Komondor

The Komondor is a big Hungarian breed of guardian dog, white in color with a corded coat. The Komondor is a powerful dog breed with a natural instinct to guard livestock and other property. The Komondor dog is one of Hungary’s national treasures.

The Komondor looks like the Puli and Bergamasco. There could also be a link with the South Russian Ovacharka. The dreadlock coat was developed under a dry temperature climate and it provides superb protection against cold and also hot weather. It can get uncomfortable in wet weather.

The trademark of the breed is its coat, which is thick and lets the dog mix into a flock of sheep and protect them from predators.

The Komondor is over 30 inches tall, and this makes it one of the larger breeds of dog. A heavy and matted, corded coat covers its robust and strongly muscled body. The dogs have long legs and very short backs, with the low tails. The body, when seen sideways, looks like a rectangle.

With a broad head, the Komondor has a slightly short muzzle, with a complete scissor bite. The nose and the lips are black. They are surprisingly quick, agile and command respect. The height of the female is 25.5 in and the male is 27.5 inches. The dogs weigh between 88–132 lb or 40-60kg.

The Komondor's white coat is long and thick and has the heaviest amount of fur in the canine world. The puppy coat is soft and fluffy and curls as the puppy grows. Thick hair that grows between the pads of the feet also requires some maintenance. This hair picks up burrs, or can get infected when wet. For the comfort of the dog, this hair should be cut out so that mats do not form between the foot pads. Ear care is a must because Komondors have ears which prevent air circulation. It is necessary to keep them clean and free of hair. Some dogs have hairier ear canals, but some commercial powders and cleaning fluids can greatly reduce infections.

The Komondor is calm and steady but will fearlessly defend its charges. It thinks and acts independently. It is affectionate and gentle with children and family, and is instinctively very protective of its family and possessions. It is good with other pets but dislikes teasing, and is not for city life. The dog rests during the day and at night patrols his place.

Komondors are easy to train when started early. A Komondor can get stubborn when bored, so the training sessions should be peppy and upbeat. The Komondor should be socialized with other dogs as a puppy.

With proper care, the Komondor comes across as a loving and responsible dog, who is devoted to his family and very calm.

Komondors do not suffer from many hereditary problems because the breed has descended from hard working stock. There is no evidence of any retinal eye problems present in other breeds and neither is there dwarfism or any kind of blood disorders.