# Dog Lovers....What About Pulis? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277 "2006-07-27T16:25:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/1 "2006-07-27T16:25:10Z")
The wife and I are considering getting a Puli puppy. We currently have a Springer/Border mix that loves to do the whole Agility/Flyball thing. We woudl probably expose the Puli to this as well. Does anyone have a strong opinion on Pulis? I’m a fairly strong handler, so dominance issues shouldn’t be a problem (unless the Puli beats me at Scrabble). Oh…I understand the coat is a lot of work. That’s OK, too. -Cem ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/2 "2006-07-27T17:16:44Z")
bump… No-one has opinions on a dog breed? Hogwash! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/3 "2006-07-27T17:19:32Z")
Well, not in General Questions they don’t, if they know what’s good for them. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/4 "2006-07-27T17:23:34Z")
You may have a point… moderator…would you please move this to IMHO? thanks, -Cem ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/5 "2006-07-27T17:23:56Z")
In the past 15 years of practicing veterinary medicine in various locales, I’ve seen 2 or 3. I do not think they are very common. ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/6 "2006-07-27T17:37:08Z")
What made you decide on a Puli? Whatever specific characteristics you are looking for, I bet you could find in a dog that doesn’t require hours upon hours of grooming. I would never choose this dog for a pet unless I intended to keep it shaved down all the time. I can only imagine how those cords smell when they get damp and dirty. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/7 "2006-07-27T17:40:59Z")
I have one piece of information and one piece only that I can contribute…and that is that the plural of puli is **pulik**. I think the only reason I know this is because puli hair is good for hand spinning. So if you get the puli and know any hand spinners and knitters, you might actually have the opportunity to be putting on the dog. (Groan! 😃 ) Seriously, it does make good spinning fiber. ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/8 "2006-07-27T19:03:14Z")
In anticipation that the thread will be moved: They seem to be nice dogs, are quite bright and very active. Of course, if your mixed breed is true to the activity levels of the breeds behind it, a Puli will fit right in! 🙂 I haven’t had any personal friends who owned one, but have seen and petted them at shows. They’re not really outgoing with strangers, but that’s more because they’re the offspring of working (herding) dogs, and as yet unmodified by fanciers. [AKC link](http://www.akc.org/breeds/puli/index.cfm) Contrary to appearance/opinion, maintaining a corded coat in the adult is supposed to be easy. However, if you get a young puppy, you’ll have to help get the cords established. The breeder should be able to help you with that. I predict that you would encounter serious censure from other Pulik owners if you did shave your dog, unless it was a one-time thing, for good reason. The cords are s’posta be an attraction, not something to eliminate. You may need to adapt to the odor, but it’s really not as bad as you might think, unless you expose the dog to lots of mud puddles. Pulik and Komondorok were both bred to live in the Great Outdoors[sup]TM[/sup]. As Hungary has great plains (not as big as ours, of course, but big for Europe), it was a place where many, many sheep lived. The Pulik and Komondorok lived with them, but had different functions (Pulik herd; Komondorok guard). Expect to pay a fairly steep price (probably north of $1,000, but you could luck out). You will likely also be required to prove to the breeder that you’re a good and appropriate home for one of their babies. ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/9 "2006-07-27T20:46:54Z")
[QUOTE=samm] What made you decide on a Puli? Whatever specific characteristics you are looking for, I bet you could find in a dog that doesn’t require hours upon hours of grooming. I would never choose this dog for a pet unless I intended to keep it shaved down all the time. I can only imagine how those cords smell when they get damp and dirty. [/QUOTE] Actually, a number of things: [ol] [li]Activity level. I want a dog that can keep up with my current dog. Newton has every bit of energy his crossbreeding would suggest. [/li][li]We want a smart dog, athletic, and one who will take to flyball and/or agility.[/li][li]Something a little different.[/li][li]My wife has turned the brushing-every-night into a ritual. She enjoys it, and is looking for a brushing challenge.[/li][/ol] And actually, they’re not supposed to smell bad at all! -Cem ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/10 "2006-07-27T21:07:56Z")
Puli + agility = [Odelay](http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Tips/BeckOdelay.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![rhythmonly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rhythmonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhythmonly)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/11 "2006-07-27T22:14:58Z")
My folks raised Pulis when I was growing up. Excellent dogs; big on the herding thing. Pretty smart, also. Be advised, however, that if you live in an area with stickers/foxtails outside, to be careful about grooming. Our dogs would often get foxtails in their mouths, after biting them out of another part of their anatomy. Then the foxtails would become imbedded in the sides of their mouths, which usually resulted in a large abcess that had to be lanced. I remember one Puli in particular named Holly, who’d survived a bout of distemper. It apparently highlighted her maternal instincts, as she’d bring home stray puppies/kittens, and nurse them. We had to draw the line when she tried raising baby sparrows and gophers. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/12 "2006-07-28T06:14:17Z")
[QUOTE=Cemetery Savior] moderator…would you please move this to IMHO [/QUOTE] \ With pleasure. \ ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/13 "2006-07-28T11:33:07Z")
[QUOTE=Mirror Image egamI rorriM] Puli + agility = [Odelay](http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Tips/BeckOdelay.jpg). [/QUOTE] I think that is a komondor, another hungarian breed ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/14 "2006-07-28T12:27:51Z")
[QUOTE=BluePitbull] I think that is a komondor, another hungarian breed [/QUOTE] I think it’s a mop being chucked over a bar. A cute mop, though. I know nothing about these dogs, but it looks to me like maintaining the cords on a puli would be similar to maintaining dreads on a human. Am I close? ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/15 "2006-07-28T13:32:53Z")
[QUOTE=Marlitharn] I think it’s a mop being chucked over a bar. A cute mop, though. [/QUOTE] I agree ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-lovers-what-about-pulis/366277/16 "2006-07-28T13:43:26Z")
[QUOTE=Cemetery Savior] The wife and I are considering getting a Puli puppy. We currently have a Springer/Border mix that loves to do the whole Agility/Flyball thing. We woudl probably expose the Puli to this as well. Does anyone have a strong opinion on Pulis? I’m a fairly strong handler, so dominance issues shouldn’t be a problem (unless the Puli beats me at Scrabble). Oh..I understand the coat is a lot of work. That’s OK, too. -Cem [/QUOTE] Gluttons for punisment! That dog is a full time job for grooming/care.