Komondorok are UnKommon (Komondor)

Member Name: mattygroves10

Product:	Komondor
Date:	10/10/05 (362 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very faithful, smart dog . You will always be noticed when walking a Komondor!

Disadvantages: Big . Rare . Expensive . They need a lot of attention . NOT FOR EVERYONE

So, you're thinking of getting a purebred dog. But you don't want a breed that everyone else has - oh no, you're thinking of getting a rare breed.

Think carefully. Any dog is, as they say, for life. You want to ensure that you know what you are committing yourself to - perhaps that's why you've opted for a purebred rather than a mongrel. Just keep in mind that rare breeds are sometimes rare partly for a reason.

Let me explain. Since I was 14, my family have kept Komondors (or, the Hungarian plural, Komondorok). And as the title (which I got from a bumper sticker) says, they truly are UnKommon.

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General Description - background
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The Komondor is a Hungarian working dog. It was bred (and is still used) to protect livestock (largely sheep, which they resemble) from predators (wolves in Hungary, often coyotes in the US). The unusual coat serves both as weather-proofing and as a suit of armour - a wolf goes to take a bite out of the dog, and simply gets a mouthful of hair.

According to www.komondor.co.uk, the first Komondor was imported and registered in the UK in 1973, with the first litter appearing in 1976. There are now around 100 registered in the UK.

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General Description - appearance
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There are two things you'll notice about an adult Komondor immediately. One is that it is a big dog - both the American and Hungarian breed standard demand that a dog (male) be at least 27 ½ inches at the withers and a bitch 25 ½ inches at the withers (check out http://www.maskc.org/standard.asp) for a full breed standard description). The smallest of the bitches (Joli) we owned weighed around 60 lbs (4.3 stone) and the biggest dog we had (Jeges) weighed around 9 stone (126 lbs!).

The second thing you'll notice is the coat. And what a coat it is! A Komondor is always white, and is corded. This means it looks a bit like an old-fashioned rag mop. Or a Rastafarian. By the time the animal is around six years old, all being well, the coat will brush the floor. The Komondor resembles its more common cousin, the Puli. The Puli is, however, considerably smaller, can come in colours other than white (they are often black), and its working role is as a herder, rather than as a guard.

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The Coat - more details
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The coat is made up of a soft under (puppy) coat and a course outer coat. A Komondor puppy is white and fluffy and adorable. Once the outer coat starts coming in, it forms knots with the inner coat. The owner simply separates the plate knots into cords.

In a working dog, the coat is allowed to 'plate mat' to a point - this isn't terribly attractive, but it is very effective as a suit of armour.

It is certainly an advantage that the coat does not need to be combed - indeed, you should NEVER comb a Komondor. Separating the coat into cords is easy if it is done regularly - we used to do it with our dogs as they sat at our feet whilst we were watching telly. As long as you don't pull from the root, it doesn't hurt the dog. The coat and the dog's skin itself carries little odour when clean - unlike oilier dogs (poodles for example), the dog doesn't smell 'doggy'.

On the downside, however, the dog is white. The coat is long. The coat is made up of knots. The coat normally contains much of the flora and fauna of the back garden (this, of course, is often not true of show Koms - they are only allowed out under restricted circumstances). The coat often contains the dog's dinner. And breakfast. A wet coat takes FOREVER to dry. If a male dog is lazy, and doesn't lift his leg properly (Ziggy, the last of my mum's Komondors, was like that)...you get yellow patches. If the dog has the runs...don't even GO there.

So although the coat requires little 'styling', it is a bother to keep it clean. Although the Komondor doesn't have a typical 'doggy' smell, it does often smell of wet carpet...or worse, depending on how clean the coat is.

Although the dog doesn't shed per se...it does lose whole cords, necessitating a thorough walk around before hoovering. It does lose some non-corded hair - so if you have navy blue carpet (as we did when I was growing up in the TV room), you'll REALLY notice the hair.

If the coat does not cord, the dog would be ineligible to be shown (known as a disqualifying fault). Joli, our first Komondor bitch, never corded at her shoulders and head. It made her look...odd.

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Less immediately noticeable appearance notes
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The skin of the nose and gums (and, in male dogs, testicles. As an aside, we had a male called Jeges - when we first got him, a friend was examining him in the back garden. The garden had 6' fences to keep the dogs from escaping. Jeges rolled over, at which point the friend exclaims "look at those lovely black balls!" The next door neighbours were having a party. I bet they wondered what kind of party WE were having) should be grey or black - the darker the better. A flesh coloured nose is a disqualification for a show dog.

