8 to 15.7 inches); and the dwarf, miniature, or toy Puli (11 inches and under). The medium-sized Puli was the most popular.

By this time, owning a Puli, a Komondor, or other native Hungarian breeds became a source of pride in Hungary. About the same time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture became interested in the Puli and, in 1935, imported four purebred Pulik to take part in herding dog tests conducted at the Department's facility in Beltsville, Maryland. The Puli were said to have scored high marks on these tests, though the results were never published.

At the outbreak of World War II, the tests were stopped and the Pulik were sold to professional breeders. The original four dogs and their progeny are thought to be the first Pulik in the United States.

World War II was devastating to Hungary and also to dog breeders, particularly those in Europe. Food was scarce and there were no medical supplies. Kennels had to give their valuable breeding stock to people in other countries, and the Pulik who were left behind were often killed by bombs or shot by German or Russian soldiers. If the breed hadn't been so popular before the war, it probably would be extinct now.

Just as the Puli survived the harsh plains of Hungary, he beat the odds and, after the war, the number of Pulik in Hungary grew. In 1959, the Hungarian Puli Club created a Puli breed standard that eliminated the toy and police-size Pulik and included all of the remaining sizes in one category. By the 1960s, the number of Pulik in Hungary had reached prewar numbers.

The Puli was accepted for American Kennel Club registration in 1936, and the Puli Club of America was formed in 1951.

« Health | Next: Breed highlights »