In the world of Silicon Valley tech giants, where everything is polished and PR-vetted, Mark Zuckerberg dog Beast was the ultimate glitch in the matrix. He wasn't some sleek, designer Doberman or a high-strung Malinois guarding a compound.
He was a mop.
Seriously. A living, breathing, jumping white mop.
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If you spent any time on Facebook over the last decade, you definitely saw him. He was the Hungarian Puli who somehow amassed over 2 million followers just by existing and looking like a pile of expensive yarn. But there’s a lot more to Beast than just "cute dog of a billionaire."
The Puli That Took Over the Internet
Beast wasn't just a pet; he was a legit "Public Figure" on Facebook. That sounds ridiculous, but he actually had a verified page before most celebrities did.
Born in January 2011 in Grants Pass, Oregon, Beast joined the Zuckerberg-Chan household in Palo Alto when he was just a tiny ball of white fluff. At that stage, he didn't even have the dreadlocks. Pulik (that’s the plural for Puli, by the way) are born with relatively straight hair.
The "cording" happens later. It’s a wild process.
Around nine or ten months, the undercoat starts to tangle with the outer coat. If you don't separate those tangles by hand, you end up with one giant, felted mess. Mark and Priscilla actually had to spend hours manually separating his hair into individual cords.
Honestly, imagine being the CEO of a global empire and spending your Sunday afternoon painstakingly detangling dog hair. It’s a weirdly humanizing image.
Why Beast Was More Than a Mascot
Most people think Beast was just for show. They’re wrong.
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Pulis are working dogs. They are high-drive, high-intensity herding animals from Hungary. They don't want to sit on a velvet pillow; they want to work.
- He actually herded sheep. Zuckerberg famously posted photos of Beast at a farm, showing off his "herding stance."
- He was remarkably athletic. There's a famous photo of Beast mid-air, jumping, where he looks like a white explosion of wool.
- He was a family protector. Before the Zuckerbergs had their three daughters—Max, August, and Aurelia—Beast was the "first child."
When Max was born in 2015, there was a lot of talk about how a high-energy Puli would handle a baby. Turns out, Max’s very first word wasn't "Mama" or "Dada." It was "dog."
The "Mop" Camouflage
One of the funniest things about Mark Zuckerberg dog Beast was his ability to vanish.
Because of that corded white coat, he could blend into almost anything in a modern, minimalist home. Zuckerberg used to post "find the dog" photos where Beast would be lying on a white rug or next to a literal mop, and you genuinely couldn't tell the difference.
It became a running joke.
But that coat isn't just for camouflage or looking cool. In the Hungarian plains, those cords protected the dogs from wolf bites and harsh weather. The hair is basically armor.
What Happened to Beast?
Every dog owner knows the heartbreak of the "senior years."
By 2024, Beast was getting up there in age. For a Puli, the typical lifespan is around 10 to 14 years. He had lived a massive life—from being the "ring bearer" (he actually walked down the aisle) at Mark and Priscilla’s surprise wedding in 2012 to seeing the company change from Facebook to Meta.
In June 2025, Mark Zuckerberg shared the news that Beast had passed away.
"Enjoy heaven, little guy," he wrote.
It was the end of an era for social media’s most famous pet. Beast wasn't just a dog; he was a constant in the background of some of the biggest tech shifts of the 21st century.
Lessons from the Billionaire’s Dog
You might think there’s nothing to learn from a celebrity pet, but Beast actually taught a lot of people about rare breeds.
Before him, nobody in the US knew what a Puli was. Now, they’re a cult-favorite breed. If you’re thinking about getting one because you loved Beast, keep these things in mind:
- Grooming is a full-time job. You cannot brush a corded Puli. You have to wash them, which takes hours, and drying them can take an entire day. If they stay damp, they can literally mildew.
- They need a "job." If you don't give a Puli something to herd or a puzzle to solve, they will herd your kids or your cats.
- They are "velcro dogs." They want to be with you every second.
Beast lived the ultimate dog life in Palo Alto. He went from a farm in Oregon to being the most followed dog on the planet, all while maintaining that "I just fell out of a yarn bin" look.
If you want to keep the "Beast" spirit alive, look into the Puli Club of America. They are a small, dedicated group of people who keep this ancient breed going. It's a lot of work, but as the Zuckerbergs showed the world, having a living mop for a best friend is pretty worth it.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the archives: Go back to Beast's official Facebook page. It's a digital time capsule of the last 14 years of tech history through the eyes of a dog.
- Research the breed: If you're looking for a dog that doesn't shed (Pulik are hypoallergenic!), look into the Puli or the larger Komondor. Just be ready for the grooming bill.
- Support Puli Rescue: Rare breeds often end up in shelters when people realize they can't handle the hair. Donating to Puli-specific rescues is a great way to honor Beast's legacy.