The Komondor is a hearty breed and will do best if it lives in an area or circumstance that allows it to be out of doors. This breed loves to run and exercise itself and having space to do so will add to animal's quality of life. However, the breed can do well in apartment dwellings too as long as it is given enough time and opportunity to exercise outside.
The Komondor is very well suited to different climates. It will do fine in high heat climates and it will do equally well in cooler climates. Unlike many breeds that are better suited to living indoors, the Komondor can live out of the home if needed. This should only be done if the outside portion that it will live in is securely fenced and gated. Remember, this is an instinctive guard dog and it will go after what it feels is a threat to the owner or to the owner's property.
Description
There is almost no mistaking the Komondor for any other breed. The Komondor is a massive dog with a proud gait and a long history of honor and pride. The Komondor worked with the Puli in ancient Hungary. The Puli would do the actual herding during the daylight hours, and the massive Komondor would guard the flock at night.
The Komondor is completely covered with an extraordinary felted and corded coat. The coat can run from 8 to 11 inches long and is one of its most unique features. This coat is always white.
Some people believe that this corded white coat helps the dog blend in well with the sheep that they guard. It has also been thought that this unique coat add protection to the animal.
In the Komondor breed, the head and muzzle are massive and impressive even though they are somewhat short. The animal will have eyes that are dark brown and alert to movement.
The Komondor has U-shaped ears that hang down and often seem to blend into the rest of the coat.
The body of this breed is characterized by a powerful, deep chest, which is muscular and wide. The breast of the healthy Komondor is broad and well-muscled. For most animals the belly is somewhat drawn up at the rear, but this can be hard to see when the coat has fully grown out.
For show purposes, softness or lack of good muscle tone is a fault. This breed should not only be strong but should look strong as well.
When looked upon from a short distance the animal's bone structure should appear massive and strong. The tail hangs down, and this is considered normal.
The Komondor has a truly unique characteristic to its coat. The outer coat of the animal will fuse with the undercoat to form a type of felt that hangs in long cords. It can take up to two years for the cords to form completely and 5 years to reach the desired length.
The puppy coat is relatively soft, but it will begin to fall into cord-like curls as it grows. The young adult coat, or intermediate coat, consists of very short cords next to the skin which may be hidden by the fluff on the outer ends of the cords. The mature coat will be a dense, soft, woolly undercoat much like the puppy coat, and a coarser outer coat that is wavy or curly.
The coarser hairs of the outer coat trap the softer undercoat, forming permanent, strong cords that are felt-like to the touch. A grown dog is entirely covered with a heavy coat of these tassel-like cords, which form naturally.
It should be noted and remembered that the length of the coat is a function of age, meaning that it grows with each passing year.
For those wishing to enter the Komondor into shows, much more detail on the coat is required. You can learn more about the show requirements by doing an online search.
The usual color of the coat is white, but not always the pure white of a brushed coat. In puppies you might see a small amount of cream or buff but this normally fades with maturity. As with the coat, if you plan to enter your Komondor into any shows you should research the color qualifications and disqualifications. This, too, can be found at many online websites that are devoted to this wonderfully interesting breed of animal.
History
The Komondor has a long history and some of that is intertwined with the Puli breed. It has been asserted that the Komondor is descended from Tibetan dogs. Some researchers believe that the Komondor was brought to Hungary more than a thousand years ago by nomadic Magyars. These hearty dogs were used to guard flocks of sheep during the nighttime hours. Because of their willingness to protect the flock and the owner against any threat, big or small, they were highly prized among the shepherds.
Some newer research is suggesting that they came from the Cumans. The name, Komondor (they propose) came from the name, Koman-dor, which means dog of the Cumans.
To give you an idea of how ancient this breed may be the earliest written reference to the breed is from the 16th century. During the ages since it has been used as a reliable and loyal guard dog.
Beginning the 1920's the breed began to show up in dog shows. It has since gained a wide popularity with owners the world over. Even today the Komondor is often used as guard dog for livestock.
