Just like the Komondor, the Puli is a Hungarian breed with a distinctive, corded coat. Where the Komondor is only white or buff-colored, the Puli may be black, gray, or white.
In the two breeds, the coat is similar: a soft, wooly undercoat and a wiry, curly top coat. The coat tends to cord naturally if allowed. In dog shows, the Puli can be shown either corded or brushed (not corded). As the dog ages, the coat (corded or uncorded) can become quite long — even touching the ground!
Did you know? One dog is a Puli; multiple dogs are Pulik.
Pulik are somewhat smaller than their corded cousins, the Komondorok. Males stand around seventeen inches at the shoulder; females stand just an inch shorter. The average weight of an adult male is around thirty pounds. They move in a light-footed, graceful way. At full speed, Pulik cover the ground smoothly and quickly — this helps them in their work as herding dogs.
The Puli makes a good watchdog because he is sensible, yet suspicious. Close family gets to see the loving intelligence of this breed; outsiders may not be privy to the dog’s personality.
The ancestors of the modern Puli traveled to Hungary as sheepdogs with wandering Magyars. The Puli’s color hints that there may be Tibetan terrier in the bloodline as well as breeds more like the Komondor and Kuvasz. The breed was nearly lost thanks to interbreeding; a concerted effort in the early 1900s revived the Puli breed and set the breed standard followed today.
While the Komondor was a protector of herds who could hide amongst the livestock, the Puli was used for actual herding during the day. The dark coat stood out to the shepherd’s eye; the sheep themselves seemed to take better guidance from a dark-colored dog than from a light-colored dog.