The Hungarian Komondor or Pastor: A particular race

The dog has always been the preferred pet for the human being, among many of its qualities, its intelligence and fidelity are the main reason for this preference. Throughout history, dogs have accompanied man and played important roles in the development of civilizations.

Initially they helped in the hunting tasks, at the same time that they monitored the surroundings of their master. Over time they adapted to other types of work and the man dedicated himself to looking for dogs with specific qualities for different tasks. All this gave rise to different races, guide dogs, hunting, guard dogs, grazing, among others.

Among so many races, today we are going to talk about Komondor either Hungarian shepherd. One of Hungary's most popular races, frequently used as guard dogs and shepherds. Its unique characteristics awaken the curiosity of many, know a little more next.

• Size: Giant.
• Weight: Between 40 and 80kg.
• Hair type: Curly and long.
• Character: Calm and quiet.
• Health: Possible problems derived from size such as hip dysplasia and gastric torsion
• Life expectancy: 10 to 12 years.

Origins of Komondor

The Komondor breed has a fairly uncertain origin, being several theories that are handled. However, all point to migration from Asia. It is believed that he accompanied the tribe of the Magiares when they settled in the steppes of Hungary near the year 900, this was used for combat and to protect their settlements. Other theories indicate that it was the Mongols who brought it or that is related to the Tibetan dogs that were in the Himalayas. In 1920 It was established as a modern race class, by defining the standards that characterize it.

The Komondor breed is the greatest of all Hungarian shepherds. His great size and ferocity made the human involve him in different tasks over time, especially highlighting his ability in grazing and as a protector of herds. His padded fur was an advantage, as he protected him from climatic elements and the attacks of the wolves.

It was even taken North America to protect the flocks of sheep from coyotes. However, currently This breed is very uncommon to see, being in Hungary where there is a higher population density of these specimens. Although they are still used as shepherd dogs, this is not very frequent. The most common is to see it formed from a home as a pet or company dog.

The Komondor It is a very obedient dog. By nature they adopt hierarchical behavior, identify a leader to follow, if you want to have it as a pet you must take this into account. This quality leads him to develop strong bonds of friendship, protecting his owner as if he were a worried friend. It will support you when you are sick, in pain situations, when you are in danger situations ... they will become indefatigable colleagues in your life.

Physical characteristics of the Komondor

It is a big dog breed. It is characterized by being robust and muscular. Enter the typology of Moloso dog. They reach an approximate stature of 70 cm for males and 65 cm for females. They can weigh between 35 and 60 kilograms. This dog breed has the heaviest fur in the world, to the point that if they cut it, it can weigh up to 7 kilos.

He is recognized for his beautiful white, long and abundant fur. His appearance is quite curious, because when their fur in rulos grows, which are similar to a mop or mop. Many compare them with DREADLOCKS either dreadlocks They use the Rastafaris. It is a truly wonderful fur, considerably tanudo, covers his face acting as protection against climatic variations. It can measure up to 27 cm long, while the shortest fur, which is under its limbs, can measure 11 cm.

His head is large, provided with respect to the body, his snout is also very large. He has eyes, oval of brown. They generally have a black truffle. Long pendant ears, long plunder, neckless neck, rest pendant tail.

Although this is an extravagant and uncommon is not the only one that looks like this, there are some similar breeds, mainly of Hungarian shepherds. Among these we find: Pulí, similar fur, this can be found in different colors and is smaller; The Pumi, curly fur but much shorter, and the Mudi, another race of curly fur ovejero dog.

Komondor puppy

The Komondor breed puppies have a short curly fur close to the skin. As the 8 to 9 months pass this, it becomes thicker, beginning to form the characteristic komondor fur. This is the precise moment to educate and soften its character, teach him to adapt to his environment with both people and other animals, especially dogs from other races. The need for exercise of this breed is quite high, especially in the first stage. It will be necessary to have spacious places so that you can run and release your energy. Whoever chooses to have one of these specimens as pets must be aware of this characteristic.

Food and care

Like any other canine, it must feed in a balanced way that meets all its nutritional needs and that helps keep your teeth clean. It is a surprise to see this dog feed, due to the amount of food that can engulf becomes relevant Manage correct amounts of food, although it is not common to see that this fattening breed should not be supercharged. Always keep in mind the recommendations of the veterinarian in this aspect.

