A modern civilized man has learned to value our smaller brothers. Proof of this is the development of animal welfare societies and a more responsible attitude towards the maintenance of pets. Today it has become fashionable to keep rare animals, and dogs are no exception. The article will focus on a rather rare breed of dogs - mudi (emphasis on the second syllable). These historically Hungarian shepherd dogs are becoming increasingly popular today. And all thanks to the many advantages of this Hungarian shepherd breed with minimal flaws.
International classification and general characteristics
The breed was officially registered in 1966 under the name Mudi FCI No. 238, although history indicates the existence of these Hungarian shepherds (photo below) since the 19th century. Another name for the breed is a Hungarian shepherd dog.
These are vocal and hardy companion dogs with a huge reserve of energy. Thanks to their excellent instinct, these Hungarian hunting dogs are effective in driving large game. They are excellent watchmen, medium-sized and well trained dogs. According to the owners, the dogs of the mudi breed do not have a bad mood, they are defenders with the qualities of a spitz, they love children and get along with them. But only one authoritative owner is recognized in the family. It was to him that the Hungarian Moody Shepherd was betrayed to the last drop of blood and the last breath.
Modern mudis live up to their purpose - grazing herds. The breed of dog Hungarian Shepherd has proven itself in the search for drugs and rescue operations. The hunters keep these dogs for driving wild boars. The Moody dog breed is gaining more and more fans in sports - agility, flyball.
Story
Even in medieval manuscripts there are evidence of dogs for grazing flocks that are very similar to modern mudi.
The breed of dogs was originally formed solely by working qualities. Farmers in Hungary needed a dog that could successfully cope with cattle grazing, would show hunting and watchdog qualities. That is how this breed appeared , in which the blood of German and Croatian shepherds and Hungarian cougars flows.
The dog’s expert Dezso Fenyes (Dezso Fenyes) in the 30s of the XIX century drew attention to the uniqueness of the breed. It was he who singled out these Hungarian dogs into a homogeneous group with specific qualities, and the breed is named after him Canis ovilis Fenyesi. But World War II exterminated not only Europeans, but also muds. Only in the mid 60-ies of the last century it was possible to restore it, strengthening the Belgian and Scottish shepherd genes.
Hungarian Moody dogs received standards in 1966 and spread not only in Hungary, but also abroad. Dog standards have been revised several times, the most recent refinement in 2004. They touched the size and color of the dogs.
In Russia
Moody and in Hungary are considered rare dogs. After receiving the standards, the dogs began to be exported from the country to Finland, Sweden and other countries. Today in their homeland, in the Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Canada and America, there are clubs and nurseries of this breed.
In our country, the breed is not widely known. The breeding nursery, which is engaged in breeding mudi, is located in Vsevolozhsk (Samolla, St. Petersburg).
Modern standards
In Moody dogs, a variety of coat colors are allowed: black, white, ashen, marble, and even with stripes. Stains are allowed, but the color of the paws should correspond to the main color of these Hungarian shepherds (photo below).
The coat is wavy, up to seven centimeters in length, with a pronounced shine. On the front of the body - short and smooth. The tail can be of various lengths, docking is allowed.
Dogs have proportional shapes. Height at the withers of the dog is 43-45 cm, bitches - 40-42 cm. The weight of the dogs varies from eight to thirteen kilograms.
The head is wedge-shaped, the skull has the shape of a dome, the forehead is sloping, the muzzle is less than the length of the skull and elongated. The nose is black, color according to the color of the coat is allowed. Lips are tight, without bryly. Scissor bite.
The eyes are slanting, the ears are erect. The length of the body is equal to the height at the withers. Feet of medium length, fingertips black and round.
Disqualifying defects - lack of teeth, malocclusion, eyes are lighter than color (exception - marble dogs with blue eyes), drooping ears.
Character
These fearless, hardy and strong dogs have an inexhaustible supply of energy. They are brave and courageous, but obedient and amenable to training. In danger, neither size nor the awesome appearance of the enemy will stop them.
Moody will not make the company of lying on the couch, with insufficient walking he will become a "natural disaster" for the owners' home. Psychologically sensitive, independent character.
Moody Monogamous. They recognize only one owner, but they will obey him implicitly. They are friendly and affectionate towards other family members, they love children. At the same time, they will not allow children to torment themselves and may bite. This should be taken into account when choosing a breed for keeping, as well as the fact that chain keeping is not permissible for these cattle dogs.
Strong hunting instincts of mudi can become dangerous for small animals in the house. However, they can be an advantage in rural areas - Muds are excellent mouse and rat hunters.
Maintenance
Dogs of the mudi breed are very unpretentious: they will be accustomed to various foods, and after a walk it is enough to wipe the contaminated places with a wet towel.
Features content, as such, no. Hair care with combing, control of the cleanliness of ears and teeth, shortening of nails - standard procedures that will give Moody the opportunity to look well-groomed and feel great.
