Pumi

This unique breed dates back to the 1700s and is a direct descendent from the Puli, German Sheepdogs and French Sheepdogs, possibly the Pomeranian and Hutespitz. Many speculate that they also have ancient terriers in their lineage, which is why they can exhibit some terrier-like traits. The Puli was used to herd merino sheep in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Hungarian shepherds began cross-breeding the Puli with other herding dogs, mainly French and German Sheepdogs. The offspring of these breedings were able to handle the terrain of Hungary better than the Puli. The Pumi was developed to drive cattle because of their spirited, vocal and energetic ways. It did take over 300 years for this canine to evolve into the Pumi of today. They were first mentioned in historical documents by name in 1815 but it took over a hundred years later before they were actually recognized as a breed. Even though this working dog has a unique look with their puffy ears, many still confuse them with the Puli. They are not simply a herding dog; they were expected to perform other duties around the farm such as being a watchdog, hunting vermin and guarding the livestock. They are very much a typical herding breed and can be extremely vocal; in fact, the original breed standard described them as not having the ability to keep quiet. Over the years, the breed has spread outside of Hungary throughout Europe and into North America. The Hungarian Pumi Club of America was established and members worked diligently to educate the general public about these interesting herding dogs. The American Kennel Club recognized them as a herding breed in 2016.