It was a Croatian sheepdog!
I told you that these photos could trip some of you up.
I was right.
Mittelspitz got the breed correct. It was a Croatian Sheepdog.
Most comment said it was Mudi. And Mudi dogs do look a lot like Croatian sheepdogs.
The Mudi, though, comes from Hungary. It is a close relative of the Pumi and the Puli. Indeed, these three breeds are derived from the active herding dog landrace of Hungary, which included poodle-type dogs and shepherd type dogs. The Pumi is sort of the in- between form of the poodle-type Puli and the shepherd-type Mudi. These have since been divided into distinct breeds.
Croatia does border on Hungary, and it stands to reason that the Mudi and Croatian sheepdog are also relatives. The Croatian sheepdog comes from Slavonia, which borders on Hungary.
The standard for the Croatian sheepdog calls for a slightly larger dog that comes in only black or black with limited white markings on the chest or feet.
The Mudi is smaller and comes in a plethora of colors.
A mudi in a color other than black.
Croatian and Hungary were in a personal union from 1091 to 1526, and Slavonia and adjacent Hungary are on flat, fertile plains, where goods, people, and animals could travel relatively easily.
All of these factors may explain why the breeds are similar.
Neither is actually well-known.
I’ve read that both breeds are very easy to train, comparable to a border collie, and probably are a good choice for dog sports.
If those traits are true, it is very likely that both of these breeds will become common in the future.
BTW, I don’t know whether to count these dogs as herding spitz breeds or shepherd-type dogs, like the Aldeustche Huetehunde types. Perhaps Mittelspitz can explain this a little better.
[…] These are Croatian sheepdogs. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Shocking animal cruelty photo!Chow Chows have […]
I’ve never seen one in person, but from photos, the Mudis also seem to have slightly smaller ears. YMMV. :P
PS: Haven’t the foggiest clue how they all fit together. :P I’ve never seen one work but I suspect it’s sort of halfway between the herding continental spitzen and the shepherds.
Hey :D
Just wanted to say that croatian sheepdogs and mudis have been used to herd sheep for centuries. Some say that the croatian sheepdo is the ancestor of the mudi. It’s origins are a mystery. Some say that it came with the Croats to Europe in the early Middle Ages and mixed with local dogs to achieve it’s final form.