Z BREED COLUMNS - Puli Club of America, Inc.

GZ BREED COLUMNS

herding shaved portion so most people never ing, he knew when to offer his serv- friend any one could ever hope for.
notice the “clean” feet. ices.We visited a friend with cancer He never shredded toys or chewed
several times; he knew when to sit thing he shouldn’t. He got along
Bottom line, keeping your Old with her and when to leave. He with all animals. It was so easy to
English Sheepdog’s feet healthy is periodically went to school with take Mr. Perfect anywhere, as he
fairly simple. It just takes a good me.The students loved him and he always rose to the occasion.
clipper, appropriate blades, and a lit- returned their affection. He told me
tle time. Of course it helps if you when a student was having a bad While Clipper shared parts of his
have conditioned your dog so that day. He visited both my father and a life with everyone, I am most grate-
he doesn’t fuss when you work on friend in rehab centers. He would ful that he shared his whole life with
his feet. quietly sit with them as well as any me.
roomies, until they had no more to
—Joe Schlitt, share. He watched over my elderly —Lynda McKee,
[email protected] father at home, and upon his passing [email protected]
Old English Sheepdog Club of turned his attentiveness to me. Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of
America, oldenglishclubofamerica.org America, pwwca.org
He shared his love of life in Corgi
Pembroke Welsh fun days. He cheerfully bobbed for Pulik
Corgis hot-dog slices after observing an
older housemate grab the hot dogs Iasked Nancy Kelly
Sharing Clipper without dunking his nose in the ([email protected]) to join me as a
water. He comically and fittingly coauthor this month, since she has
Ihad to let my oldest Pembroke go wore Peter Pan outfits as he truly trained and competed in obedience
at the beginning of May. Clipper was the little boy who never grew with several Pulik, starting in 1990.
was just under 16 years old and had up.While he was always ready for a Nancy has served as the obedience
been successfully fighting liver dis- handout, he enjoyed being petted statistician for the Puli Club of
ease for almost four years. His inter- and admired. He had a passion for America (PCA) since 2003.We
nal medicine specialist said what was riding in golf carts. He spent part of thank PCA historian Patty Anspach
wrong this time was neurological, his time at the last national specialty for her assistance with tracking
and my heart knew there was noth- just enjoying catching up with his down historic records, as well as
ing more to be done. I held him in many friends. Barb Edwards, who previously
my arms as he left me, breaking the served as obedience statistician and
heart that he has been mending Clipper shared his breed’s natural helped us fill in information gaps.
since he arrived as an adorable 12- work ethic in obedience, agility,
week old puppy. tracking, and herding.While not a Puli Participation in
high scorer in obedience, he was Obedience
I was overwhelmed at the sheer very reliable and yet had a manage-
number of messages I received able entertaining streak to him. His The AKC began offering obedi-
regarding Clipper’s passing. One early days in agility were spent hav- ence competitions in the late 1930s
friend called him a great ambassador ing attacks of “woofies” and (akc.org/events/obedience/history),
for the breed.Another characterized “zoomies,” along with visits to the around the same time that the AKC
him as a true Southern gentleman, ring crews. Later he snuck peeks on recognized the Puli as a breed.
and that he was: gracious, welcom- the contact obstacles to see just how Dongo (Kurucz Legeny, CDX),
ing all, naturally very well-man- many people were watching him. owned and handled by Harriet K.
nered.Yet another friend said thank He loved herding, and his gentle Ewing in 1947, was the first Puli to
you for sharing his life with us. nature shone there. He found his earn a CD and CDX.As of around
tracklayer’s lost pencil on his way to June 2015, 646 Pulik have earned a
The “sharing” comment hit home earning his TDX. He tolerated hav- combined 995 titles in the regular
and helped explain my tremendous ing his feet cleaned for the breed obedience classes. (Note:The statis-
grief. Clipper had joyously shared ring. In his final foray into the ring tics for 2015 are incomplete.) Titles
his life. He was a natural “people at just under 15 years of age, he are awarded for each level of obedi-
person,” and he was as gregarious as sported a spiffy black bowtie in ence in the Novice, Open, and
they come, without being effusive honor of the occasion, exuding his Utility classes, with continued
about it. He awoke each morning personality. titles—UDX, OTCH, and OGM—
with a smile on his face and a song requiring a sustained level of
in his heart. He never had a bad day. Mostly, Clipper was just the best achievement for combinations in
the Open and Utility level classes.
He shared this attitude wherever
he went. He was a natural therapy
dog.With no formal therapy train-

