Komondor (Hungarian Shepherd): a description of the breed, character and photo

In the world there are many truly amazing breeds of dogs. One of them is the Hungarian Shepherd, in which at first you can not recognize the dog because of its long and thick coat, as if woven into pigtails. However, despite this somewhat strange appearance, this animal is distinguished by a developed intellect, strength and endurance, which causes an increased interest of dog breeders.

Historical data

Its origin, this breed, called a different Komondor, takes approximately from the 9th century AD (this is the time when the first mention of it is dated). The Hungarians withdrew it and used it for sentry purposes, mainly for guarding and escorting livestock during grazing and hauling.

Qualities, valued by shepherds

Hungarian shepherd shepherd, protecting sheep flocks or herds of cows, could easily resist large predators - wolves and even bears. This is explained not only by natural courage, but also by purely physical factors - thick wool is able to protect it from the teeth of attacking animals in the same way as bulletproof vest protects a person from bullets.

No less important quality, which shepherds noticed, was that this breed equally easily tolerated both cold and heat. This is because the wool coat helps maintain the natural temperature of the animal's body, reliably isolating it from the environment and preventing the surface of the skin from very cold or, on the contrary, overheated air. Accordingly, thanks to such microclimate, the Hungarian Shepherd feels comfortable in any weather and can effectively perform the tasks assigned to it.

Other qualities and mention of them in the literature

This breed also had "light" in literary works. Her qualities so admired people that the authors called her "king among the shepherd dogs" (Jan Amos Comenius). Yes, among the shepherd dogs, he really was not equal, because he, because of his color, was invisible in the sheep flock, and therefore, he could always make an unexpected and lightning throw towards the predator who decided to attack.

But especially people appreciated the fact that Komondor is able to understand the master from the half-word, to work unattended, to make independent decisions in difficult situations. And the creator of the work "The History of Nature and the Doctrine of the Craft" Ferenc Peach said that "only the komondor can be entrusted with his life".

Description of the breed

The Hungarian Shepherd is a beautiful white (ivory) dog of very large size. The case is powerful, when viewed from the side, it resembles a slightly inclined rectangle toward the back. The wool is thick, long, corded, or as they are called dreadlocks. It grows throughout the life of the dog, moreover, its length in an adult dog can reach 70 cm, and weight about 7 kg.

The length of the dog's body is somewhat higher than the height at the withers. The head is raised above the body, and the tail, usually lowered, during the movement of the dog is raised almost parallel to the ground, as if forming one straight line with the spine. Moves easily, vigorously. The growth of an adult dog is not less than 70 cm at the withers in males and 65 cm in females, respectively, in weight of 50-60 and 40-50 kg.

The character of the dog is calm, not aggressive, if it does not see the danger to the property, animals or people entrusted to it. Good at finding a common language with children. To unfamiliar people is wary. At an early age, the dog is easy to train - this factor is better not to be neglected, otherwise later it can show obstinacy.

Care komondorom and its contents

Komondor is a Hungarian guard dog, for which special care is required. This is due to the peculiarities of its wool cover. Some dog breeders believe that combed hair should be combed with combs with widely spaced teeth. In fact, this is a wrong opinion. Of course, before they bring their pets to the exhibition, their owners make various efforts to give the animal a proper appearance. However, regular combing and combing out to the commander is not only not required, but also contraindicated, since it can damage the dreadlocks.

How to properly care for komondor's hair?

What care does the Hungarian Shepherd require? The photos of the dog clearly demonstrate its appearance. On them you can see individual cords, care of which is carried out only with the help of fingers, excluding other instruments. True, sometimes it also happens that it becomes necessary to arm and scissors to share the tangled cords. In such cases, you must act carefully so as not to damage the skin of the animal. For this, the necessary manipulations of the instrument begin in the direction from the roots of the hair.

Actually, the care is to prevent tangles from crocheting and to separate them among themselves. Acting with your fingers, the dog breeder must sever nearby strands, making them separate along the entire length, starting from the ends of the hair and following to the roots. This procedure becomes necessary, starting with the puppy's age of 6-8 months. During this period, it becomes denser, longer and, without due attention, can fall apart. Separate the cords at the beginning it is necessary with a frequency 1-2 times a month, then, as the dog grows up, it is done only occasionally, as necessary.

How often should you swim Komondor?

There are different opinions about how often a komondor should swim. The Hungarian Shepherd dog, because of its long and thick coat, dries very long after taking water procedures, so in cold weather it can catch a cold. Many dog breeders for this reason believe that it should only be bathed 2 times a year. However, experienced cynologists do not support this opinion, saying that in the warm season, swimming in a pond or lake dog does not hurt, it can do so quite often without harming one's health.

But with regard to the use of detergents for bathing, there are quite clear limitations. For example, you should not use them more than once a quarter. It is unacceptable to use normal toilet or laundry soap, as this, firstly, inevitably leads to dry skin and the appearance of itching in the dog, and secondly, can adversely affect the appearance of her hair.

What to feed the Komondor?

Hungarian Shepherd is a food-depriving dog. However, you need to remember that her diet should be balanced. Do not constantly feed your dog with canned food, let alone one dry food. In the diet of any dog, including komondor, such foods as meat, large bones, eggs, vegetables, bran, sour-milk products should be present.

Meat can be given not only thermally processed, but also raw - it is more useful for a dog. In this case, you should not be afraid of the possibility to infect the animal with worms. In dogs, the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is much higher than in humans, which is an insurmountable barrier for many parasites.

The price of Komondor puppies - what does it depend on?

Dog breeders are interested in the question of how much is a Hungarian shepherd? The price of it depends on the compliance of the puppy's parents with the FCI standards - the international cynological organization. Any deviation from these standards reduces the value of the dog. In particular, any deviation from ivory color, an incorrect bite and some other signs are considered inadmissible. As a consequence, puppies, whose parents are animals with such deviations, will cost much less. At the moment in Russia, the minimum price for komondor starts from 15,000 rubles. In most kennel puppies can be purchased at a price of 25-50 thousand rubles.