Puli Dog Sculpture

He followed me to the Folklife Festival, Mom! Can I keep him?

As part of the 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Program “Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival,” artist Gábor Miklós Szőke created a sculpture of a Puli dog using narrow cuts of lumber painted black. Puli dogs are a 1,000-year-old, medium-sized breed of Hungarian herding dog that are known for their long, curly coats, which are almost waterproof.

This particular Puli dog is currently making his home on the National Mall, near the Smithsonian Castle. He’s herding Festival visitors to the many displays of Hungarian culture and heritage that are on view now through July 7.