Free range - the predominant content of dogs of this breed. But in the apartment, the dog will feel great in the presence of long walks and physical exertion.
Grooming
It should immediately be noted that the coat of these dogs is hypoallergenic. Moody has a thick, slightly wavy coat, shiny and silky. Comb these dogs once a week. They are clean enough, they often do not need to bathe.
Dogs Hungarian Shepherd even free-range will not require special grooming. But at the same time, it is important to ensure that parasites do not start in their thick undercoat. For this, dogs are regularly treated with modern antiparasitic drugs.
What can and cannot be fed
Feeding a mudie is no different from feeding a shepherd dog of any other breed. A balanced feed, which contains fats, proteins and carbohydrates, meat and fish, dairy products - all these mudi foods are well tolerated. Like any other dog, it is useful for these shepherds to diversify the diet with boiled eggs, cheese. Well-balanced modern dry feeds that include vitamins and trace elements for a full life pet are well suited.
However, there are some taboos for mudi. This applies to sweet, smoked and spicy foods. Do not give the dog bakery products. These products cause allergies and various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs.
General nutritional guidelines
If you want your mudi to be energetic, cheerful, cheerful, remember the simple rules:
- Do not give him what you eat yourself. For animals, human food can be harmful, causing severity and digestive upsets.
- Do not give too fatty foods. This leads to violations of the secretion of gastric juice.
- Do not overfeed the dog. Adult mudi are fed once or twice a day. If within twenty minutes the bowl does not become empty, then remove the excess.
- Do not feed the dog from the table. In addition to gaps in education, this leads to problems with the animal’s stomach.
- Do not forget about the constant free access of the dog to water.
Feeding a Moody puppy should start with the diet that he had in his kennel. Gradually transfer it to the food that you are going to feed it.
When transferring to dry feed, keep track of composition and balance. Choose food according to the age of the dog and the availability of all the necessary vitamins. In this case, the animal is not required to additionally give vitamins and minerals.
Game training
As already mentioned, mudies are active, and this requires a long and persistent effort in the implementation of dog training. Hungarian shepherds can do a tedious job for a long time, and this allows them not to get tired during training. Moreover, all training will be more successful if you use the game form. They like to please their master, so often they do not even need food rewards.
However, an independent character requires perseverance, firmness and rigor on the part of the owner. The dog is a Hungarian shepherd easily learns, all the skills you can train it yourself or use the services of dog handlers at special training sites.
Healthy dog
This breed does not have any specific inherited diseases or predisposition. Due to the mixing of many blood, these dogs have a fairly strong immunity. It is important to do all the necessary vaccinations on time, monitor the condition of the dog, ensure a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, then you will have a cheerful and sociable mudie in your house.
Congenital joint dysplasia is much less common in this breed than in other shepherds. A proper nutrition of the puppy will ensure the appropriate formation of the skeleton and muscle mass.
A healthy Hungarian Shepherd dog will delight you for a long time, because the average life expectancy of a mudi is fourteen years.
How to choose a puppy
This is a rather rare breed in Russia, so the acquisition of such a dog can cause difficulties. Hungarian shepherd puppies cost from one to several thousand dollars - depending on the breeding value. When deciding to purchase a puppy of this particular breed, it is worth considering the offers of pedigree nurseries.
Like a shepherd of a different breed, a Moody puppy should be purchased between the ages of 2 and 3 months. It is at this age that tribal inclinations are visible, and unwanted behavioral reactions have not yet been formed. At this age, puppies are already vaccinated, can eat independently and are ready for communication and training.
You will have to choose from 2-6 puppies (that's how many of them are usually in the litter). Talk with the breeder about the nature of the dogs, because the makings of the future dog have already begun to appear. When choosing a puppy, it is very good to get to know his parents, most often small individuals manifest the character features of their father and mother.
Do not forget about the documents. A puppy card and a passport with marked vaccinations are an essential part of buying a pedigree puppy. And also a guarantee of his health and strength of character, a guarantee of the acquisition of a dog of this breed. After all, mudi puppies are very similar to puppies of closely related breeds.
Interesting Facts
The print of the paw of a Hungarian shaggy shepherd dog Moody was printed on the grave of the French pirate Robert Surkuf, nicknamed Dog Baron. It is believed that the corsairs, under his leadership, used these dogs to capture ships - pirates sent angry shepherds along the abandoned ramp to the deck of the captured ship, which ensured a quick victory.
In the homeland of these dogs there is a saying, “Moody is a rare breed, and Moody with a bad character is a very rare dog.” These dogs will keep company in the morning jogging, cycling, hunting for large animals, and their touching attitude towards children makes them wonderful nannies and bodyguards. After all, this small dog will not stop meeting even with a larger opponent.
These are dogs with a very high level of intelligence, controlled and obedient, owner-oriented. These smart dogs are even taught to dance.