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The inner qualities of a komondor

What is a good komondor like?

In one sentence; like the Hungarian man.
A highly intelligent, stubborn, headstrong but straightforward character who always gets the job done with precision and accuracy. He has a big heart, but he has a hard time forgetting his grievances. Reliable and forgiving when needed. Family and children are his everything. He's smart and elegant.

Not a demanding breed due to his original work, he is perfectly happy when given the space to move and the love of his owner. Guarding the territory is so much in his blood that he doesn't even need to be trained. He guards the space he has been given by moving little during the day, lying down, but his vigilance never wavers, while at night he is constantly on the move, patrolling. He attacks intruders from the front, his aim not to destroy but to disable. Outside the perimeter, he does not pursue, from there he walks gracefully back to the best strategic position for surveillance. It is a strong, dominant breed, but if bred correctly, it will never seek to prove this dominance to its master. We should therefore avoid dogs with weak nerves, because their erratic behaviour can lead to unpleasant and painful conflicts that make them impossible to live with.
He is very people-centric, extending his love not only to his owner, but also to family members and close friends. He is very reserved and reserved, expecting to be respected for his independence and sovereign personality. He has an incredible instinctive sense for gauging the intentions of the person he is meeting and treating them accordingly. If we approach him as strangers, we should not try to overwhelm him with our affection, we should behave with reserve and if he signals his intention to approach, we should open up to him. The Komondor has been helping his owner and his family for centuries by making his own decisions, so don't expect him to do things that are not worthy of him; don't try to get him to fetch, run a marathon or show his friends 16 times how well he sits for the first word, because although he will do it once, let's be aware that it is only because he loves us. However, let's also accept that in a live situation he will immediately go to work and, at our command, if we are not present, he will rely on his centuries-old instincts to perfectly protect the space, property and family entrusted to him.

Unfortunately, you should know that the above only applies to the GOOD komondor. If we look at the standard of the breed, we can see that the physical characteristics, and within that only the shape of the head, take up much more space than the description of the inner characteristics. And this approach has unfortunately been used for decades in the judging of individuals in competitions. The direct consequence of this has been the neglect and stunting of the inner qualities in breeding. Breeding for looks, like many other breeds, has affected the Komondor. In many cases, the judgement of external traits has also had a negative impact on the development of the herd's abilities. While, for example, at dog shows, individuals with a high tail carriage, who are decisive and dominant (i.e. perfect in dog behaviour) are negatively judged. Cowardly and insecure dogs, who sulk with their tails between their tails, can even win the title of breed champion. So the involvement of your humans is a very powerful form of counter-selection. Therefore, changing the standard of the breed, and with it the judging criteria, is currently one of the most important tasks in Komondor breeding.

It's worth starting from the point that a good komondor is a combination of external and internal characteristics, and if we remove even one, we can no longer consider the dog a komondor. According to the standard, a komondor is white. So if it's not white, then it's not a komondor. According to the standard, a komondor has tangled fur. So if it's not tangled, then it's not a komondor. A komondor is brave. So if it's not brave, then it's not a komondor.

What is the Komondor of the 21st Century Like?

Why the komondor must remain a shepherd dog in the 21st century!

The komondor is a shepherd dog breed. This was the case millennia, centuries, and even decades ago, and will likely remain so for many centuries to come. However, its present is not so rosy. Why? Because decades of breeding for appearance have brought their "blessed" fruit, and like so many other dog breeds, the komondor has strayed onto the wrong path.
When we say that the komondor is a shepherd dog, we are talking about a breed group that is among the best of dog breeds. It has to meet so many requirements that no other breed does. It needs to be both loving and wild. Both reticent and friendly. It must recognize who is an enemy and who is a friend. It must perform well in the mountains and even in the big city. And all this with such brilliant intelligence that it can make appropriate decisions by itself, without human supervision. It must be free from any exaggeration. It cannot be too aggressive, nor cowardly, not too small, nor a giant. A shepherd dog is the golden mean, as any extreme only diminishes its value.
Why keep these properties?
Many (unfortunately some breeders too) think that today's requirements are so different from the past's that an ancient instinctual komondor cannot meet them. They are wrong!
What does a shepherd expect from his dog and what do we, who think of it as our family pet, our house guard, expect?

