A Komondor is a showstopper. It's beautiful white-corded appearance and confident bearing makes it a favorite dog to watch. The coat itself is what gives it the unique appearance with hair that twists into curly cords by age two. In fact, if the coat fails to cord up by this age, it is disqualified as a show dog. In order to show a Komondor, the coat has to have the cords all over its body, including the head and legs. The coat also has to be all white in adults, with some allowance for cream or buff colors in puppies. The requirements for the coat are very stringent, but it is also what makes this breed so greatly admired by dog fanciers.
The skin under the coat should be gray or pink, although pink is not as highly favored as gray. The nose itself should be flesh-colored too. The dog should not have blue eyes or it will be disqualified. Another disqualification is three or more missing teeth.
Showing a Komondor can be tricky. They are known for being bred as guard dogs and so tend to be highly protective of their owners and distrustful of strangers. Your dog should be trained to obey your command over his instincts so that the showing can go smoothly. You cannot count on a judge to not inadvertently alarm the dog and it may instantly go from what seems like alert passivity to a full lunge. This is in keeping with their roles as livestock guard dogs, but can put a damper on your showing. So, in many ways, the handler will be judged as well as the dog if you choose to show a Komondor.
In order to get your dog in tip-top shape, you will need to make sure it is washed and fully groom before the show. The coat should be free of mats and falling in free-flowing curls. Drying a Komondor takes a bit of skill since a hair dryer and brush cannot be used. You will need to take these special requirements into account when you are doing a show and plan accordingly. It can take quite a bit of time for your dog's coat to dry naturally and the only thing you can really do to help it is to scrunch the curls and remove the excess water with either your hands or a towel.
Aside from the appearance and build of your dog, he will also be judged on how it carries itself in the ring and its demeanor. Judges should understand that the dog is naturally suspicious of strangers, so it can't be expected to be entirely friendly. However, it should not be afraid to show and it should appear alert and in command of itself. Occasionally, you may get a dog that not only is a great Komondor but has a winning show personality too.
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