Over the years we’ve built up a list of things that are good to have on hand for your Pumik.  Please let us know the things you come across that would be good to add to our list.

Kennels and Beds

We often use plastic crates for our dogs. They are inexpensive, durable, portable for use at shows or other events, and when secured safest for car travel. For indoor crating at home we use wire crates and x-pens. For your puppy you will want a smaller space, either the small size of the travel kennels mentioned below or a wire crate that can be partitioned.

Adult Travel Kennel – Petmate Vari Kennel Medium 28″ L X 20.5″ W X 21.5″ H: http://www.kvsupply.com/petmate-vari-kennel-ii-28-for-dogs-20-30-pounds

Adult Travel Kennel – Great Choice Medium 28″ L X 20.5″ W X 21.5″ H http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3195394

Another great kennel is the Ruff Tough kennel. It has an exterior made of a single molded piece of heavy duty plastic a door made of a hard composite plastic so it will be much more durable than the wire crates and the regular plastic kennels https://rufftoughkennels.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=126. For Pumis we recommend either the medium or intermediate size.

X Pen – We often crate our dogs during the day in an x-pen with a comfy dog bed inside. A 36” height is recommended such as the following: http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Black-E-Coat-Exercise-Pen/dp/B000H91R8S. An x-pen cover can also be helpful to provide shade outside and prevent the more adventurous Pumik from climbing over the side: http://www.amazon.com/GoGo-Exercise-Cover-Hunter-Green/dp/B001D161YE.

We recommend the Kirkland brand dog beds from Costco, either round of rectangular. They are durable beds that include cedar in the filling to keep them fresh, and have washable covers.  The beds stay supportive and comfortable over time and cost about 1/3 of other brands.

There are many resources to help with crate training. Here are a few to get you started: http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f9/crate-training-your-dog-16326.html, http://www.ehow.com/how_2296463_teach-dog-crate-games.html, http://www.clickerdogs.com/crate_games.php,

Leashes and Collars

We recommend sturdy 4’ or 6’ leashes made of nylon webbing. This should enable you to keep your Pumi close at all times. We recommend long lines for distance work rather than retractable leashes. Collars should also be made of nylon webbing, either regular quick release buckles or martingale style collars work best.  Harnesses are best for longer walks to prevent pulling on the neck.

Bungie Leashes made of nylon webbing from Genuine Dog Gear – http://www.genuinedoggear.com/GDL-BGLH-SM-dog-dog_bungee_leash.html

Long lines for running out in a field by Genuine Dog Gear – http://www.genuinedoggear.com/dog_training_lines.html

Emergency slip leash (collar and leash in one) to carry in the car for when you leave your leash at home from Genuine Dog Gear – http://www.genuinedoggear.com/dog_leashes_logo.html

Martingale collars that are easy to slip on and off from Genuine Dog Gear – http://www.genuinedoggear.com/buckle-martingale.html

Lupine collars and harnesses come with matching leashes and are very durable – http://www.carealotpets.com/Products/Lupine-Patterned-Dog-Collar–Harness–Leash-12-inch__1033B.aspx

Front fastening Sensible harnesses Softouch prevent your dog from pulling and make walks more enjoyable for young and enthusiastic dogs J  http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ible-harness

The harnesses we regularly use for walks and everyday activities on leash are the Y-Style harness from Hurtta – http://www.hurtta.com/EN/Products/Harnesses/Padded%20harness/.  Another standby is the Petsafe Surefit harness http://store.petsafe.net/sure-fit-harness.

We have recently started using the Balance harness that is a Y-style harness with a front D ring to help prevent your dog pulling while walking https://blue-9.com/pages/balance-harness/. It also has a D ring on the top of the harness and is adjustable in almost every part of the harness.

Health Supplements

Probiotics can be helpful if you see any evidence of upset stomachs. Brands we have successfully used are:

• Gentle Digest
• Probios (for horses and other animals)

Just as with humans, supplements high in Omega 3s are being recommended for dogs to help prevent and treat a range of inflammatory conditions. For our dogs we put fish oil directly onto food once per day. Grizzlies Salmon Oil and Pollock Oil and Sea Pet Omega 3 Fish Oil are brands we’ve used.

See the food section for the other supplements we routinely use.

Toys and Chew Toys

Pumis love to play with soft toys but some do develop the habit of breaking the toys apart and ingesting the stuffing. Therefore it’s best to leave them alone with something different.

For small puppies Nylabones are helpful. The Pumis also recommend Benebones https://www.chewy.com/brands/benebone-6513. For older dogs we prefer bully sticks because they are digestible unlike regular rawhide, which can cause choking if large piece are swallowed. Pressed rawhide bones are a better alternative . However, with any bully stick or rawhide product you will need to check back periodically and remove it when it’s small enough to swallow.