Temperament
People who are unfamiliar with the Komondor should spend some time researching the breed and then visiting with a live Komondor before purchasing one. The reason for this is that the Komondor is a serious, confident, and commanding breed of animal.
For the most part, it can be very reserved with strangers and will size up any stranger who happens to be in the vicinity. The Komondor is very territorial and it will protect the owner and the owner's property without hesitation. It is good to remember that this breed has fought wolves, bears, and many other predators when it was used a guard dog in times past. That same willingness to get into a fight is alive today.
It can be fiercely protective and even aggressive, especially with strange dogs, but
also with people. Anyone considering this breed as pet, must understand that the Komondor needs to be thoroughly socialized with people and other dogs at an early age.
The serious temperament of the breed is one of the most important aspects of the animal that perspective owners must consider. Even with the best of training this breed can and does often react from instinct. This can cause serious problems for some owners. You should only purchase a Komondor if you are willing to invest in the obedience training that it will need and if you are willing to be somewhat "on the edge" as far as safety is concerned.
Health Problems
As with many breeds of dogs the Komondor is prone to hip dysplasia. This breed is also somewhat prone to Bloat and skin problems.
Grooming
It is very important for all owners to understand that the coat and hair of this breed should never be brushed. It must never be combed either. The hair of this breed is divided into cords and those cords will need to be separated by hand.
The Komondor will require bathing and it should be noted that this bathing can be a laborious process. The drying time for this breed can be up to two days if it is left to air dry. The animal does not shed much if any at all.
The Komondor's teeth need to be kept clean. If the owner is not able to perform this grooming task, a pet salon should be used. Proper dental care is extremely important as it helps your pet to keep its teeth for as long as possible.
You should trim the nails once a week or so to prevent overgrowth. This is very easy to do. You will need a pair of animal nail clippers that can be found in most pet stores. Only trim the top portion of the nail and do not over cut into the nail.
The hair between the pads of the feet should be trimmed when it becomes long.
Baths should be given only when needed.
Exercise
The Komondor is a medium level exercise breed. For the most part it will exercise itself if it has enough room to do so out of doors. It is important to ensure that the dog cannot get lose as it may attack other dogs, animals, and people that it feels are a threat.
For walking, the Komondor is very energetic and will happily take long walks with the owner. The animal is not exactly a playful breed, but it is a loyal breed and will attend to the owner's wishes when trained properly at an early age.
It should also be noted in that some Komondors are very lazy and will be more than happy to lie and nap for hours and hours. In an otherwise healthy animal, this should not cause alarm or concern.
Training
This breed requires training and there should be no getting around that fact. They need complete and firm obedience training by an experienced owner or from a professional trainer.
The breed can be very willful and must be taught who is the master. Because of the chance that it might attack other animals and people this training should be started very early on and it must be reinforced during the life of the animal.
This breed is very smart, but it can be easily led to boredom. For this reason it is always a good idea to have something for the animal to do or to play with. The breed enjoys learning new tricks and will usually try very hard to please the owner.
Many owners will attest to the fact that this breed can be very loyal to the owner and the owner's family. The breed is known to show respect toward those who own it. However, it should not be forgotten that this dog can become very aggressive when it feels that there are threats nearby. Proper obedience training can go a long way in solving this potential problem but owners should never let their guard down when there is the possibility of trouble.
Komondors can be good family dogs if they are socialized as a young puppy,
trained thoroughly, and raised with children from the start, but they are not recommended for most families, especially those with small children or for owners who already have another animal in the home.
For the very best results, it is highly recommended that you get a puppy when purchasing one of this breed. Older dogs will have a mind of their own and they may not be trainable to your standards. In addition, they will be much harder to accept the other issues that may be a part of the home such as children and other pets.
When training is started early, the breed can become a very good family pet, but that training must start as soon as possible and it may best be conducted by a professional trainer.
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Ratings and Attributes
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