When the AKC created the Herding Group in 1983, it moved 16 breeds from the Working Group to the newly formed group. As a side note – ask a veteran of the fancy from those days just how long it took to judge the working group back then, and you’re likely to hear them heave a hefty sigh from the memory. Small animals were gestated in the time it took to complete the Working Group by the time it was split up. Just saying.
Fourteen more herding breeds have been added since 1983, and as of this writing, the most recent was the terrific Lancashire Heeler. Before the Heeler, however, the “new kid on the block” was the Mudi which was added in 2022.
For the right owner, there is much to recommend this breed sometimes described as a ‘mostly herding dog’ with a splash of terrier and spitz thrown in, but what interests us for this post is the Mudi’s staggering versatility. Some of it was on display with photos posted by owners during a Purebred of Interest feature on our Facebook page and we share them below.
The breed herds and works with sheep, of course:
Photo of Szamos by Huub Vogelezang and shared by Barbara Bartel
Below is Huub Vogelezang and his dog Szamos tending sheep in urban areas in the Netherlands – shared by Barbara Bartel
Another of Huub Vogelezang’s Mudi
Agility is easy-peasy for a Mudi:
Katerina Kipfer’s “Pepper by Beat at habermacherj – https://shop.habermacher.com/index
Charline Impens’ photo of Alca, a black merle
Snatching things from the air!
Sam Gentsch’s Jira catching a disc
Lure coursing!
Cynthia Hilarow Knls’ MV’s Baccus during lure coursing
Flyball!
Beth Borchardt’s Lonya, a black merle
Swamp creature:
Photo by Hubb Voglezang
Parenting!
Beth Bochardt’s Lonya with her pups, Ruff and Wicked from 2016
We know from our readers that Mudis also excell at nose work, barn hunt, and treibball, but did you ever guess that the Mudi would also be a good avalanche dog?
Meet “Kilő,” an imported Mudi from Hungary. In 2016, he became part of the same program that employs Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, the Alyeska Patrol Avalanche Canine Program in Alaska. His handler, Stacie, researched many working breeds, and eventually decided on the Mudi. It wasn’t an outlandish idea because this wicked smart breed has been used in other European countries in Search and Rescue work. Stacie flew to Hungary to get her Mudi and came back with “Kilő,” a little black merle whose name means, ‘to fire’ or ‘to launch.’ They began their training in early October, 2013, and became an important part of the team. Stacie reported that, “When given the ‘search’ command, [Kilo} shoots out of my hands toward the ‘buried’ subject like a speeding bullet-living up to his name!” We’ve also learned that in Finland, the breed is used as mountain-rescue dogs.
How about TV dog?
In the mid 90s, a wonderful British mystery television series, Cadfael, was broadcast on ITV. Based on The Cadfael Chronicles novels written by Ellis Peters, the series starred Sir Derek Jacobi (an Irish Terrier owner) playing a Benedictine monk and herbalist in 11th century England. In the first episode of the second season, “The Virgin in the Ice,” Cadfael is investigating the circumstances of an attack on a fellow monk left for dead. It was in the scene below that we noticed the dog, and given that much of Cadfael was filmed in Hungary, we were pretty sure we were looking at a Mudi:
What we didn’t see coming was the Mudi as…….a boar hunter?
We should have.
It’s stated right there in the first section of the Mudi’s AKC breed standard under General Description: “The Mudi is an extremely versatile, intelligent, alert, agile all purpose Hungarian farm dog. The Mudi has courage, a trait useful for working the most stubborn livestock. The breed is a loyal protector of property and family members without being overly aggressive. The Mudi is sometimes used for flushing out wild boar in Hungary.” This was repeated by the North American Mudi Alliance, in an AP News article written by Jennifer Peltz in 2022, and several other sources. Make no mistake, the Mudi is traditionally a sheep herder, but a wide variety of secondary tasks includes vermin control, guard dog and yes, even boar hunter.
As to why this is a do-it-all breed, certainly its high intelligence is a factor. Having seen a few Mudis* in action, we have no reason to doubt the claim that they can learn as quickly as a Border Collie or maybe even faster.
The Mudi should stand squarely on all fours and when viewed from the side, the topline, front legs and back legs should closely approximate a square. Having a length nearly equal to its height, strong legs, and a well muscled, slightly arched necks allows for swift, supple, and agile movement. Coupled with a robust constitution and the Mudi is well equipped to take on a myriad of physical activities.
In the end, sometimes it takes a little something extra—and the Mudi’s courageous disposition makes it unlikely to back down from large or difficult livestock. This trait is why the breed is often used in battues for wild boar, where game is driven toward hunters by beaters.
*In Hungarian, the plural of Mudi is Mudik, but the Mudi Club of America prefers that Mudis be used as the plural form of their breed’s name.
Image: Another thing Mudis to do is look good! Luke from Indiana shows us how its done. Photo by Julie Wetnight Codding