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20 May 2008 01:08 PM

Komondor

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

If you've ever watched a dog show, you may have noticed a few breeds out there with corded coats. The Komondor is one of them.

The dense, corded coat is a main characteristic of the breed. As a puppy, the Komondor has a soft, curly coat. As the dog grows, the cords start to form but may be hidden in the fluffy, uncorded hair. The adult Komondor has a double coat -- a softer, wooly undercoat and a wiry outer coat. The outer coat cords naturally by the age of two; the length of the cords is indicative of the dog's age.

What function does the corded coat serve? These dogs were bred to be herd guarding dogs. With a white, corded coat, the Komondor blends in with a flock on an open plain, disguising him to fool predators into thinking he's just another sheep or goat. Should a predator attack, that corded coat helps protect the dog. The coat also provides protection against extreme weather.

Underneath the mop coat, the Komondor is a big dog. Adult males weigh in at around a hundred pounds. Males stand about twenty-seven inches and higher at the shoulder; females are an inch or two shorter.

Did you know? One dog is a Komondor. More than one are Komondorok.

A Komondor tends to stay with his flock -- whether livestock or family. These dogs don't tend to wander far. This breed tends to be reserved around strangers but strongly devoted to family.

This breed is one of three breeds of dogs native to Hungary. For the last thousand years or so, the Komondor has been working with sheep and cattle on the plains of Hungary. Less a herder than a guardian, the Komondor traditionally accompanies the flock and protects against predators.

The Komondor is probably descended from dogs found on the southern steppes of Russia by traveling Huns.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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