With coats of corkscrew curls and ears that flop at the tips, the latest recognised breed of dog could well be the cutest. Breeders have been working tirelessly in the US over the past two decades in a quest to get the pumi officially noticed – and their hard work paid off. To become officially recognised by the American Kennel Club (AKC), the fluffy canine had to meet a population quota among a host of other criteria.