Hungarian Puli
The Hungarian Puli arrived in the Carpathian basin with the Magyars over a thousand years ago and worked as the sheep-driving dog of the plains, quick enough to run across the…
About the Hungarian Puli
The Hungarian Puli arrived in the Carpathian basin with the Magyars over a thousand years ago and worked as the sheep-driving dog of the plains, quick enough to run across the backs of a packed flock. The famous cords are the adult form of a coat that starts as a soft puppy fleece and has to be separated by hand as it grows.
Dogs stand 40 to 44 cm and are far more athletic than the coat suggests, in black, rusty black, grey or the pale fawn the Hungarians call fako, which carries a dark mask. Cording takes two or three years to form and needs attention for life. A stud should be lively and self-possessed; the breed is naturally noisy and reactive, so a dog that switches off is a real asset to pass on.
Ask for hip scores and for a current eye certificate, since hip dysplasia, cataract and progressive retinal atrophy have all been reported. Ask which DNA tests the breed club currently recommends rather than assuming a fixed panel. Given how few Pulik there are outside Hungary, ask what the coefficient of inbreeding for the proposed mating would be, and where the stud's grandparents were bred.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Hungarian Puli
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
| Eye testing (BVA/KC/ISDS) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC/ISDS | Result printed on the eye certificate. |
Breed hip median
Breed median 12 (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years, 28 dogs scored — indicative only, from a small sample). Lower is better. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Hungarian Puli stud dogs
No Hungarian Puli studs are listed right now
When a Hungarian Puli on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Hungarian Puli litters
No Hungarian Puli litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
