Why the pumi breed? It’s ugly as hell and barks a lot, those are the reactions I usually get. When the public meets my pumas, they compare their appearance to (hold on) koala bears, llamas, sheep, jungle animals, frags, Alf the space creature… well the list goes on!
My pumi are often exposed in the media and after my first pumi Csar has danced for the Swedish people, many will have a “dancing koala bear” (which he was not when he came to me, read more about Csar on his own page). The Pumin must be a relatively sharp and brave dog that was originally used for herding both cattle and sheep, hence their tendency to easily take to husks as they are “body herders” who drive the animals with husks. They are/were some of the farm dogs that had many different tasks on the farm, not only herding and guarding the sheep but also hunting wild boar, among other things. And wild boar hunting is no game, there you need to be brave and not give up an inch against these tough animals.
Pumin has also been used for pest control on the farms down in Hungary, eg rats and other rodents.
When you as a dog possess these basic qualities, you don’t fit on the sofa, the puma is a workaholic. And that’s exactly what the puma is if it’s allowed to come into its own. It feels best from both physical and mental exercise, it does not say no to long walks or a brisk bike ride.
Its fur means it can handle both heat and cold without problems. A blanket on a pumi is not something you need (if the dog is not going to sit still for a long time).
The curly coat is cut by hand with scissors (never with a trimmer), and the coat is combed. A big plus on the edge is that these dogs do not shed and many allergy sufferers can handle having a pumi in the house, but it depends on what it is in the dog you are allergic to, e.g. saliva, dander, fur, etc. There are no guarantees, however, that it will work. One tip is to borrow a pumi for a while to see if you can really handle it and its type of fur.
A pumi suits an active person who wants to have his dog with him. And just like any other breed, it doesn’t want to be left alone, so you should probably consider a porcelain dog to put on the bookshelf instead.
You should want to spend time on your dog, not just in the first year but throughout the dog’s life. It wants to serve a purpose in the family it lives in, this task can be agility, bruks, freestyle, herding, obedience training, etc. An activity where it both gets an outlet for its running in its legs and gets to use its head. Not just on Sundays…
A cougar suits someone who is as quick in the head as the cougar himself, sometimes things go fast… you have to anticipate what the cougar will come up with next. Sometimes they “act first and think later”… so a future Pumi owner must have a sense of humor, because it is both creative and inventive. It always has something going for it, but is incredibly good at relaxing indoors, once it’s outside it’s “completely unconscious”…
A pumi should be manageable and forward, playful and brave. It should absolutely not back down from strangers, but can be tentative at the first meeting. Just because it is a herding dog that is classified as reserved, it should not be fearful and unpleasant. Make sure you meet both the female and the male you are going to buy a puppy from, are they nice? Or do they back off and growl dully? Do they accept being handled by you and do they respond to social contact? You should always be picky when buying a dog, you will live with your pumi hopefully for about 13-15 years. That’s not an unusual age for a healthy puma.
If you are a suitable Pumi owner, you have the time and patience to:
- Long walks
- An active dog life where you and your dog practice some form of activity together, e.g. obedience, herding, agility, drills, nose work or freestyle.
- Fur care with both combing and clipping.
A dog that can bark alot
Yes, a pumi can be perceived as “ugly as hell” but in my eyes pumi are the most beautiful there are!
