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Frequently Asked Questions.

Wherever we go with our dogs, for ex. a walk on the beach, there allways will be someone that cannot resist to look twice.With such an unasual race it isn't easy to not draw atention. Some people dare to ask one or more questions. We have made a selection of the questions that occure the most.

What kind of breed is this?

The Komondorok is one of the oldest breeds known to man. He originally migrated from the East to Hungary with the Magyars, for which he gaurded & protected the livestock for allmost 6000 years. It is an independant, well balanced and SOBER dog but primarily they are 'decisionmakers', this means that they can see relatively fast if a living being has good or bad intentions. An unwanted guest will not enter the guarded property twice. A Komondor rarely barks but together with a Puli it may have a different outcome. Because when a Puli barks the Komondor must go over it. The combination of the two breeds itself can be excellent but the Komondor can be quite dominant, which makes it a breed NOT suited for inexpirienced or permissive owners.

Today the Komondor is still being used as an independant guarddog in Hungary( and on a few places in the USA).

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How do you comb that hair?

It is allmost impossible to comb the hair deu to the production of natural felt. The Puli has the coat. You can read more about it at the 'Carepage'

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Does it cost a lot to get the hair made this way?

No, because it is the result of a natural proces. A proces that starts when the dog is 9 to 11 months old. Around this time the coat starts to felt. This is a result of the topcoat clinging undercoat. Normally the topcoat falls of when it reaches about 10cm but because of the previously mentioned proces the old hairs stay on the dog. A hairstring or cord is made up by fallen off topcoat that is kept together by the undercoat so to speak.

At the age of 9 to 11 months the 'thoughest' periode for the owner starts. Especially when the dog does not have a lot of moving space, the owner must assist. The coat first starts to felt in mats which, through the movement of the dog, is furder torn apart to cords. When you really want the cords to be of the same size, you have to help the proces. But pay atention, a cord can be made smaller but not thicker. Around the ears and other problem areas, f.e. armpits, the tail and the groin you'll have to keep an eye out. In these areas there can be the problem of to much hair or felt which can cause problems with the skin.

There are 5 others breeds that are ( partially) felted. These breeds are the Puli, the Bergamasco, the cordpoodle (very rare), the Perro de Aqua Español and the last one, the Havanese but only in the USA the kind with cords is allowed.

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How long does it take to wash/dry the dog?

It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes towash our dog and the drying takes from 1 up to 3 days. A larger explenation can be found in the 'Carepage'

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Isn't all that hair a burden on the dog? Do they see?

No, the hair isn't a burden on the breed and yes, they do see, very well even. To give you some comparison: hold a coarse woven fabric as a woolen sweater in front of your face, very close. The person in front of you can not see your eyes but you can see a lot.

Like some other breeds, e.g. the Bouvier De Flandres or the Bobtail to name 2 more known breeds, the Komondor has long hairs in front of the eyes. These are used as 'protection'. The Puszta in Hungary is known for his dry climate with cold winters and hot summers. The coat protects the dog by keeping him warm in the winter and keeping the heat of the body in summertime. As you may know, a dog does not sweat as people do, he can only lose bodyheat through heavy breathing and his paws. But most of all the coat protects him from predators like wolves for instance. If he gets attacted by such a predator, the changes that he will get wounded are slim.

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Can I touch it?

But off course you may touch them, most Komondors we know like to be pet very much. But.. just to be save, ask the owner first. He/she knows her dog best and can tell you if the dog likes to be touched or not. Touching an unsuspecting dog can can apear to be threatening from that dog, even if it is not the case, with sometimes an agressive reaction.

If you want to touch a Komondor, pay more attention to the head than to the body.. A Komondor drops his head a little bit between the shoulders when he/she doesn't trust the situation. Present your hand to the dog and let it sniff it. This goes uctually for all dogbreeds. Rub the dog under the mouth first and afterwards you can pet it as much as you (or the dog) want. It is a threatening move to a dog to go over the mouth, eyes and ears with your hand if that dog doesn't know you.. A lot of people make this move withou thinking about it, be carefull with it.

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If you still have questions, you can contact us through the 'Contactpage'