Non-Sporting Dogs

The Puli. The Puli (pl. Pulik) has worked for the Hungarian shepherds for the past 1000 years. The coat of the Puli is remarkable - the undercoat is soft, wooly and very dense, the outer coat forms long, tight matted cords. Since a working dog is seldom groomed, thick mats are formed and protect the dog in the bitter weather and biting winds when he will seldom have a roof over his head. The more domesticated dogs seen in the cities of eastern Europe are usually well brushed and the coat hangs in luxuriant strands. Height approximately 17 inches. An extremely active dog. Colours black, white or various shades of grey. Ears V-shaped and hanging. Tail sometimes a natural bob, otherwise long, carried over back when alert or low with the end curled when at rest.

The Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees). These large and intelligent dogs are akin to the Kuvasz and other herding breeds. It is an ancient breed, at least as early as the fifteenth century, French and Spanish shepherds in the Pyrenees used this breed, equipped with spiked iron collars.