Komondor

First a little history. This particular dog breed's sole mission for hundreds of years was to protect property and flocks against the threat of predators and thieves in Hungary where he originated. That's where his famous corded coat came in handy. It would protect him against the regions very cold and harsh weather, and would also serve to protect him from predators.

The Komondor can best be described as serious and extremely independent, not the typical makeup of your family pet. Remember he was bred to live on his own without much human interraction. He is typically very loyal and affectionate to his owners, sometimes to the extreme. This makes him wary of strangers and exceedingly territorial, which is what he was bred for. If an unknown person or animal comes on to what he considers his property, it could mean trouble. It is not unusual for him to also be somewhat aggressive towards his owner, but generally only if he becomes annoyed. That is true of any breed.

This breed needs to be trained early, starting at about 8 weeks old. And if you are not an experienced trainer, it's best to leave the job to someone who is. The training must be firm without being pushy and uncompromising. Anything less and you will be quickly overwhelmed. The Komodor is dominant and independent. You have to be a strong and dominant leader, a no nonsense kind of owner. If you tend to be compromising, cautious or weak, you could create a dangerous and overly dominant pet and you could get hurt. Families with kids or small animals would do best to stay away from this breed and he is definitely not recommended for the elderly and disabled.

Forget living in an apartment, this breed needs plenty of exercise and will do best on a ranch or a country house with a fenced yard. The fenced yard is mainly for the protection of others, as this breed will not likely wander too far from those he is guarding. A lack of socialization and exercise will typically result in destructive behavior.

The Komondor is a large breed. Typically they will stand between 23 and 27 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh somewhere between 80 and 120 pounds.

We mentioned his coat earlier. It is a thick, heavy and weather resistant and rarely sheds. The coat is always white, and is long, course and wavy on the outside. Underneath there is a shorter, woolly coat. This double coat will form cords (a groomer can help with this), which can best be described as a mop like matting. The cords absorb moisture and odor, and have been known to mildew if he spends too much time in wet conditions. You should not brush the coat and should leave the grooming to a professional. Bathing should be on an as needed basis and the coat will take up to a day to dry when completed.

Health concerns include bloat and hip dysplasia. They will generally live 8-12 years and a typical litter will have somewhere between 3 and 10 puppies.