Puli Care

The Puli (sometimes called the Hungarian Puli, with the plural being "Pulik") is a rare, medium-sized herding dog best known for its corded coat. And while those "dreadlock" coats are non-shedding, these dogs still need a lot of grooming, particularly when they're young and the coat cords are forming. Overall Puli care and maintenance will take a moderate amount of work and will need to include frequent coat care and regular exercise.

Below you'll find plenty of details on caring for a Puli, including puppy development, exercise needs, coat care, diet and nutrition, and more. For answers to your questions about raising a Puli, read on!

As a herding breed, Puli exercise requirements are pretty extensive. These dogs are athletic, intelligent, and independent, so they'll need a variety of activities that condition them physically (walking, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports). They make good jogging and bicycling companions as well.

The typical adult Puli, depending on age and activity level, will need at least an hour of proper exercise each day. You can start exercising your Puli pup at three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the puppy grows.

Precautions with Puli exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're nine months old
• Strong herding instincts mean a leash is required when exercising in public
• Yards should be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Possible separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people

It's important to exercise your Puli every single day. These dogs are accustomed to constant activity--and without it they'll become restless, destructive, and they'll bark nonstop. Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Puli exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 20-minute walks (or 15-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Hide-and-Seek: Good indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Dog Park: If properly socialized, Pulik enjoy the company of other dogs
• Canine Sports: Pulik can excel at agility or herding trials and other events
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, give your Puli access to balls or toys that will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also recommended that you have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these dogs need little care. Puli shedding and drooling are basically non-existent--but they'll still need a lot of grooming, especially from about ages 1-3 because that's when the coat cords form.

Pulis have double-layered coats that don't shed. Instead, the soft undercoat fuses to the outer coat, starting when the puppy is about eight months old, to form thick cords. (Prior to that, the occasionally brushed Pulie puppy coat is fluffy and fine.) Owners will need to use their hands to help separate and straighten the cords as they're forming--and the formation process can take a couple of years.

And a Puli almost never drools. If your Puli is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Puli diet will need to include animal proteins and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health in the long term. This means the best Puli food is premium dry kibble, as it has balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients.

Three recommended brands are Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, and Taste of the Wild--all of which carry excellent lines of premium dry food.

The typical adult Puli will need about two cups of premium dry food per day, divided into two meals. Puli puppies will need a bit less: again depending on age, about 1½ cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months old.

For more info on feeding a Puli from puppyhood through maturity, see this chart:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a little more adult food to the mixture, until the dog is eating it entirely.

Try if possible to stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these dogs may become overweight--and a fat Puli will have numerous health problems and a shortened lifespan. Help control your Puli's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Puli is overweight, run a hand along the dog's side. If you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!

Technically speaking, the Puli is both an inside and an outside dog. While they'll need plenty of outdoor exercise each day, Pulik are extremely loyal and sensitive, and will do much better living inside with their human family members. And for a Puli, apartment living is okay, long as the dog gets a lot of daily outdoor activity.

In regards to temperature: these dogs handle cold weather easily, and they can at least tolerate hot weather. Ideally, Pulik are best suited for living in cool climates.