Vojvodjanski Pulin Dog Breed - All You Need to Know

History:
The history and ancestry of Vojvodjanski Pulin is unclear and there are several theories about it. All of them agree that this is very old dog breed.
One of the most widely accepted theories suggests that the Vojvodjanski Pulin developed through the crossing of various local herding dogs from the Pannonian plains. Another theory claims that it is an ancient breed, thousands of years old, possibly descending from black Asian Spitz-type dogs, Laikas, or even the Alopekis dogs of Greece. While we may never know its exact ancestry on 100%, we know for sure that the Pulin has existed for at least several hundreads years, possibly thousand years.
If you are familiar with other European herding dogs, you probably notice, that the Pulin is quite similar to Hungarian Mudi or to Croatian Sheepdog. And indeed, it is believed that the Vojvodjanski Pulin played a role in development of both breeds.
Unlike many modern dog breeds, the Pulin was never bred for appearance but rather for its working ability—primarily herding sheep and other livestock. For centuries, it served this purpose across the regions of present-day Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, and Romania. However, it was in the Vojvodina region of northern Serbia that the breed took its final form and became known as the Vojvodjanski Pulin.
​
Utilization:
As mentioned earlier, the Pulin has always been primarily used as a herding dog. They are highly skilled at herding sheep, cows, and goats. They truly are amazing herders and they can work basically with any animal.
When needed, the Pulin can also serve as livestock protectors, but of course, they are relatively small for this purpose. It is more traditional for the Pulin to work with other powerful livestock protector dog, such as Tornjak or Sarplaninac. The strong LGD protects the livestock, while the Pulin control it and herd it.
With their endless energy and stamina, Pulins are naturally gifted herders. However, their abilities extend beyond herding—they have historically been used as watchdogs and even as vermin hunters. This is a truly versatile breed.

Temperament:
I already mentioned that this is highly energetic breed. In addition to their boundless energy, they possess several other traits that make them exceptional herding dogs. They are extremely alert, focused, intelligent, and intuitive. This breed is also deeply loyal—to both its owner and the livestock it protects. Athletic and highly trainable, the Pulin is perfectly suited for herding work.
However, the Pulin is not just a hardworking dog—it is also a wonderful companion. They are incredibly affectionate with their family and generally good with children. Of course, like with any breed, interactions between dogs and very young children should always be supervised.
The Pulin is known as very playful dog that is always ready for any kind of playtime or outdoor adventure. On the other hand, they are also known as wary of strangers – it takes some time for Pulin to gain a trust for a complete stranger.
Overall the Pulin makes superb companion, but they should live in active family and they generally do better in countryside rather than in city as typical apartment dogs.

Appearance:
As mentioned earlier, the Pulin shares a similar appearance with the Hungarian Mudi and the Croatian Sheepdog. However, the key difference is that the Vojvodjanski Pulin is larger than both. This breed typically stands between 47-52 cm (18-21 inches) tall and weighs around 10-15 kg (22-33 lbs), with females naturally being slightly smaller than males.
The first thing you will most likely notice about the Pulin is their unique wavy coat. But it can sometimes be curly or flat. The coat is always smooth and short on head and legs.
They typically comes in black color, it is by far the most prevalent color, but they can also be white, yellow, fawn, red, brown or brindle. Black dogs are preffered and the other colors are slowly dissappearing.
The Vojvodjanski Pulin has a deep and broad chest, muscular and athletic body, small erect ears, relatively small head in relation to the rest of the body, narrow muzzle and powerful jaws.

Health and grooming:
The Pulin 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. You can regularly brush the coat to remove all the dead and loose hair – it will only be beneficial. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.
The Pulin is generally healthy dog breed 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. But this is rather healthy and hardy dog breed!