56A K C G A Z E T T E • •SEPTEMBER 2015

BREED COLUMNS GZ

Pulik have earned 646 CD titles, RN, NA, NAJ), owned and handled The coat of the Puli in obedience herding
227 CDX titles, 93 UD titles, 14 by John D. Landis. is not as important as it is in confor-
UDX titles, 14 OTCH titles, and 1 mation.The coat can be any length
OGM title.The number of Pulik Interestingly, 64 percent (nine of and can be corded or brushed, and
earning titles drops sharply after the 14) of OTCHs are female—so it the hair can be tied back in a top-
CD—only 35 percent of Pulik have seems that maybe the bitches are knot. Frequently, the coat is
earned titles past the CD. taking their obedience jobs much trimmed to a short length to pre-
more seriously than the males! clude problems of the cords hitting a
In 1978, the first Puli to earn jump and causing a bar to fall or be
OTCH, the highest obedience title, What makes a good obedience interpreted by the judge as the dog
was Buksi (Ch./OTCH prospect? A dog who: (1) is fit and “hitting” the jump instead of clear-
Pulikcounty’s Omar Khayaam), athletic, with good physical structure; ing it.
owned and handled by Julius (2) has good energy and sustained
Hidassy. interest in working with their The PCA has always felt it is
human; (3) is intelligent and confi- important to showcase all of the
Following are the other 13 Pulik dent; (4) is biddable (willing to please attributes of the breed including
earning the OTCH title: and has a desire to learn); and (5) has conformation, obedience, herding,
the ability to stay focused. and agility.The national specialty
Effie (OTCH Pulikairn Effie Lou includes conformation, regular obe-
Plunket), owned and handled by Looking at dog breeds competing dience, and rally each year, as well as
Mary Jane Richert; in the obedience ring, the Puli is sel- herding and agility in most years.
dom seen, compared to other breeds The list of High Scoring Puli in
Huggy Bear (Ch./OTCH like the Golden Retriever.While Trial may be found at the PCA
Prydain Edyrnion), owned and han- Pulik are not as numerous as, say for website.
dled by Leslie Leland; example, Golden Retrievers, and
correspondingly, there are also fewer Since 1995, the AKC has held an
Hety (Ch./OTCH Prydain Pulik successfully competing in obe- annual National Obedience
Hetyke,TD), owned and handled by dience than there are Golden Invitational, which is now called the
Nancy Etchell; Retrievers—there is actually a higher National Obedience Championship.
percentage of individuals of the breed The top OTCH or OTCH-pointed
Pumpkin (OTCH The Great earning the OTCH in Pulik than in dogs from each breed are invited to
Pumpkin), owned and handled by Golden Retrievers, relative to the compete.As a point to note, in spite
Robyn Broock; total number of dogs registered in of the relatively small numbers of
each breed.This interesting fact is Puli compared to other breeds (like
Boo (Ch./OTCH Prydain something of which we Puli people the Golden Retriever), at least one
Jocko), owned and handled by can be really proud. Puli has been invited every year
Nancy Patton; since the event began.This means
The Puli is particularly bright and there have been one or more Pulik
Muffy (OTCH Kelseys Midnight must be kept challenged.The Puli who have earned OTCH points and
Star), owned and handled by Elaine quickly figures out that if the could be invited; many breeds can-
Brock; sequence is A then B then C then D, not say this.
why shouldn’t she simply go from A
Ozzie (OTCH Prydain Ozzie to D? The human part of the team The years 1965–1995 saw the
Plunket), owned and handled by must keep the Puli on her toes and largest number of Pulik competing
Mary Jane Richert; engaged.The sport is about having in obedience classes.There has since
fun and presenting new challenges to been a decline in Puli participation
Pici (OTCH Windkist Bartok’s maintain the interest, while also pro- in the regular obedience classes.
Pici, UDX2), owned and handled by viding precision. Neither the Puli nor Concurrent with this decline is the
Nancy Kelly; the handler can think of herself as an fact that the AKC has added many
individual, but as a part of a team. more dog sports and venues in
Mandi (OTCH Bartok’s which to participate, including rally,
Miraculous Mandarin, UDX8) An obedience dog can complete as well as a number of titling classes
owned and handled by Nancy Kelly; for many years.There are physical in obedience not considered in the
demands, and it is important to have three obedience classes of Novice,
Pepper (Ch./OTCH Bartok’s regular health-checks done. Hips, Open, and Utility statistics.
Magyar Csardas, UDX11, HSAs) elbows, eyes, heart, and patellas are However, obedience remains an
owned and handled by Nancy Kelly; important to have checked on your
dog.
Kicsi, owned and handled by
Nancy Kelly;

