FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

-Can he see? Yes, but as though through a curtain of hair!! So don’t surprise him by swooping down on him from above or behind. And don’t stare in his face to try to ‘see his eyes’

-He’s a cross between a poodle and what ? He’s not a cross. He belongs to a very ancient breed; depending on where we place his origin, anywhere from 1,100 years to 8,000 years ago.

-Is he related to the Tibetan Terrier like the books say? As a veterinarian, I see a lot of Tibetan Terriers, and other than general height and tail carriage, I see no similarities which would suppose any significant genetic link between the two breeds, whether in structure, movement or personality.

-Do you have to twist his cords every night? Cords form naturally, and you just sit and watch the coat grow that way. They don’t come out in the bath water, either, they’re permanent.

-What do they look like when they’re born? They look like fat, solid little black (or white, or Fako) puppies, with a little crimp to their coat. They begin to form cords at about 10 months old.

-Are they good with kids? Generally speaking, like any other breed, there are variations among individuals. The good ones are very very good, and tend to take over as baby-sitters - for kids or older people or sick people, and so on. They’re great therapy dogs, as they have an excellent sense of what constitutes appropriate behavior, and they read situations very well.

-Is it really okay to show them brushed? The American standard is the only one which allows Pulik to be shown brushed. It is a white elephant from the times when the early American breeders were showing dogs with coats which couldn’t cord, and the fierce battles over the introduction of the corded Hungarian imports of the 60’s and 70’s. So, yes, you can show a brushed Puli if you like, but it won’t look much like most people’s idea of a Puli, and you would very likely find it hard to win with a dog presented that way.

-I'm not going to show my Puli, are there people who breed pets out there? There are, thankfully, not many "pet" breeders to speak of in this breed, in respect that there are few Pulik registered by the AKC produced either by puppy mills or by people with dogs of indifferent quality breeding just for the purposes of paying the taxes. Show dogs are bred to be physically sound, stable in temperament, and able to cope with changing circumstances. This is exactly the kind of Puli which also makes the best pet. "Pets", therefore, are just those puppies from our "show" litters which go to pet homes. Pet buyers who buy from bona fide breeders have just as good a chance of getting a healthy, stable, physically sound Puli as show buyers do. The market for Puli puppies is too small to attract people who would produce puppies to exploit the breed.

-What size of crate should I purchase for a Puli? Crates of different construction are used for different purposes. For air travel a fiberglass Vari Kennel or an aluminum solid side cage (special order and very expensive) are suitable. For shows, travel by car, and drying, cages of small mesh (openings about 1" square) are most suitable. A folding one is convenient. For an adult male Puli in full coat, the crate should be about the size of a 300 Vari Kennel, 32" x 22w x 23h. For travel by air in the summer, the crate should be a size larger than otherwise (400 size, 36" x 24w x 26h), as the only air the dog has to cool himself with is the air in his crate; if the dog and his coat fills the crate there's no room left for air. For a small female without coat traveling by air in the winter, a 200 Vari Kennel size is fine in many cases (27" x 20w x 19h). So, most people should buy a folding wire crate 30" x 21w x 24h for shows and car travel and a 300 or 400 Vari Kennel for air travel. The wire crate is also good for drying.

-I really like the idea of less urine. Can a Puli win shows if his coat is cut off 4" above the ground?No, that is not as a Champion going for best of breed or group wins. If you are showing to finish a champion, however, chances are you will be able to finish the title before the coat reaches the ground. If you wish to trim, don't cut 4" from the floor, but start at the feet and layer the coat on the way up to just below the rib cage, but that's for home use, not for shows.

Better yet, leave the coat and put the cords in terry cloth pony tail bands. I take small sections - about 4 to a rear leg on the girls or the boys, and pull them all the way around to the side of the leg, with 4 matching (!!!) color bands, for each leg - they actually look quite fetching going-away. The males are a bit harder, but basically, we separate the hair in the loin area, and bring it up to the midline, banding it in that position.