Official AKC Pumi Standard

General Appearance: The Pumi is a medium-sized alert, intelligent, energetic, and agile
Hungarian herding breed, originating in the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries from the
ancestral Puli, and used to herd cattle, sheep, and swine. He is characterized by his square
outline, curly coat, circular tail, and long head with semi-erect ears, and whimsical expression.
The Pumi originated in Hungary where pastures were small and the livestock were driven to
local fields for grazing. He is a versatile stock dog, equally adept at gathering, driving and
keeping the stock within boundaries as directed by the shepherd, working very close to the
livestock, and using his voice and quick movement to keep the stock under control.

Size, Proportion, Substance: The Pumi is square, with the height at the withers equal to the
distance from prosternum to buttocks. The bone is medium and the body is dry, lithe and
muscular, with an off-standing, curly coat. Size – Dogs are from 16 to 18½ inches, bitches from
15 to 17½ inches. Disqualification – Height ½ inch above or below the desired range. Weight –
Ideal weight in dogs is 27 to 29 pounds and in bitches 22 to 24 pounds.

Head: Long, with the muzzle 40 to 50 percent of the length of the head. The planes are parallel
with a slight stop. Expression is lively and intelligent. Eyes are medium sized, dark brown, deep
set, and oval, set moderately wide apart and slightly oblique. The pigment is dark and complete
with tightly-fitting eye rims. Ears are set on high, of medium size, and carried two-thirds erect
with the tips pointing somewhat towards the sides. The ears are covered with hair, enhancing
their whimsical expression. The ears are mobile and alert, moving quickly in reaction to any
stimulation. Disqualifications – Ears prick or hanging.
Skull is long, moderate in width, with a very slight rounding at the sides and back, but flat when
viewed from the side. The occiput is not apparent. Muzzle is strong, tapering to a blunt end at the
nose, which is always black in all coat colors. Lips are tight and darkly pigmented, as are the
gums. Jaws are strong, with a full complement of well-developed, white teeth that form a
scissors bite.
Neck, Topline and Body: Neck is of medium length, slightly arched, and well-muscled. The
skin at the throat is tight, dry, and without dewlap. Withers pronounced and forming the highest
point of the body.
Body – The body is smooth and tight with hard, but not bulging muscles, and particularly lean.
The back is short, straight, and taut. The loin is short, straight, and firmly coupled. The croup is
not too long, slightly sloped, and of medium breadth. The chest is deep, fairly narrow, and
extends well back to a moderate tuck-up. The ribs are slightly sprung with a deep brisket
reaching to the elbows. The forechest is not pronounced. The depth of the chest is slightly less
than 50 percent of the height at the withers. Tail – set high, it arches over the back forming a full
circle from base to tip, sitting just on top of the topline. In repose it may hang down. Docking is
not permitted nor is a naturally short tail (stump).
Forequarters: Shoulders – The shoulders are moderately angulated, with long, well-knit
shoulder blades and an upper arm matching in length. The angle formed between the shoulder
blade and upper arm should be 100 to 110 degrees. The elbows are tucked firmly against the
brisket. The legs are long and straight, with medium bone. The pastern is very slightly sloped.
The feet are tight, and round with well-knit toes – a cat foot, with well-cushioned pads. The nails
are strong and preferably black or nearly black.
Hindquarters: The hindquarters are well-developed and muscular, and in balance with the
forequarters having moderate angulation. The upper thigh is thick and strong, with a long, strong
second thigh. The hocks are short, vertical, and parallel to each other. A vertical line can be
drawn from the ischium down to the ground just in front of the rear toes when viewed from the
side. Rear dewclaws, if any, may be removed. Hind feet same as the forefeet.
Coat: The coat is a combination of wavy and curly hair, forming corkscrews or curls all over the
body, and is never smooth or corded. The coat consists of an even mixture of harsh hair and
softer undercoat. The coat stands out from the body approximately 1½ to 3 inches and is
prepared using a combination of stripping and trimming. The eyes and the foreface are free of
long hair. The hair on the underside of the tail ranges from ½ inch at its shortest to 3 to 5 inches
and has little undercoat. In order to achieve the characteristic corkscrews and curls in the coat,
the hair is allowed to dry naturally. The coat must never appear fluffed and blown dry,
obscuring the characteristic curls.
Color: Black, white, or any shades of gray. Shades of fawn from pale cream to red, with some
black or gray shading desirable. The grays are born black and fade to various shades of gray. In
any of the colors, an intermixture of some gray, black or white hairs is acceptable as long as the
overall appearance of a solid color is maintained. A white mark on the chest less than 1 inch at
the longest dimension is permissible, as are white toe tips. Skin pigmentation is dark, with the
coat colors intense and solid, although there may be lighter or darker shadings on head and legs.
Disqualification – Any multiple-color pattern or patches, e.g., black and tan pattern, piebald,
parti-colored.
Gait: The gait is light and spirited, energetic and efficient, with moderate reach and drive,
enabling them to change direction instantly. Head and tail are carried up. From the front and rear,
the legs travel in a straight line in the same planes, and tend to converge toward a median line of
travel as speed increases.
Temperament: Lively, alert, intelligent, bold, and ready for duty, yet reserved with strangers,
the Pumi assesses each new situation.
Faults: Any deviation from the foregoing should be considered a fault, the seriousness of the
fault depending upon the extent of the deviation. Additional emphasis should be given to those
characteristics that distinguish the Pumi from the Puli: head, ears, tail, and coat.
Disqualifications: Height ½ inch above or below the desired range. Ears prick or hanging. Any
multiple-color pattern or patches, e.g., black and tan pattern, piebald, parti-colored.