Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
If you are love Hungarian dog breeds, and you have a special appreciation for agile breeds, then you should learn more about Mudi.
This is an all-purpose Hungarian farm dog who is known for his original appearance, high intelligence, and alertness.
This breed is also highly trainable, and eager to perform any trick in no time.
Does Mudi sound unusual u to you?
It may not be so common a breed name, such as German Shepherd, or Pomeranian, but Mudi is nothing less of a dog.
Have you heard about Puli or Pumi? These dogs are also dogs who are distant relatives of energetic Mudi.
They used to be close in canine circles, but due to separate recognition, they went their separate ways back in the 1930s.
Quick Facts
Real name: Mudi
Origin: Hungary
Breed type: Herding Dogs
Weight: 18 to 29 pounds
Height: 14 to 20 inches
Lifespan: 12 to 14 years
Litter Size: 5 – 10 puppies
Color: Commonly black
Coat: Wavy or curly coat of medium length
Mudi Intro
What can you expect from Mudi in terms of appearance and personality? Two things are for sure: you can expect Mudi to be a dog of medium size and of high-energy level.
In terms of appearance, the Mudi should always come with a wavy-to-curly coat that is easy to groom. With the right grooming tools, you can make brushing an easy and fast process. Plus, grooming is always a great bonding experience.
How much do you love dogs? If you think that a simple walk and occasion petting time, should be enough with Mudi, you are wrong.
This breed will want to incorporate into every segment of your life. Once you get a Mudi, you will get a 24/7 shadow.
They will adore every family member and will do everything in their power to keep you entertained and happy.
As you may expect, this breed will hate being left alone. Make sure that the entire family is ok with having a dog around, so you can share responsibilities.
After all, owning a dog is a huge responsibility. Keeping this breed both mentally and physically satisfied is a must if you want a dog who is really a well-behaved canine.
If you’re city-based expect your Mudi to alarm you whenever there is something unusual happening. If he thinks that anything is suspicious, he will inform you about it.
Mudi History
The Mudi is considered to be an old breed and one of the rarest dog breeds alive.
There aren’t many records on this history that can witness the breed’s development. However, it noted that in modern history this breed was first seen in 1936 when the breed was known as the ‘driver dog.’
Their recognition came suddenly and just as their popularity started growing, World War II occurred and a huge number of dogs of this breed disappeared for good.
Luckily, thanks to breeders’ efforts and dog lovers the breed survived and in 1966, the Mudi became recognized by The Federation Cynologique Internationale.
The new standard of the breed was written in 2000, and their standards are when we get to see in today’s Mudi appearance.
The Mudi is one of the recently recognized purebred by AKC. As of 2022, the Mudi is a part of AKC’s purebred category.
Mudi Physical Appearance
One look at Mudi is enough to realize that this is an active and powerful dog.
He is first to respond to any commands, and the last one to enter the house – that’s how active they are. Their body is built to support just that.
Overall, the Mudi is a dog of medium size and a well-balanced body. Their coat is always short and straight on the face, while the rest of the body is covered with wavy to curly hair. This is a medium-boned dog.
All in all, the Mudi gives the impression of powerful Spitz, due to their curly-coated hair. They are born with tails of different lengths.
Some may have naturally docked tails, some may have bobtails, and some may have full-length tails. This is something that no one can affect and in terms of Mudi’s tail, you will get what you get.
They come in many colors including black, brown, white, fawn, and grey. Some may have mixed colors, commonly a mix of black and grey.
If you are not a fan of long grooming and brushing sessions, you are in luck.
Mudi has a coat that repels and sheds the majority of dirt and debris, which leads to minimum brushing efforts.
Mudi Personality
The Mudi is a very active breed.
When getting a dog its crucial that you know the breed’s exercise and activity levels.
If you are more of an indoor person, then you should focus on getting a dog of low energy, who prefers staying in. On the other hand, if you are an active and outdoorsy person, it’s fine to consider getting a breed, such as Mudi.
The Mudi is packed with enthusiasm and a strong need to satisfy the people around him.
Throughout their history, Mudis have been highly respected by shepherds for their ability to be independent and act upon their feelings.
This means that shepherds believed that they will do their best to keep the flock safe, as they did.
Mudis are not too fond of strangers. This is something that makes them great watchdogs.
As long as they are properly trained and socialized, Mudis should get along well with children and other animals.
In the best-case scenario, they should be raised with children and other animals from puppyhood.
Mudis are far from being tolerant when it comes to teasing. Accidents between dogs and children happen usually when there are no strict rules and supervision.
Children should know how to behave around dogs, and what are the major pros and cons on how to behave around dogs.
Educate children not to disturb dogs while they are resting, sleeping, eating, or drinking water.
As for the other pets, there shouldn’t be major issues, but they may be aggressive toward other dogs.
Mudi Training
The Mudi loves when there is a job to be done.
Unless you are farm-based, Mudi will see tricks and commands as a job. This is good because they will do their best to master every trick.
Mudis are intelligent and highly-adaptable dogs who are more than enthusiastic about any job that has to be done.
Love toward activity and a strong need to please make them great for training. This is the case if you have strong experience with dog training. They won’t do too well with novice owners.
They need an experienced dog owner, who knows how to handle high-energy dogs.
Make training sessions fun, constant, interactive, and packed with treats.
Always use only positive reinforcement training methods and reward your Mudi. Dogs love rewards and use it into your advantage.
Mudi Exercise
High-energy dogs need a fair amount of exercise to keep them tired. Have you ever heard of that saying – a tired dog is a happy dog?
Dogs were bred to work. Each dog was carefully bred to perform a certain task. This is why today we have so many dogs of different skill sets.
For example, some dogs such as Newfoundland are great swimmers and they have webbed feet that make swimming, easier, while some dogs such as Saint Bernard are great when it comes to search and rescue missions. That being said, every dog loves to have a purpose.
Since dogs are mostly full-time pets nowadays, they need a certain level of exercise to keep them active.
That being said, the Mudi needs (next to regular walks) around 60 minutes of exercise each day. This will keep them both mentally stimulated and physically satisfied.
Plus, regular exercise is a great way to keep a dog’s joints strong.
Mudi Grooming
As mentioned earlier, the Mudi is a breed that’s easy to maintain.
This breed needs weekly brushing with the right grooming tools and regular grooming practice.
This means that you should trim his nails monthly, check gums and eyes on a weekly level, and bathe only when needed.
Dogs have sensitive skin which is far different than skin in humans. Therefore, you should only bathe him with shampoos specially designed for dogs.
Their coat rarely needs to be cut, and they tend to shed more in the spring.
Mudi Health
Mudis are considered to be healthy dogs.
If you work with responsible dog breeders, you will know exactly how healthy your Mudi is.
Still, some dogs may be prone to certain conditions that may appear later on in life.
In reality, this means that Mudi may suffer from epilepsy, cataracts, hip or elbow dysplasia, or even luxating patellas.
The best way to keep your Mudi healthy is to provide proper nutrition, high-quality food, and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Add to this vaccination and parasite control, and your Mudi should reach his senior years as a happy and healthy dog.
Is Mudi For You?
If you are a first time dog owner, this isn’t the breed for you.
However, if you have experience as a dog owner, and you know your way around high-energy dogs this is the breed to consider having.
The Mudi is for you if you want a medium-size dog who is active, loves learning tricks, and enjoys a good swim from time to time.
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