Puli Puppies Blog

Puli. Looks like a scarf..or a mop.. but if we get closer, we find it cute. If we want to get to know them a bit more, we have to accept that this unique breed has nothing to do with dogs in general. A Puli opens a new world, shows us new dimensions… Puli has been working with people for centuries, it is ready to obey commands anytime. It was even said for a while, that a Puli can read one’s mind. Its amazing intelligence makes him able to do any kind of exercise. It’s the same with agility. This sport is based on the cooperation of people and dogs and Pulis know what it takes to be a good colleague. Pulis can do great at agility competitions, if trained properly.

Is it normal, anyway?!

Yes, it is. Just imagine the situation from the point of view of your Puli. He is part of the family, often treated as “the kid”, and then, suddenly, a new creature arrives and takes all the attention of his beloved family. It is quite similar to what older children feel, when a little brother/sister arrives. One of the differences is just that the dog can’t speak English

Actually, if we are aware of this ‘problem’ in advance, the situation can be handled, but it needs consciousness and to be started in time, long before the baby’s arrival. Let’s see how we can prepare our Puli for the new family member.

If your dog’s daily routine has to be changed with the baby’s arrival (it probably will), you should start changing the rules much earlier, giving him plenty of time to get used to the new set up. This way it isn’t going to be so sudden and shocking. If your Puli hasn’t really been trained before, it’s high time to start. He should learn at least a few commands, like sit, stay, etc. This way, he’ll be easier to handle.

Many families worry about their dog endangering the health of the child, so the best thing to do is to take your pet to the vet, get him checked and get some advice. Get your Puli used to the new smells, sounds in advance (blankets, lotions, toys). It’s also a good idea, that just after your baby was born, send home a blanket that the baby had been in, so your dog can experience the child’s smell in advance. It is very important to know that your  Puli will get a lot less attention from the mother, so when taking the baby home for the first time, the mother should greet the dog, so it is better if someone else is carrying the baby.

It is also a good idea not to leave them alone together at the first times, until your Puli feels comfortable with the baby, because, for example, it is very possible that the dog won’t tolerate the child’s crying very well in the beginning. You have to teach him that this is a normal sound, and you should motivate him not to bark (with treats, for example).

And the most important rule for last, maybe it seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: try to give as much attention to your Puli as you can. The point is that he has to feel that you do care about him. If you keep this in mind, most probably there will be no problem. You could also try Preparing Fido, which is an amazing collection of Baby sounds designed especially to get your dog ready for the arrival of the new Baby!

The narrow line between training and abuse

Many dog owners think that their Puli is the smartest in the world. There’s no problem with this, up to certain a point. This point is when the owner expects as much from the dog as if it really was the most intelligent creature the world has ever seen. They expect them to learn everything right away, whereas dogs need time to learn things, the same way as we, humans do. Just in a different way Well, the point is, that training requires time and patience. It can be different for all dogs, but we do have to keep this in mind and take the time and energy to train our Puli.

Another common mistake (also because of the lack of patience) is to give up. Many people think that they have already tried everything but the dog doesn’t want to learn. In this case, maybe the methods are not the best, or they need more time. There are no dogs who wouldn’t be able to learn at least a few commands. Giving up is never a solution.

So, if we have the time and the patience we can avoid the next, and maybe the biggest mistake: to turn training into abuse. Probably you expect me to tell you where this line is. I can’t. This is something the owner should know. Training is all about communication. If you know your Puli, if you pay attention to him, you see how he feels. Unfortunately many dog owners don’t have this ability, because they only keep pets for entertainment, while a dog is much more than that.

Going back to training, a very important rule is that your goal should be that your Puli obeys to commands because he is keen to do so. NOT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. Many-many owners forget about this, and feel the training successful, but actually they are making their dog unhappy. How can someone live happily in fear? No way. These owners are only keeping a dog to make themselves happy, and don’t feel the responsibility they should.

So the point is, that ‘positive training’ is possible. Actually, that’s the only way.

