Mudi puppies

About the Mudi

The Mudi is a Hungarian farm dog, a herding breed that took shape alongside the Puli and Pumi and was only described separately in the twentieth century. It is a small to medium dog of 38 to 47 cm and 8.2 to 13.2 kg, with a wedge shaped head, pricked ears and a curly coat that lies short on the face and longer over the body. It is bold, quick and extremely alert, the kind of dog that watches everything and reacts within a second.

Expect a very high energy animal. A Mudi will run, jump remarkably well, dig, and excel at flyball, agility and herding, and it needs that outlet daily. Grooming is easy, occasional combing to lift dead hair plus routine nail care. The voice is the trade off, since a Mudi barks at movement and sound, and a bored one finds its own entertainment. Ratings with children and other pets are moderate, so supervise and socialise widely. New owners often expect a small dog and get a working sheepdog.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Mudi puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed and scored for
• Inherited eye disease including cataract, screened by an ophthalmologist examination
• Patellar luxation, graded on veterinary orthopaedic examination
• Epilepsy, diagnosed clinically once other causes have been ruled out

From Mudi breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/mudi/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Mudi puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Mudi.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 8.2 to 13.2 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other small breeds

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