For puppies in particular food puzzle toys are helpful for enrichment and to keep them busy. Brands that we recommend are West Paw, such as the Topple or Zygoflex or Kong, such as the Classic Kong, Wobbler, or Gyro Dog. The Topple, Wobbler, or Gyro Dog can be filled with the normal amount of kibble you would feed for a meal (instead of delivering the meal in a bowl). The Classic Kong or Zygoflex can be stuffed with raw food or wet food mixed with kibble, or yoghurt and pumpkin mixed with kibble. The food stuffing toys can be frozen so they last longer.

Pumis seem to really love playing with and retrieving balls, which can be great as long as there isn’t too much unpredictable high bouncing. To reduce the impact quite often I will send my Pumis to find a static ball that they’ve seen me throw or I simply give them the ball and let them run with it. Rather than tennis balls that may be easily damaged we’ve found a few brands that they really like and are durable even if chewed and the Kong and Megalast do well in water – Kong Squeeze (medium size), JW Megalast http://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-Company-MegaLast-Medium/dp/B0026XSV3C and Orbee http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OGSKMU/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1426794178&sr=1&keywords=orbee.

Other great toys are the Kong Zip Flight soft frisbee, medium size (again making sure you can throw it for your Pumi to retrieve without unpredictable and/or repetitive jumping). This frisbee floats and is good for water play. An overall great online store to buy balls, frisbees, interactive toys, and tug toys for training is the Clean Run store.

Flea and Tick Control

In the Northwest flea and tick control is usually only needed in the warmer months. We use products with the active ingredient Fipronil, which will last through bathing (wait 24 hours after application). The products can be applied monthly especially if tick protection is needed, but protection against fleas can last up to 3 months. We’ve used the following brands that are available at retail without prescription:

• Frontline Plus (our standby)

Bathing and General Grooming

Pumis should be thoroughly brushed out weekly using a grooming rake and dematting tool if necessary to break up any mats in the fur. See Abiqua Dogs grooming page for product suggestions and full grooming instructions: http://www.abiquadogs.com/pumi/grooming.htm. Since Pumik do not shed they need to be trimmed periodically. The frequency depends on how much plucking of hair vs. trimming with scissors and the type of activities your dog does. I find that I like to trim the whole coat and face at least monthly and I may do quick touch ups in between.

Frequency of bathing your Pumi will be dependent on the activities they are doing and the need to get them clean. Bathing every 2 or 3 months is probably a fine goal. More frequent bathing could strip oil from the skin and texture from the coat. We recommend washing the face with gentle tear-free shampoo. Also a mild shampoo for the rest of the coat such as an oatmeal based dog shampoo is recommended. In a pinch baby shampoo could be used. Do not use doggie conditioner or other coat softening products.

Nails should be trimmed every 2 weeks and hair clipped from between the pads monthly.

Ears should also be cleaned monthly and in conjunction with the bath. Using a cotton ball soaked in alcohol free pet ear cleaner is the best way to go. Our current favorite product is Vet’s Best Ear Relief Wash. Use a dry cotton ball to clean up an excess liquid.

Other Household Necessities

Especially during puppyhood and potty training you’ll need a cleaner and deodorizer on hand to deal with any accidents. We are fans of Nature’s Miracle products for all sorts of clean ups.

To deter chewing on furniture, rugs, and anything else you don’t want the puppy to chew on we recommend Bitter Apple spray.

Where to Buy Your Supplies

Most of the items we recommend can be found at specialty pet stores, such as Petco, Petsmart, etc. However, many of the items can be found much more cheaply online. Some of our favorite online retailers are:

• www.chewy.com (for food; orders over $49 ship for free)
• www.amazon.com (Prime and Prime Fresh can give significant discounts on food with fast delivery)
• www.petedge.com (for grooming tools, shampoos, kennel pads, and most general supplies)
• www.kvsupply.com (for health supplements and flea protection)

Online Information about Living With and Training Pumis

There are a number of online resources where you can find out more information about Pumi and/or share experiences with other Pumi owners. Here are just a few.

www.pumiclub.org: This is web site for the Hungarian Pumi Club of America. As well as information on the history and health of the breed it also gives access to the archives of the quarterly newletter for club members.

http://www.pumiworld.hu/en/about-en.html: The web site from Szurkebarat kennel in Hungary. Although they are retired from breeding, the site is still a wealth of historical information on Pumis.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/639888109381261/: The US Pumi Lovers group on Facebook is a great way to connect with and share experiences with other Pumi owners in the US.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/172210449558582/: This is an international group of Pumi owners who participate in agility, obedience, and other activities. We have some good discussions on training and behavior in this group.

https://mayaludogs.com/:  Keep an eye on our blog too. As well as updates on the MayaLu’s Pumi family I do post training articles that I’ve written from time to time.