The Komondor is a massive dog with a proud gait. It is serious, confident, alert and commanding. It is very strong and agile for its size. This is a hardy, healthy dog; it can tolerate changing temperatures. Its body is totally covered with an extraordinary felted and corded coat, which is 8 to 11 inches (20-27cm.) long, and always white.
The Komondor (plural is Komondorok) is a big, muscular dog with plenty of bone and substance, covered with an unusually, heavy, white corded coat. Puppies are white and fluffy and tend to form cords at about 3 to 4 months of age. It makes an excellent guard dog.
The Komondor is smart, but easily bored, loyal to and respectful of its master, but fierce against threats to its charges. It makes an excellent watchdog and guard dog. It is very territorial and highly protective of its family, house, car, and livestock. In a few minutes the Komondor can get the better of even the strongest enemy.
This is not a dog for everyone; it requires an owner who knows how to display strong leadership and who is willing to spend a lot of time socializing and training. The Komondor can be a good family dog if it is socialized as a young puppy, trained thoroughly, and raised with children from the start, but it is not recommended for most families.
This breed must be thoroughly socialized with people and other dogs at an early age. Heavy-handed training will produce a stubborn, unhappy Komondor. Originally developed in Hungary to guard large herds of animals on the open plains, the Komondor was charged with protecting the herd by itself, with no assistance and no commands from its master. This dog is a flock guardian, not a herder. This breed can be extremely lazy and will sleep and rest for hour upon hour.
The Komondor lives for many months outdoors in all kinds of weather, protecting its master’s flocks. In the United States the Komondor is primarily a home guard and companion, and livestock guard dog.
Color of the coat is white, but not always the pure white of a brushed coat, a small amount of cream or buff shading is sometimes seen in puppies, but fades with maturity. In the ideal specimen the skin is gray, pink skin is not desirable but is acceptable. Color other than white, with the exception of small amounts of cream or buff in puppies, is a disqualification.
Dense, protective coat. The puppy coat is relatively soft, but it shows a tendency to fall into cord-like curls. Never brush or comb the coat! It is divided into cords and trimmed. Its coat needs a lot of bathing and takes a long time to dry. It sheds very little if any.
The Komondor is prone to hip dysplasia. To help prevent the chance of hip or elbow dysplasia developing make sure your dog is on a healthy, well proportioned diet, and avoid excessive running and jumping while still a puppy as this can be hard on the developing joints. Skin problems can also be an occasional issue. Be aware that due to their size they have an increased chance of bloat, leading to a twisted stomach, feed two or three small meals a day, instead of one large one. To minimize the risk of your Komondor developing any hereditary health issues, you should buy a Komondor dog from a reputable Komondor breeder.
Apartment life is not the best condition for the Kuvasz. It is an active dog and a large yard will make it happy. Keeping it leashed can also make it destructive. Warm and humid weather conditions are also not ideal for this thickly coated dog. Plenty of water and shade are vital provisions.
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