It's evident that there's no contradiction between the two expectations.
No dog has been left at a pound because it's not beautiful. But there have been many cases because it's not good. So, the order of importance is that the dog must first be good, and only secondly beautiful. Nervously weak, fear-aggressive dogs should be eliminated from breeding at any cost. Breeders must not confuse the concepts of cowardly, brave, stable, unstable, aggressive. Don't breed cowardly, unstable dogs with huge aggression, but stable, brave dogs with low-medium aggression.
Unfortunately, very few of today's komondor breeders can recognize individuals with poor instinctual traits, and therefore they are not removed from breeding. If they developed their knowledge, then the komondor would have a great chance to again become what it once was, the king of dogs.
Sadly, one often encounters the mistaken belief that a dog cannot make the right decision. Thus, it cannot distinguish between a malicious intruder and an innocent child who wanders in. This may be true for a bad dog. However, the goal should be to filter out such dogs from breeding through tests and expert selection.
It is important that only dogs with a stable nervous system and healthy can reproduce. Dogs that cannot run 5 km or behave fearfully should be excluded from breeding. Because a dog that cannot run 5 km is not healthy, and one that is cowardly is not stable. If we don't exclude them, then we let the breed continue to deteriorate. The current breeding value assessment, often putting distorted values in the foreground, based only on appearance traits, and often corrupt competition systems, gives a false assessment. As a result, defective dogs, often burdened with inherited diseases, are brought to the forefront, whose breeding and selling further damage the already tarnished reputation of the breed and take away the market from future breeders. Because someone who has once been disappointed in a komondor is very unlikely to give it another chance.

In summary, the komondor of the 21st century must be like the komondor of our ancestors, because a good shepherd dog is also the best family dog.

The History of the Komondor

The komondor is the most ancient shepherd dog of the Magyars. The first written records in the 1400s mention a tangled-haired dog who stood out among its peers with dignity, self-confidence, and size.
Its origin is subject to debate. Some believe it was brought to our country by the Cumans, hence the Kumandor - Komondor name. The name itself means 'the dog of the Cumans, the companion of the Cumans'. It's possible that similar or identical breeds existed in the Carpathian Basin even before the Cumans' arrival.
Following its Asian origin, the breed's raw, vigorous nature and resilience can be explained, as the Cumans bred their dogs for the extreme climate of their homeland. These dogs served as guards for the flock, the herd, and the horses, alongside the shepherd, the herder, and the horse keeper. The large (60-70 cm tall), robust, densely furred Hungarian shepherd dog, the silky-haired wolf dog, the plain komondor, the shaggy-haired komondor, or simply the KOMONDOR.

The komondor played a leading role in protecting our ancestors' possessions.
Its enormous size, commanding presence, explosive speed, strong fur, and tireless fighting spirit posed a threat to even the toughest enemies. The most precious asset of nomadic shepherd communities was their livestock, and it was the komondor's duty to protect this value. Our ancestors entrusted their most valuable possessions, their animals, to the komondor, who was capable and indeed did protect the entrusted goods even without the presence and guidance of its owner.
Its task and the well-understood interests of the owners demanded perfect maintenance of the breed. A komondor that couldn't successfully confront a thief, wolf, or bear perished. Thus, a strong, tough, and resilient dog breed was developed, which still rightfully bears the title "king of dogs" today.
The dog, as a faithful companion, was highly valued by shepherds who strove to preserve the breed's values. In spring, similar to sheep, the komondor was sheared, making it resemble the kuvasz, leading to some naming confusion. However, it's a fact that the two large Hungarian shepherd dog breeds were never crossbred by shepherds.
The term "komondor" first appears in written records in 1549, in the work of Peter Kakonyi, a Protestant pastor and composer from Hercegszolos, where he processes the story of King Astyages. "The shepherd watches over it, a komondor with puppies suckles her young, circling around." - writes the author. At the first national exhibition of Hungarian breeds held in Szeged in 1899, there was only one dog present, raised on the estate of Zsigmond Kovásznay. From this breeding, the individuals that later defined the breed's character were introduced to Hortobagy and Kiskunsag.

