The American Kennel Club introduced the 190th dog breed this week: a whimsical, hard-working herding pooch called the Pumi.

The Pumi comes to us all the way from Hungary, and will be eligible to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show next February.

Just look at this floppy-eared guy:

He looks trustworthy! I'd tell him my secrets.

So how does a dog breed get recognized by the AKC? It was a long process to get the Pumi the recognition it deserves — an achievement 17 years in the making. The AKC requires that at least 150 dogs of a specific breed be registered in the US to compete in the "miscellaneous" class. It requires 300 for it to be fully recognized as one of the seven dog groups in the National Dog Show. In the Pumi's case, it's the Herding Group.

Pumik (the plural form of Pumi) are a relative to the Puli, a majestic mop with four legs and a great zest for life:

But really, why are we letting the American Kennel Club be the authority on which dogs can compete in fancy dog shows? If you ask me, ALL dogs deserve awards!

Case closed.

TOSS YOUR DOG TREATS EVEN WHEN YOU AREN'T HOME