Your guide to finding and caring for a Pumi in New Bedford
Meet a Pumi who needs you
While we don't have enough dogs near New Bedford, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
With its corkscrew curls, semi-erect ears tipped sideways and a tail curled into a full circle over the back, the Pumi has one of the most whimsical outlines in the herding world. It developed in Hungary in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries from the Puli crossed with German and French herding and terrier types, working cattle, sheep and pigs on small village pastures. Hungary gave it a separate standard in 1921, and the AKC recognized it in 2016.
Pumik are compact, medium dogs of roughly 18 to 33 pounds with the drive of a working stock dog. Many are bold, quick-thinking and vocal, reserved with strangers and very attached to their family. They need daily exercise and real mental work, and their low-shedding coat needs combing and periodic trimming. The breed is still uncommon in the United States, so finding one through a rescue may take patience.
Having a Pumi in New Bedford
Small enough to carry yet built to work livestock all day, the Pumi combines a busy herding brain with a distinctive curly coat. Its energy, watchfulness, readiness to bark and grooming needs are the traits that most shape whether a Pumi suits a household.
Pumik tend to be lively, alert and bold, quick to notice changes and to announce them with barking. Many are affectionate and playful with family yet reserved with strangers, and some try to herd children or other pets with nips. They usually learn fast with reward-based training. Early socialization and an individual dog's background strongly influence how a Pumi behaves.
A Pumi usually needs vigorous daily exercise plus a job for its mind. Long walks, fetch and running in a secure area help, but herding, agility, obedience, nose work and trick training often satisfy it more. Without enough to do, many become noisy or invent their own projects. Energy tends to stay high well into adulthood.
The Pumi is generally healthy, but screening in the breed has found hip dysplasia, patellar luxation and carriers of degenerative myelopathy, primary lens luxation and an inherited retinal condition. Keeping a Pumi lean and fit supports its joints. Talk with a veterinarian about eye exams and other checks as the dog ages.
A Pumi can live in an apartment if its exercise and training needs are met every day, but its alert barking may bother close neighbors. A house with a securely fenced yard makes life easier. It does best living indoors with its family and is rarely happy left alone for long hours.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $35 to $70 per month | $420 to $840 |
| Pet insurance | $45 to $85 per month | $540 to $1,020 |
| Routine vet care | $225 to $450 per year | $225 to $450 |
| Other* | $890 to $2,290 per year | $890 to $2,290 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $2,075 to $4,600 | |
Other costs are national averages for Pumis; we don't have costs specific to New Bedford yet.
* Trimming and hand-stripping of the curly coat every few months, a dental cleaning allowance, flea, tick and heartworm prevention, toys and bedding, and a dog license; license fees vary by city.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below currently have Pumis available.
Here are the rescues & shelters in the New Bedford area where you can find Pumis and other dogs available for adoption.
A Pumi is a medium-sized Hungarian herding dog with a curly coat, semi-erect ears that tip to the sides and a tail curled in a full circle over its back. Bred to drive and gather cattle, sheep and pigs, it is energetic, alert and quick to learn. The AKC added it to the Herding Group in 2016.
No dog is fully hypoallergenic, but the Pumi sheds very little, so it is often suggested for people with mild allergies. Allergens come from dander and saliva as well as hair, so reactions still vary from person to person. If anyone in your home has allergies, spend real time with the specific Pumi before committing to adoption.
Pumik shed very little. Their wavy and curly coat holds loose hair rather than dropping it around the house, so combing every few weeks is needed to stop it from matting. The coat is usually trimmed every two to four months to keep its shape. Grooming time replaces the vacuuming that heavier shedders demand.
A Pumi has a square, lean body covered in springy corkscrew curls that stand out from the body. Its long head has a blunt muzzle, a lively expression and ears carried about two-thirds erect with the tips falling sideways. The high-set tail forms a full circle over the back. Coats are solid gray, black, white or fawn.
Yes, the Pumi is a rare breed, especially outside Hungary and the Nordic countries. Only a few hundred were registered in the United States when the AKC recognized the breed in 2016, though numbers have grown since. Pumik rarely show up in shelters, so adopters may need to contact herding-breed rescues and wait for the right dog.
Many Pumik do well with children when they have been raised and socialized with them, and they often enjoy active play. Their herding instinct can lead them to chase, circle or nip at running kids, and they may be too intense for some toddlers. Supervision, training and teaching children calm handling help, and an adult dog with known kid experience is a safer match.
Yes, Pumik are widely considered very intelligent and learn new tasks quickly. Bred to work livestock with little direction, they solve problems, read people well and excel in agility, obedience and herding trials. That intelligence means they also learn unwanted habits fast and get bored with repetition, so short, varied and reward-based training sessions work best.
Pumik are medium-sized but light, usually standing about 15 to 19 inches at the shoulder. Males often weigh about 22 to 33 pounds and females about 18 to 29 pounds, with the AKC standard preferring the middle of those ranges. Most reach adult height before their first birthday, though they may keep filling out for several months.
Exact worldwide numbers are not tracked, but the Pumi is a small population breed. Hungary registers the most, with around two thousand dogs counted in the mid-2010s, followed by Finland and Sweden. The United States had only a few hundred at the time of AKC recognition in 2016, and the population has grown slowly since then.
We have 1 rescue with Pumis available: As Sweet As a Peach. You can see every rescue with Pumis available in the list above these questions.
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