"Its entire body is covered with long, shaggy, curly hair that hangs down in long tassels. Its face and head are also covered with long bushy hair, its nose is always black. The animal is sullen, cannot be punished." - wrote Geza Lonyai in 1901.
This description could well apply to today's komondor, perfectly proving the breed's 'solidity'!
In 1909, Geza Buzzi described the komondor as a breed on the verge of extinction; of the 200 individuals he surveyed, only 17 were suitable for breeding.
To save the komondor, in 1924, those involved with the breed - the first among Hungarian breeds - formed an independent breeding organization. As a result of this conscious breeding, by 1935, they had counted 972 individuals.
The komondor's strong instincts, unfortunately, were a disadvantage during the wars. The world wars almost wiped them out.
The post-war years saw a shift in breeding focus, emphasizing appearance. While the breeding direction at the beginning of the century was driven by preserving the ancestral form and functionality, after World War II, breeding for appearance intensified. As a result, the breed began to lose its inner breed character.
The care of the matted, tangled fur used to be extremely labor-intensive. From the 1940s onwards, the breeding focus shifted to developing ribbon-like or even finer, corded fur. The height at the withers increased, and larger, robust individuals were favored. The white color of the coat became more distinct, the previously common cream shades receded, and the pigmentation of the skin surfaces also improved.

Due to changes in agriculture, the importance of the komondor, like other Hungarian shepherd dog breeds, has diminished. In the late sixties, the state also tried to help the breed's breeding, with little success. In the last ten years, an average of 150-250 komondor puppies are registered annually, which is very few to maintain the necessary genetic diversity. The komondor's size, mass, and explosive speed would still be perfectly suitable for its original function. Since World War II, due to selective breeding based solely on appearance, the functional quality of the population has greatly deteriorated, but a good (!) komondor still protects its owner, family, and their possessions. By nature, it is dignified, dominant.

During the day, it tends to withdraw, but always to the strategically best location, where it can keep an eye on the entire area. Although it seems to be lazily resting, don't let this fool anyone! If anyone tries to enter the entrusted area unauthorized, they're in for a huge surprise. Its goal is never destruction, its counterattack is always only as great as the attack against it, the entrusted goods, or the pack.
It is a hardy breed, only its fur requires regular, but not overly strenuous care. A late bloomer, it typically reaches mental maturity between 2-3 years of age, depending on the individual.

The ancient character of the Hungarian komondor, with its commanding exterior, mirrors the traits of the true Hungarian spirit. Our nation has cherished and valued the honest character of this dog breed, just as the freedom-loving shepherd people who primarily guard flocks and herds have cherished and valued the land cultivated with their sweat.

The Present and Future

"Komondor; the classic 'wolf-killer'! Its role was the indirect and direct protection of human life. It came to the Carpathian Basin with our ancestors at an unknown time. The oldest surviving written record dates back to around 1500, mentioning the breed by name, which of course does not mean it originated then. Modern technology and the development of genetics may provide an answer, as genetics could also be the method to potentially restore the breed's health, which deteriorated due to wars and irresponsible breeding.