Eb (OTCH Bartok’s Little Black
Note, UDX2 OM4, HSAs), owned
and handled by Dottie Culpepper;
and

Fizz (OTCH Meadow View
Silver Fizz, UDX2, OM4, GO,VER,

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GZ BREED COLUMNS

herding important foundation for many of and has three Pyr Sheps, finds her willing to put their hearts and souls
these other venues. dogs so intelligent that it can be into it.They excel at herding, track-
scary. She said that their quickness to ing and obedience as well as agility.
—Dagmar Fertl, learn sometimes is accompanied by Puck and Valentine, who run agility
[email protected] strong opinions that their way of and track with this columnist, both
Puli Club of America, puliclub.org accomplishing a task is better.They earned Tracking Dog Excellent titles
like to figure things out, and if at very young ages.Valentine was
Pyrenean Shepherds they’re not sure what to do next in just six days past his first birthday
training or performing, they’ll when he completed the advanced
Watch Out! Pyrenean Shep- quickly take what they think should AKC tracking title.
herds Can Be Addictive be the next logical step, such as
going over an off-course jump. The breed’s late obedience star,
Be prepared: If you open your UDX8 Chica, who died in
heart to a Pyrenean Shepherd, The breed’s intelligence and November 2010, enjoyed obedience
you’re apt to end up with more than problem-solving skills also appeal to so much that she took her owner
one of these engaging, very bright Kelly Maier, who lives in Monroe, and handler, Marilyn Abbett, to the
herding dogs, especially if you’re in- Washington, and concentrates on AKC Obedience Invitational five
terested in dog sports. agility and conformation with her times and qualified to go more often
dogs. Maier, who competes in agility than that.As they continued to
Their busy, devoted natures, at the national level, also appreciates compete at the highest levels,Abbett
which lead them to enjoy hanging their athleticism and attentiveness. expected Chica to start goofing off
out with their humans and sticking in the ring, but she never did.
their helpful noses into whatever’s Like many Pyr Shep owners who Instead, she just kept getting better.
going on, often cause hapless owners enjoy their dogs’ responsiveness,
to accumulate one little French Maier has found that some can be And, of course,Abbett has a sec-
herder after another. very sensitive to their environments. ond Pyr Shep. Lucy joined her
That trait, most likely a natural off- household while Chica was still
They tend to be physically fearless shoot of the breed’s long history of alive, making Abbett yet another
and surefooted, thanks to their her- working with large flocks of sheep fancier who couldn’t stop at just
itage of herding in rough, moun- and just one shepherd in the one.
tainous terrain, and they are Pyrenees Mountains of France, can
extremely quick both physically and include wariness or shyness with Don’t say you weren’t warned …
mentally.Those characteristics make strangers. Puppies and young adults Columnist Kathleen Monje lives with
them a natural choice for dog-sport require thoughtful and ongoing three Pyrenean Shepherds in the Oregon
enthusiasts. socialization to help them be com- countryside.
fortable in complex environments. —Kathleen Monje,
Agility aficionados are particularly [email protected]
drawn to the breed, in large part Whatever their jobs may be, these Pyrenean Shepherd Club of
because of the Pyrenean Shepherd’s speedy and serious little workers are America, pyrshepclub.com
success in agility rings around the
country and overseas. Kay Johnson,
who lives in Shelton,Washington,

5 8A K C G A Z E T T E • •SEPTEMBER 2015