A breed standard is a blueprint that breeders follow in order to maintain breed type, structure and temperament. At Rustufarion we believe that is not good enough just to breed two animals because they are both representatives of the breed. Before any Puli is used in our breeding program we evaluate each Puli after it has been screened, clearing them of hereditary diseases. Each Puli is assessed for their strengths and any deviations from the breed standard are carefully considered before we perform a breeding.  All of our breedings are based on matching Pulis that compliment each other in order to breed Pulis that are true to the breed standard.

PULI

Name changed (from 'Hungarian Puli' to 'Puli') in Australia Oct 1995. Kennel Club (London) Standard, Revised 1987.  Adopted in Australia 1st Jan 1998. 

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Sturdy, muscular, wiry with fine bone. Whole well covered with long (according to age), profuse, corded coat. Long hair overshadows eyes like an umbrella. Viewed from side, trunk and limbs should present square figure. 

CHARACTERISTICS: Herding dog, medium-sized, nimble and extremely intelligent. 

TEMPERAMENT: Lively, wary of strangers but not displaying nervousness or unprovoked aggression. 

HEAD AND SKULL: Disregarding hair, head small and fine with slightly domed skull. From the front it appears round, from the side almost elliptical. Muzzle one-third length of head with well defined stop; not snipy but bluntly rounded. Arches of eye socket well defined, nose relatively large and black, eyerims and flews black in all colours. 

EYES: Medium size, dark brown with lively expression. 

EARS: Set slightly below level of skull, V-shaped, pendant, of medium size, covered with long hair. Length of ears about half length of head. Ears do not appear noticeable, even when alert. 

MOUTH: The roof uniformly dark, or variegated with deep pigmented spots on dark base. Flews tight and black. Tongue bright red. Jaws and teeth strong with perfect scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. 

NECK: Set at an angle of 45 degrees to horizontal; of medium length, tight skinned and muscular.  When fully coated, neck appears to merge with body. 

FOREQUARTERS: Shoulders well laid. Elbows tight. Forelegs straight and muscular, and viewed from any angle, vertical. 

BODY: Withers slightly higher than level of back which is medium length. Loin is short and broad, belly slightly tucked up. Ribs deep; rib cage broadening from behind elbows and well sprung. Rump short and slightly sloping but this is not obvious because of tightly curled tail. 

HINDQUARTERS: Strong and well muscled. Pelvis forming an angle of 90 degrees with thighbone.  Well bent stifle. Hocks set fairly low. When viewed from the rear, the legs should be parallel, with feet turning neither in nor out. Wide pelvis desirable, especially in bitches. 

FEET: Short, round, tight. Hindfeet slightly longer than forefeet. Nails strong, black or slate-grey.  Pads are springy, dark grey in colour. 

TAIL: Medium length, curled tightly over the rump-loin area; long hair of the tail mixes indistinguishably with similar hair of rump, so that tail does not appear separate. 

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Stride is not far-reaching. Gallop short. Typical movement short-stepping, very quick, in harmony with lively disposition. Movement never heavy, lethargic or lumbering. 

COAT: Correct proportion of top and undercoat creates, naturally, the desired cords. Matting and felting to be avoided, and combed coat is as undesirable as a neglected one. Coat generally longest on hindquarters, shortest on head and feet. Some dogs will grow a floor-length coat. 

COLOUR: Acceptable colours black, rusty-black, white and various shades of grey and apricot.  Black sometimes appears weathered, rusty, or with slight intermingling of white hairs. Grey and apricot in all their shades may have an intermingling of black or white hairs, with or without black mask, ear tips and tail tip. The overall appearance of all variants must be that of a solid colour. A white spot on chest of not more than 5 cms (2 ins) is permissible. A few white hairs on feet also permissible. Body skin should be well pigmented and slate grey in colour, especially in blacks and greys. 

SIZE: Height:Dogs - 40 - 44 cm (16 - 17 & 1/2; ins), Bitches - 37 - 41 cm (14&1/2; - 16 ins) 
Weight: Dogs -  13 - 15 kgs (28 & 1/2; - 33 lbs), Bitches - 10 - 13 kgs (22 - 28 & 1/2; lbs) 

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. 

NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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