Hi Everyone,
We are thinking about buying our first dog. I have a young family, a faintly neurotic cat, and live in the country with a large garden. We are looking at either the Finnish Spitz or a Hungarian Puli. Could anyone please give us pros and cons on either breed to help us make the right decision. Thanks in advance
Vanessa

Well they are two very differnt breeds.

The finkie is an active vocal hunting dog, whose reliability off lead in tempting environemnts will be very patchy.

the Puli is a lively dog, but if you intend to keep it with the corded coat will require a lot of work with this to keep it parasite free and in good condition.

The finkie in common with most northern dogs will have very little doggy smell, but when it moults it will seem to be snowing creamy red hair.

The Puli will invariably be somwhat more wiffy as the coat is oilier and because of the cords.

It is possible to keep a Puli in a short curly coat like a pet Bichon or Poodle, having it clipped before it can cord. In this way it is easier to care for, and as a pet very cute.

The Pulis I have met have had fun tmeperaments.

I have Known finnish spitz rather well, they are pretty friendly almost in a cat like way due to their independance. They can seem quarelsome, but it is mnostly fizz and swearing.

Thanks for all that info...a couple of questions...
What constitutes a tempting enviroment? Sheep?
Do you know if they are reliable with kids?
Which one would you go for or do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks a lot

Finkies should be fine with kids, especially if th4e kids are nice to them.

They are used in Scandinavia for hunting birds, so pheasant country would be very tempting, and most wide open spaces.

Sheep country would worry me, as because of the colour they could easily be shot as foxes!

My advice would be to conatact breeders and go and spend a couple of hours with a breeder who has various ages of dogs. I stayed at my freinds (now deceased) who had 2o Finns with my children who at the time were 8 and 4, and the dogs largely ignored them, or sat on their laps for petting. Finns are busy dogs.