Again, the breed standard is the best place to go for a full description of every inch of the ideal show animal. The Kennel Club (British) standard can be found at www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/discoverdogs/pastoral/p 856.htm

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General Description - temperament
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The Komondor is a guard dog. It was bred to guard flocks. This means the dog is territorial and very protective of its home and family. This is VERY IMPORTANT to remember before choosing to purchase or rescue a Komondor. The AKC (American Kennel Club) standard states "While reserved with strangers, the Komondor is demonstrative with those he loves, selflessly devoted to his family and his charges, and will defend them against any attack. The combination of this devotion to all things dear to him and the desire to take responsibility for them produces an excellent guardian of herds or home, vigilant, courageous, and very faithful."

This means the dog may bite if provoked, especially if he has not been properly socialised as a puppy. As a large, strong dog, training is essential. The dog should, at the very least, be trained to heel to lead, sit, stay and come on command.

The Komondor, whilst eager to please, and intelligent, however, does NOT make a good champion obedience dog. It is too smart and independent. Let me give you an example. One year, I was watching the obedience trials at the Trenton Kennel Club show in New Jersey. The show is in May, and it is outdoors. This particular May, it was very hot. For the American UD (Utility Dog) qualification, the dog must perform a 'long down stay'. This means the dog is commanded to lie down, to stay, and then the owner walks away, and stays away for 10 minutes (thrilling TV that makes).

As I say, it was very hot. The dog was in the sun. It was getting hotter. The owner was not there. So the dog gets up, trots 20 feet to the shade, and resumes the down stay. Clearly, it was obeying the letter of the command, but flunked the test.

A Komondor CAN make a good housedog, but remember, he's big and active, and so needs exercise. If walked in public, he should probably be on a lead (but then, I think that in any city, that should be the case for any dog). He's bred to guard, so needs socialising. He can be good around children, but like any breed, each dog is individual. Some will like children, others will not. I would be cautious before placing him with small children, but again, that can depend on child and dog. I would NOT recommend him for a person living in a flat. I would not recommend a Komondor for a working family, where no-one is home for most of the day. A lonely Komondor could become a dangerous one (again, this is true of many dogs, especially big ones).

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General Description - common ailments
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As is often the case with big dogs, the Komondor has a relatively short life-span - 10-12 years I'd say is average, although Joli lived to nearly 17 (but she was small for the breed). There are some ailments to watch out for, if you wish to keep your dog happy and healthy. I describe below only a few of the most common serious conditions.

BLOAT - Komondors are prone to bloat - a stomach ailment that can kill. It is more common in older dogs, but can crop up in any dog.

I quote from http://www.maskc.org/health_items.asp, because recognising the symptoms is crucial (indeed, for ANY dog): "A dog going into bloat is uncomfortable. He cannot lie down for any length of time, and he is restless. He may try to vomit or to defecate, and he may throw up small quantities of fluid and bile, but he cannot relieve the gas which is filling his stomach. Many dogs, even stoic Komondors, will whimper or cry out in pain. If you feel the stomach, it will be getting hard and tight. This is an emergency situation." If you think your dog has bloat, do not pass go - take him straight to the vet.

ARTHRITIS - again, this ailment is more common amongst big dogs. It tends to be associated with age (as in people), and because of the dog's size and weight, can cripple an elderly Komondor. Ask your vet about anti-inflammatory and pain killers suitable for your dog. Also, keeping your dog from becoming fat will help mobility.

HIP DYSPLASIA - again, this is a common problem with big dogs, and particularly with pure-bred dogs. The best treatment is prevention - all dogs and bitches should be screened for dysplasia before they are bred. The condition is hereditary, so don't let your dog pass it on to its offspring. When the condition is very bad, the only treatment is euthanasia. Remember that. If buying a Komondor, insist that you see the screening documents.

FLEAS - a condition common to cats and dogs. The Komondor has a long coat, so fleas can easily hide in it. However, Komondors are apparently very sensitive to flea treatments, so talk to your vet.

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Specific Description - the dogs we've had
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* * * Joli - acquired at 12 weeks old, died at nearly 17* * *

Joli was our first. We got her as a puppy, and she never really outgrew puppyhood. Her coat never corded properly, her voice never deepened, her chest never filled out. She was VERY playful most of her life (until she got really quite old, very arthritic and permanently puzzled). She and my brother used to tear after each other round the dining room table.

She couldn't be shown once she passed the age of 2, as she never corded. This was not a tragedy, as she hated the car, and puked during every journey. The one time she was shown as a puppy, she tried to bite the judge, and so was excused.

She loved pizza crusts and Cheez-Whiz. In her later years, she developed a real taste for cat food. She was friendly and outgoing, though would never be the boss of the household. Joli was an overgrown puppy. She yipped and barked, though rarely got cross. Besides, in her later years, she hardly had any teeth, so it didn't really matter.