To this day, the komondor remains one of the healthiest breeds among similar-sized breeds, except perhaps for relatively newly fashion-bred ancient breeds like the Caucasian Shepherd, Sarplaninac, or Irish Wolfhound, although these breeds are also showing symptoms of irresponsible breeding. It's important to notice that among actively herding peoples today, such as in Romania, it's rare to see a dog larger than 70 cm, and 75 cm in height is extremely rare, but no larger! This clearly applies to mountain shepherd dogs, as the steppe herds in countries like Turkey have 80-90 cm breeds like the Akbash, Karabash, Kangal, but even their weight is only about 60 kg! It is thus evident that a dog heavier than this is probably unsuitable for the work it was bred for.

The komondor is a lucky breed because it has not fallen victim to fashion trends, as its appearance requires considerable work from its owner. Interestingly, under its massive fur lies a light, greyhound-like body, completely deceiving the observer. This suggests that the komondor is not a mountain type but a steppe type. In the past, shepherds likely sheared its fur annually, and it's probable that its ears were cropped too. Interestingly, Dr. Pál Sárkány and Dr. Imre Ócsag's 1987 book 'Hungarian Dog Breeds' shows, on page 97 top, a drawing from 1815 of a cropped-eared, sheared komondor wearing a spiked collar, which they added could be a breeding goal even today! Unfortunately, it wasn't made a breeding goal.
Today, most komondor breeders breed for 'fur', overlooking severe structural, organizational flaws. Many 4-5-year-old individuals can't see from their fur and walk with difficulty, constantly stepping on their hanging cords! Strictly speaking, this is more likely to constitute animal cruelty than properly performed ear cropping. If this trend continues, the komondor will walk like a bobtail.
A new trend has started among some breeders, creating a stricter standard in breeding. In this, functional value dominates over or is at least in balance with appearance traits. Hip dysplasia screening should be tightened, ensuring that only clear or nearly clear dogs get the 'breedable' grade! With only 300 puppies born annually, this is achievable. Another critical issue is the assessment of the komondor's tail carriage. Obviously, a spitz-like curled tail cannot be a breeding goal, but remember, the komondor is an incredibly dominant breed, especially males. The more dominant and confident a dog, the higher it lifts its tail. It's common for a male komondor to curl its tail over its back when other males are present or when barking at the fence. This should not be considered a fault if the dog otherwise carries its tail low in a normal mental state.

The komondor's color is white! There is no black komondor, best known by those who have tried to crossbreed with black terriers and black giant poodles! Overall, there's an excellent population in the country, which is encouraging, yet there are many 'stray' komondors, never shown at exhibitions, but superior in quality to their 'show-bred' counterparts. Quiet, calm, contemplative breed. Loves its owner very much but also demands respect. Loves children. Should be accustomed early to eye, ear, fur care, and it's helpful to express its anal glands. It's good to get used to handling its food bowl during feeding; otherwise, it won't appreciate it later. An excellent guard dog but should be treated as a family member. The 'tie it up, it has water and it likes the rain anyway' and 'the komondor is an undemanding breed, it's there to guard the house' attitudes should be forgotten, as otherwise, it will have a miserable life!
If properly cared for, engaged with, and loved, it becomes a wonderful dog. Its intelligence is incredibly high, rarely encountered in other breeds. Never 'underfoot'. A very kind dog! Many have tried to combine the toughness of shepherd dogs with the goodness of rescue dogs, examples being the Leonberger, Landseer, or Moscow Watchdog. In breeding all three breeds, the goal was to create lovable dogs with toughness. They protect the property but don't tear apart the family. These qualities are embodied in the komondor. An extraordinary dog! Should be raised with affectionate determination. Rewards work better than force, not to mention it doesn't tolerate an abusive owner. Of course, it's important to assertively show who's the boss in the house, but physical punishment should be the rarest of cases. Sometimes, of course, disciplining cannot be avoided, as there's nothing worse than a 60 kg dog doing whatever it wants, regardless of what we want at the moment. This rarely happens with the komondor, mainly only with spoiled males.

It's best kept in pairs. Two males usually don't get along, with regular fights between them. An extremely dominant dog!