Probably bred with Tibetan Spaniels, these dogs came out of the Ural Mountains. They herded sheep in an unusual fashion; jumping on the sheep’s back till they went where they were supposed to go. The dog was nearly lost in Hungary, due to breeding with the Pumi, but at the turn of the 20th century, there was a concerted effort to save the breed. There was a vast variety in heights at the time, from large to quite small, so a breed standard size was organized and we know that size today. The breed was shared with the world by Hungarians fleeing WWII.
These are busy little dogs, full of energy and pep. They want to be doing things all the time. They aren’t always great with other dogs and a high degree of socialization is needed early on. They appoint themselves as protectors of the family and can be both a watch dog and guard dog. While they are not shedders, bathing can result in a full day of drying time.