AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: Pumi

The Pumi is a medium-sized, agile Hungarian herding breed. They are versatile stock dogs, equally adept at gathering, driving and keeping the stock under control. The breed has a long head with semi-erect ears, a whimsical expression and a tail that forms a circle over the back. The coat (black, white, gray, or shades of fawn from pale cream to red) is a combination of wavy and curly hair, forming corkscrews or curls all over the body, and is never smooth or corded.

A Look Back
The Pumi originated in the 17th or 18th centuries in Western Hungary from the ancestral Puli mixed with French and German herding dogs. It is said that there is also some terrier blood behind them which may have helped when herding cattle, sheep, and swine. In the early part of the 20th century Dr. Emil Raitsis identified the separate characteristics of the Hungarian sheepdogs and selective breeding to intensify these characteristics began. The Pumi was identified as an independent breed in 1920.

Right Breed for You?
The Pumi is energetic, lively and ready to work. They combine the intelligence of the herding dog along with the alertness of a terrier.  Because of this, they need daily work to do, whether it's herding, agility, obedience, flyball, jogging, or chasing tennis balls.  They shed only when combed, about every 2 weeks, and should be groomed approximately every 3 months. 

If you are considering purchasing a Pumi puppy, learn more here.

© The American Kennel Club, Inc.

Pumi Breed Standard

Miscellaneous Class

Eligible Registries: Any Acceptable Domestic or Foreign Registry

Contact: Hungarian Pumi Club of America, Inc., Kathy Donovan, Secretary, 24185 Beaver Dam Drive, Seaford, DE 19973, pamprpaw@att.net

General Appearance
The Pumi is a medium-sized alert, intelligent, energetic, and agile Hungarian herding breed, originating in the 17th or 18th centuries from the ancestral Puli, and used to herd cattle, sheep, and swine. He is characterized by his square outline, curly coat, circular tail, and long head with semi-erect ears, and whimsical expression. The Pumi originated in Hungary where pastures were small and the livestock were driven to local fields for grazing. He is a versatile stock dog, equally adept at gathering, driving and keeping the stock within boundaries as directed by the shepherd, working very close to the livestock, and using his voice and quick movement to keep the stock under control.

Size, Proportion, Substance
The Pumi is square, with the height at the withers equal to the distance from prosternum to buttocks.The bone is medium and the body is dry, lithe and muscular, with an off-standing, curly coat.
Size: Dogs are from 16" to 18½", bitches from 15" to 17½". Disqualification: Height ½" above or below the desired range.
Weight: Ideal weight in dogs is 27 – 29 lbs and in bitches 22 -24 lbs.

Head
Long, with the muzzle 40-50% of the length of the head. The planes are parallel with a slight stop.
Expression is lively and intelligent.
Eyes are medium sized, dark brown, deep set, and oval, set moderately wide apart and slightly oblique. The pigment is dark and complete with tightly-fitting eye rims.
Ears are set on high, of medium size, and carried two-thirds erect with the tips pointing somewhat towards the sides. The ears are covered with hair, enhancing their whimsical expression. The ears are mobile and alert, moving quickly in reaction to any stimulation. Disqualifications: Ears prick or hanging.
Skull is long, moderate in width, with a very slight rounding at the sides and back, but flat when viewed from the side. The occiput is not apparent.
Muzzle is strong, tapering to a blunt end at the nose, which is always black in all coat colors. Lips are tight and darkly pigmented, as are the gums.
Jawsare strong, with a full complement of well-developed, white teeth that form a scissors bite.

Neck, Topline and Body
Neck is of medium length, slightly arched, and well-muscled. The skin at the throat is tight, dry, and without dewlap.

Withers pronounced and forming the highest point of the body.

Body: The body is smooth and tight with hard, but not bulging muscles, and particularly lean. The back is short, straight, and taut. The loin is short, straight, and firmly coupled. The croup is not too long, slightly sloped, and of medium breadth.
The chest is deep, fairly narrow, and extends well back to a moderate tuck-up. The ribs are slightly sprung with a deep brisket reaching to the elbows. The forechest is not pronounced. The depth of the chest is slightly less than 50% of the height at the withers.
Tail:set high, it arches over the back forming a full circle from base to tip, sitting just on top of the topline. In repose it may hang down. Docking is not permitted nor is a naturally short tail (stump).

Forequarters
Shoulders: The shoulders are moderately angulated, with long, well-knit shoulder blades and an upper arm matching in length. The angle formed between the shoulder blade and upper arm should be 100 to 110 degrees. The elbows are tucked firmly against the brisket.
The legs are long and straight, with medium bone. The pastern is very slightly sloped.
The feet are tight, and round with well-knit toes – a cat foot, with well-cushioned pads. The nails are strong and preferably black or nearly black.

Hindquarters
The hindquarters are well-developed and muscular, and in balance with the forequarters having moderate angulation. The upper thigh is thick and strong, with a long, strong second thigh.
The hocks are short, vertical, and parallel to each other. A vertical line can be drawn from the ischium down to the ground just in front of the rear toes when viewed from the side. Rear dewclaws, if any, may be removed. Hind feet same as the forefeet.

Coat
The coat is a combination of wavy and curly hair, forming corkscrews or curls all over the body, and is never smooth or corded. The coat consists of an even mixture of harsh hair and softer undercoat. The coat stands out from the body approximately 1½" to 3" and is prepared using a combination of stripping and trimming. The eyes and the foreface are free of long hair.
The hair on the underside of the tail ranges from ½" at its shortest to 3" to 5" and has little undercoat.
In order to achieve the characteristic corkscrews and curls in the coat, the hair is allowed to dry naturally. The coat must never appear fluffed and blown dry, obscuring the characteristic curls.

Color
Black, white, or any shades of gray. Shades of fawn from pale cream to red, with some black or gray shading desirable. The grays are born black and fade to various shades of gray. In any of the colors, an intermixture of some gray, black or white hairs is acceptable as long as the overall appearance of a solid color is maintained.
A white mark on the chest less than 1" at the longest dimension is permissible, as are white toe tips.
Skin pigmentation is dark, with the coat colors intense and solid, although there may be lighter or darker shadings on head and legs.
Disqualification: Any multiple-color pattern or patches, e.g. black and tan pattern , piebald, parti-colored.

Gait
The gait is light and spirited, energetic and efficient, with moderate reach and drive, enabling them to change direction instantly. Head and tail are carried up. From the front and rear, the legs travel in a straight line in the same planes, and tend to converge toward a median line of travel as speed increases.

Temperament
Lively, alert, intelligent, bold, and ready for duty, yet reserved with strangers, the Pumi assesses each new situation.

Faults
Any deviation from the foregoing should be considered a fault, the seriousness of the fault depending upon the extent of the deviation. Additional emphasis should be given to those characteristics that distinguish the Pumi from the Puli: head, ears, tail, and coat.

Disqualifications
Height ½" above or below the desired range.
Ears prick or hanging.
Any multiple-color pattern or patches, e.g. black and tan pattern, piebald, parti-colored.