In the world there are many truly amazing breeds of dogs. One of them is a Hungarian shepherd, in which at first you may not recognize the dog because of its long and thick coat, as if woven into pigtails. However, despite such a somewhat strange appearance, this animal is distinguished by developed intelligence, strength and endurance, which causes increased interest of dog breeders.
Historical data
This breed, called another Komondor, originates from about the 9th century AD (this is the time when the first mention of it dates back). Hungarians brought it out and used it for guard purposes, mainly for guarding and escorting cattle during grazing and driving.
Qualities rated by the shepherds
The Hungarian shepherd shepherd, protecting flocks of sheep 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 can protect it from the teeth of attacking animals in the same way that a bulletproof vest protects a person from bullets.
An equally important quality that the shepherds noticed was that this breed equally easily tolerated both cold and heat. This is explained by the fact that the coat helps maintain the natural temperature of the animal’s body, reliably isolating it from the environment and preventing very cold or, on the contrary, overheated air from reaching the skin surface. Accordingly, thanks to this microclimate, the Hungarian shepherd feels comfortable in any weather and can effectively carry out the tasks assigned to it.
Other qualities and references to them in the literature
This breed managed to “light up” in literary works. Her qualities so admired people that the authors called her “the king among shepherd dogs” (Jan Amos Comenius). Yes, among the shepherd dogs he really had no equal, because he, thanks to his coloring, was invisible in the flock of sheep, and therefore, he could always make an unexpected and lightning throw in the direction of a predator who decided to attack.
But especially people appreciated the fact that the Komondor was able to perfectly understand the owner, work without supervision, and independently make decisions in difficult situations. And the creator of the work “History of Nature and the Doctrine of the Craft” Ferenc Peach said that “only the Komondor can be trusted with his life.”
Breed description
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 rectangle slightly inclined towards the back. The coat is thick, long, twisted into cords, or as dreadlocks are also called. It grows throughout the life of the dog, and its length in an adult dog can reach 70 cm, and its weight is about 7 kg.
The length of the dog's body slightly exceeds the height at the withers. The head is raised above the body, and the tail, usually lowered, during the movement of the dog rises almost parallel to the ground, as if forming a straight line with the spine. Moves easily, vigorously. The height of an adult dog is not less than 70 cm at the withers of males and 65 cm of females, respectively 50-60 and 40-50 kg.
The character of the dog is calm, not aggressive, if it does not see a danger to the property entrusted to it, animals or people. He finds a common language with children well. Strangers are wary. At an early age, the dog lends itself well to training - this factor should not be neglected, otherwise it may subsequently be stubborn.
Komondor care and maintenance
Komondor is a Hungarian watchdog who needs special care. This is due to the peculiarities of its coat. Some dog breeders believe that the coat of the Komondor should be combed with combs with widely set teeth. In fact, this is a wrong opinion. Of course, before leading their pets to the exhibition, their owners make various efforts in order to give the animal a proper appearance. However, regular combing and combing of the commander is not only not required, but also contraindicated, as it can damage dreadlocks.
How to care for the coat of Komondor?
What care does the Hungarian Shepherd require? Photos of the dog demonstrate its appearance. On them you can see individual cords, the care of which is carried out only with the help of fingers, excluding other tools. True, sometimes it also happens that there is a need to arm yourself with scissors in order to separate the tangled cords. In such cases, care must be taken not to damage the skin of the animal. For this, the necessary manipulations with the tool begin in the direction from the roots of the hair.
Actually, the care is to prevent the cords from tangling together and separating them from each other. Acting with his fingers, the dog breeder must separate the strands passing by, making them separate along the entire length, starting from the ends of the hair and following to the roots. This procedure becomes necessary, starting from the age of the puppy 6-8 months. During this period, it becomes denser, longer and can fall down without due attention. First you need to separate the cords with a frequency of 1-2 times a month, then, as the dogs grow older, they do this only occasionally, as necessary.
How often should you bathe a Komondor?
There are different opinions on how often the Komondor should bathe. The Hungarian Shepherd Dog, due to its long and thick coat, dries for a very long time after taking water procedures, so it can catch a cold in cool weather. Many dog breeders for this reason believe that it should be bathed only 2 times a year. However, experienced dog handlers do not support this opinion, saying that in the warm season swimming in a pond or lake will not harm the dog, she can do this quite often without harming her health.
But as for the use of detergents when bathing, there are quite clear limitations. For example, you should not use them more often than once a quarter. The use of ordinary toilet or household soap is unacceptable, since, firstly, it will inevitably lead to dry skin and the appearance of itching in the dog, and secondly, it can adversely affect the appearance of its coat.
How to feed the Komondor?
The Hungarian Shepherd is a picky dog. However, you need to remember that her diet should be balanced. You should not constantly feed your pet with canned food, and even more so with one dry food. In the diet of any dog, including the Komondor, there should be such products as meat, large bones, eggs, vegetables, bran, dairy products.
Meat can be given not only thermally processed, but also raw - it is more useful for the dog. In this case, do not be afraid of the possibility of infecting the animal with worms. In dogs, the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is significantly 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 does a Hungarian shepherd cost? The price for it depends on the compliance of the puppy's parents with the standards of FCI, an international dog training organization. Any deviations from these standards reduce the value of the dog. In particular, any deviation from ivory, malocclusion and some other signs is considered unacceptable. As a result, puppies whose parents are animals with such abnormalities will cost significantly less. Currently, in Russia, the minimum price for Komondors starts at 15,000 rubles. In most kennels, puppies can be purchased at a price of 25-50 thousand rubles.