Have you heard the big news? The AKC just welcomed a new breed: the Pumi! Although he’s been around for a long time, since he wasn’t recognized as a breed, he didn’t get to go to any dog shows. All that is about to change. Let’s check out more about this Hungarian herding terrier and his journey to become a part of the AKC’s official breed list.
AKC Introduces 190th Breed: The #Pumi #AKCPumihttps://t.co/pVGueEezU5 pic.twitter.com/hytAihlY9h
— American Kennel Club (@akcdoglovers) June 22, 2016
The American Kennel Club is responsible for registering purebred dog pedigrees within the United States. They were founded in 1884, featuring 13 breed clubs; 10 of them in the United States and 3 of them in Canada. To be registered with the American Kennel Club, there are some criteria that the breed needs to meet first. First and foremost, the dog breed’s parents have to be registered with the AKC. If the parents are not AKC registered, the AKC may use special registry research to determine eligibility.
Related: 2015 National Dog Show Recap: The Year of the Underdog!
Introducing: The Pumi, the AKC’s Newest Recognized Breed
The Pumi is the 190th breed of dog that has been introduced by the AKC. Because the Pumi is now known as a purebred dog on the AKC’s registry, it can now compete in the 2017 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show that will take place on February 13th and 14th, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York. This dog breed is listed in the Herding Group, one out of the seven groups that are classified by the AKC, with the other 6 being Sporting, Non-Sporting, Working, Hounds, Terriers and Toy Breeds. Other dog breeds including in the Herding Group include Australian Cattle Dog, Collie, Icelandic Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Spanish Water Dog.
So, what do we know about this breed of dog? Well, this dog breed came about in the 1700’s and were bred by Puli dogs and sheepdogs that were of French or German in nature. It gained recognition as a dog breed in the 1920’s. These dogs are herding dogs that derive from Hungary and are medium in size.
Pumi dogs are born black in color but turn gray as they become adults. They have medium-length fur that is thick and curly. Because their coat grows rather quickly, they do need constant grooming. Pumi dogs are good with children but not so good with other pets in the home. They are easily trained and don’t mind being home alone. Also, these dogs are very active, highly energetic, vivacious and always alert. Because of these traits, they regular lots of exercise and are considered to be outdoor dogs.
The president of the Hungarian Pumi Club of America, Chris Levy, stated about the Pumi dog breed, “They’re not for somebody who’s going to sit and watch TV all day long. But if provided with enough exercise and stimulation, the Pumi can chill out.”
Do you already have a Pumi? What do you think about this news? Tell us in the comments!
Photo Credit: By Caronna CC BY-SA 3.0