The first difficulties most Puli owners face is potty training their puppy. As with general training, the main principles remain the same: a positive, rewarding approach and a lot of patience is required. There are, however a few tips and tricks that will make the whole process faster and easier for both puppy and owner. Find out what Sharda Baker has to say on the topic, who has developed her best practices by years of trial and error.

Please comment if you have something to add.

It’s not a scarf, not a wig, it’s beautiful little Puli!

You can get some info on how to buy a Puli here.

Very intelligent, acrobatic, light, quick, agile and obedient, that is how Puli owners describe this breed. They are traditionally used as both livestock guarding dog and as herding as well. Pulis make a good watchdog as they are very protective of their owner and their territory as well.

Although Pulis look like it does not need to be groomed at all because it’s a “rope-coated” dog, this breed still needs grooming every 6 weeks. This breed’s coat need some intense work because keeping up a steady grooming schedule will cut down on matting and odor problem from arising on its thick coat. Just like any other breed, you need to pay attention on its health and should take care of it as much as possible. As for you, take care of your cards by owning an I Love My Puli Business Card Holder. This card holder is made of stainless steel and lined with felt on the inside. It can hold up to 15 business cards and very convenient as it is pocket sized.

Written by highly experienced dog trainer, Daniel Stevens, Secrets to Dog Training is a comprehensive resource covering all the most important aspects of dog ownership. The 261 page manual is superbly detailed, still the step-by-step format of the book makes it very easy for Puli owners to understand and apply the instructions. The book also comes with a 30 minute downloadable video. By completing the course, you will learn how to:

• stop and prevent dog fights
• curb your dog’s aggressiveness
• make your dog understand what is right and wrong
• apply techniques professional trainers use
• house train your dog
• stop your dog racing in the house
• deal with a dominant dog
• overcome separation anxiety
• stop your dog jumping on people
• teach your dog when it is appropriate to bark
• understand how your dog thinks and sees the world
• apply the cutting edge Dog Whispering technique
• deal with more than one dog in the house
• stop the family cat being harassed.

Secrets to Dog Training is very comprehensive, easy to understand and effective. If you want to tackle any of your dog’s behavior problems, this book is for you. You can benefit from the book, even if your dog is perfectly trained as the author shares a lot of his insights on the possible best relationship between dog and owner.

Visit official website.

Like the Komondor, the uniqueness of the Puli comes from its corded coat. Similar to the appearance of dreadlocks, they give a “hip” look to this canine. However unlike the dreadlock that need twisting and braiding, the coats of the Puli naturally turn that way. On average, it would take 4 to 5 years for the coat to grow long enough to touch the ground. But the cording doesn’t begin there. It begins as early as nine months and by twelve months it will be quite impossible to stop.

What owners should do is carefully monitor the cording and prevent solid matting by parting some of them and let the skin air. Bathing the Puli is something that would take effort and patience.  The washing is simple by simply making sure the coats are soaked, soaped and rinsed. The challenging part is the drying which could take hours for the cords need to be wrung carefully and dried well to prevent mildew. It seems that having its uniqueness does come with the price of laborious yet loving work.

Puli’s are square framed dogs with coats that are shaggy and corded similar to that of a Komondor. Accepted colors of this dog are in shades of black, gray and white. Underneath the dreadlocks are rounded heads, eyes almond in shape and straight muzzles with black noses. Tails are not straight but curl over the back. Puli’s are very athletic, faithful and intelligent to the point that they may be thought of as stubborn.  These are some of the few details stating how a genuine and pure Puli Dog should look like. If one is interested in owning a Puli Dog, then careful study of the breed standard is needed for detecting scam breeders that don’t follow quality. Here are some red flags to be aware of when buying a Puli Dog: Read the rest of this entry »

Look into the eyes of this cute Puli pup, looks like he is about to say something.

Save money on vet bills! Do the basic health check yourself.

This cute Puli puppy is ready to jump! He will make a perfect watchdog around the garden.