Mudi - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
There is only a very little known about the Mudi origin and ancestry. Magyars were using herding breeds for a very long time, but they simply divided them into two category – large and small and these small sheepdogs were interbred a lot with other dogs. It was not until the 1920s or 1930s when few breeders started to separate Mudi dogs and bred them together. One of the first breeders was Dr. Dezso Fenyes, who also named the breed Mudi. The breed was officially recognized in 1936.

2) Other Sheepdogs
Hungary is a country of sheepdogs. The large sheepdogs often times work together with the small sheepdogs, when the large ones are protecting the flock, while the small ones are used for herding. And they are great at herding, it is said that Mudi can control a flock up to 500 sheeps. The large sheepdogs include Kuvasz and Komondor and the small sheepdogs include the Pumi, Puli and Mudi. It is believed that all three, the Puli, Pumi and Mudi are closely related together.

3) Almost extinct
The Mudi was recognized in 1936, but only few years later they almost went extinct. Actually, most of the Hungarian dogs almost went extinct during the second world war. Luckily, the breed was finally revived and rebuilt in 1960 with careful breeding from the remaining stock and new breed standard was written in 1966.

4) Companion
Today, the Mudi is still used for herding, but just like all working dogs, they are more and more living as family pets. And they make good family companions. They are extremely able to learn and intelligent, adaptable, lively and courageous. They can learn a lot of different tricks quickly. They do well with children as long as the children do not abuse or mistreat them. Overall, this is a great companion dog for active people.

5) Exericse
The Mudi was used to work for long hours every day, so it is no wonder that they are highly energetic dogs with high exercise needs. They love outdoors and daily long walks are must. They love running and you should let them run. They are also great for almost any dog sport, including agility, frisbee, flyball, herding and tracking events or obedience. The Mudi is very smart dog, so they need both, physical and mental stimulation. Dog sports, interactive playtime and regular training sessions will do the trick. Without enough exercise, the Mudi might become very vocal and destructive.

6) Worker
It is important to mention, that the Mudi is not only a good herder, but overall very versatile farm dog, that is capable of hunting and killing rodents and can be trained to be great watchdog who will alert its family whenever he hear, see or smell something suspicious.

7) Size
The Mudi is a small to medium size athletic dog breed with average height between 38-48 cm which is 15-19 inches and weight is typically between 8-14 kg, which is 18-30 pounds. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males.

8) Coat
One of the breeds hallmark is definitely the wavy coat. The head and the limbs are covered by short, smooth coat, but the rest of the coat is very wavy and slightly curly. The Mudi can be found in many many colors and color combinations, including black, white, ash, fawn, brown and blue merle.

9) Maintenance
The Mudi has a coat that generally repels dirt and he does not require frequent bathing. Also the grooming is not very hard. A weekly brushing is sufficient and their coat does not need trimming. The Mudi sheds the most in the spring and during that time, you might have to brush the coat little bit more frequently to minimize the shedding. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health
Mudis are generally healthy dogs with average lifespan around 14 years. Just like all dog breeds, they can suffer from some health issues, especially at older age. Those include hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy or progressive retinal atrophy.