As for care, keep in mind that this breed of dogs requires high aesthetic maintenance:

• The Komondor should not comb, your hair laces must be separated with your fingers from time to time. It is necessary to separate every rast or rasta from the root or, otherwise, they will join, which modifies the appearance of the dog and can bring problems.
• Bathing them is a complicated task, which can take hours. This dog should not be bathed frequently, even 3 or 4 times a year will be enough. If you think it is more convenient, you can take it with specialists for your bathroom and hairstyle.
• It is vital take care of their eyes and ears, especially being covered by all that fur.
• Do not forget that any dog's teeth merit sufficient care to avoid decay, make sure to clean them regularly. It is important to get used to the dog from puppy to brush your teeth periodically, you can take a trap or gauze and rub in the oral zone. If necessary, apply special products for dog oral hygiene.
• In addition, it is necessary take it to the veterinarian and have their vaccines up to date. Also be sure to clarify all your doubts with the specialist so you can have a healthy and cheerful pet.

Komondor dog health

In general, These dogs have good health. The center of his attention continues to be his fur, because if the dog is not properly taken care of, frequent skin irritations, as is the case the dermatitis. For hair drying, it requires a good electric dryer, at a low temperature so as not to curl it, since drying at room temperature will take more than 24 hours, and this humidity is a risk factor for the health of its fur.

Komondor does not usually have hereditary diseases, but for being a big dog They can present hip dysplasia. In the same way it can suffer otitis and ectropion, an eye disease that consists in the deployment of the eyelid.

Keep in mind that any disease can be prevented while being detected in time, so, to the slightest symptom, you must visit the veterinarian.

Komondor training

The Komondor is a single owner's dog. This means that, although it will be affectionate with all family members, it will be only one to which its owner considers. It will be with this one with whom to develop a greater degree of rapport and dependence.

The key to training a Komondor is not the strength or number of times we teach things, on the contrary, this usually bores it. The idea is to make training happy and fun for both the owner and the dog. Komondor's ability to think for himself will lead him to decide that some orders are worth learning and others do not.

Training a copy of this breed is not an easy task, there are many factors that you must take into account:

Space and freedom

The garden is the perfect place for these dogs to feel comfortable. It is its nature to be outdoors. It is not the most suitable breed to live in small environments such as apartments, much less if they are reduced, even if one more member of the family feels, avoids staying inside the house. On rainy days it is important to prevent it from getting wet, since its dry fur with great difficulty, making it a candidate for fungal proliferation.

Character

Its character is very strong: They are sure of themselves and somewhat stubborn. Do not hesitate to show you that you are the leader at all times, not because of its tender characteristics, let you confuse you, this dog will seek to dominate. If you lose respect you will be very difficult to recover it, then you will have the idea of ​​being the leader of the pack. To achieve good training you must have a firm, safe, coherent, constant, inflexible and energetic attitude.

A Komondor must be trained from puppy, since it is something restless and is characterized by its strength and speed, but knows its limits can become very aggressive.

Advantages of having a Komondor

This dog has a Great Guardian and Protector instinct. When strangers will react under their intuition, by nature they try to detect if a person approaches with good or bad intention. With great effort, especially in your care and training, It will be an excellent pet, very affectionate and affectionate even with the little ones in the house.

They are quiet, brave and determined dogs, do not usually have problems with the usual visits as long as their owner has shown him that they are reliable people. On the other hand, it is very independent, balanced and discreet, he loves having his own space and freedom of movement.

An advantage that it is interesting to highlight is that, despite what you can believe, you do not change your fur, It is one of the few dog breeds that do not leave hairs all over the house.

Considerations to take into account

• Due to its size it is not advisable to live in an apartment, because they require space to exercise properly.
• It is not a recommended dog for people with docile personality.
• Will always be alert in order to protect those who love any circumstance
• Depending on the environment where the puppy is growing and develops, it can become aggressive with other dogs. Therefore it is important to introduce it to socialization from an early age.
• The first thing we must keep in mind are your basic needs, so, if you are not willing to have the necessary patience for your care, this is not a dog for you.

Conclusion

Komondor's dog breed is one of the most beautiful in the world, being his main characteristic his serenity and his nature guard of his family or herd. It is an imposing dog not only high and appearance, but also of strength and speed.

Despite being a very widespread race there are not many copies outside its land of origin, mainly because it requires extreme care and a diet that involves large amounts of food, constant veterinary reviews, frequent walks and living in wide places.

Remember that having a pet is one of the greatest responsibilities we can acquire. It implies care, dedication, time, and effort, everything that will be rewarded with much love and loyalty.

No se nos hará fácil, para los que realmente sentimos amor por los perros, elegir la raza que más se adapte a nuestro ambiente familiar. A Komondor is an imposing dog, that if we are willing to give him everything he needs, it will be completely worth having.