She declined badly in her later years, losing her hearing, becoming partially blind, crippled by arthritis and senile to boot. However, like many pet owners, my family saw her good days, and always hoped they'd come back. Finally, she could hardly move, and was put down.

* * * Irka- acquired at 2 years old, died at around 10ish* * *

Irka was a curmudgeon. We acquired her from a breeder who simply had too many dogs at her kennels, so she was two years old. She'd never really been properly socialised before we got her.

Irka and Joli didn't like each other when they first met, and Irka quickly established that SHE was boss. Irka didn't much like ANYONE, except for my mother. She bit my uncle, she tried to bite my grandfather, she bit the television delivery man (he got a good tip). She had to be put outside whenever my brother's friends came around (mine too, for that matter, but I didn't have many and my brother had lots). She had to be put outside when ANYONE came, especially the oil delivery man.

Irka loved ice cream and ice cubes. Like Joli, she was small for the breed - she was shorter than Joli, but weighed around 10 lbs more. Her temperament was probably the most 'Komondor-like', according to the literature. But she was a pain in the butt, really.

Irka developed epilepsy, which was controlled by drugs for a while. She died when she fitted so badly, the vet couldn't get her out of the seizure. She was put to sleep.

* * * Jeges- acquired at around 8 years old, died at (I guess) around 11ish* * *

Jeges was the big male, weighing in at around 9 stone. I didn't know him very well, as my parents got him after I'd left home. He was adopted as an adult, called a 'rescue', but simply because his previous owners couldn't cope.

Jeges was an alcoholic - you NEVER intentionally left a drink where he could get it. Problem was, he was so big, that you forgot that he could reach your drink where you'd put it.

Jeges was a bit of an 'old woman' - he was a wimp when it came to pain, thus making it hard to tell when he really WAS in severe pain (typical male). By the end of his life, he could no longer climb the stairs, and my father was sleeping with him downstairs. He was eventually put down.

* * * Ziggy - acquired at around 3 years old, died at around 10, last year* * *

Ziggy was a GREAT dog. A big male, though not as big as Jeges, he had NO idea he was supposed to be a guard dog. He never read the breed standard - he thought he was something ebullient and friendly, like a Black Lab. Really the only place he guarded was the car - and he LOVED car journeys. If you wanted to drive somewhere without him, you'd have to pick up the keys VERY quietly.

Ziggy was great with children - he single-handedly (or should that be pawedly) cured my daughter of her fear of dogs. He simply followed her around at a distance of around 10 or 20 feet. When she turned around, he lay down, making himself as small as possible. She'd carry on walking, and he'd follow her. This went on a couple of days, until Saz (my daughter) approached him. She was never afraid of any dog after that.

My father used to take him to special schools, Ziggy was always a huge hit. In his neighbourhood, my dad was known as 'Mr Ziggy'. Ziggy had a spectacular coat. In his prime, he was a smashing dog.

Like all the others, though, he got old and arthritic. First we noticed he slowed down on stairs. Then the two mile walks he used to enjoy became just 200 yards, then 200 feet, then just far enough to relieve himself. Finally, his urine became bloody, and bladder cancer was diagnosed. He too had to be put down.

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Resources
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Now, my mother no longer owns a dog, which is sad. But she is still active in the Middle Atlantic States Komondor Club, and so still socialises with the dogs and the dog people.

I have never owned a Komondor myself, though have met some of the fine folks at the Komondor Club of Great Britain (many years ago) - more details about them can be found at www.komondor.co.uk.

My mother belongs to the Middle Atlantic States Komondor Club - their website is one of the most useful around for descriptions of the breed, the temperament, history and so forth - they can be found on www.maskc.org.

For information on breeders, and where to view a dog before deciding if it's the breed for you, check out the Komondor Club of Great Britain - the website is mentioned above, but they can (probably - assuming the website information is still current) be contacted at:
Mr K Sear,
Claydon Kennels,
Ironstone Lane,
Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire
Tel: 01664 562307

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Conclusion and recommendations
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The Komondor is NOT the dog for everyone. It's big. It can be smelly. It's a pain to bathe. It needs training and socialisation. It doesn't usually live long. It needs lots of exercise. Due to its rarity, it can be expensive (Joli, the only dog we bought, was $800 in 1981). Many vets won't recognise it and understand its needs. I'll tick 'yes' under the recommend to potential buyers...but with reservations and conditions.

However, if you have the space, the time and the commitment, the Komondor can make a wonderful companion. And you'll never go unnoticed when you walk your dog!

Summary: An imposing dog, which can be quite a challenge to own, but very rewarding