It is believed that the Komondor is a descendant of the Tibetan dog, and it was brought to Hungary by nomadic Magyars a thousand years ago, in order to guard flocks of sheep. However archaeological evidence suggests that the Komondor was, in actual fact, the dog of the Cumans, or Komans, from light yellow or pallid, who were a Turkic speaking community that lived close to the eastern bend of the Yellow River in what is now China.
The Russian Owtcharka was the original dog that had long legs and a woolly coat which enabled it to blend in with the flocks that it was protecting. This breed was valued so much by the shepherds that they did not allow interbreeding. The Komondor, whose plural is Komondorok, was a great foe to enemies of the flock and it is legendary that it eliminated the wolf from Hungary.
The earliest record of the Komondor dates back to the sixteenth century, although the breed most probably existed for a great deal of time before that.
Documentation was spread throughout the rest of the world in 1920 that the Komondor was presented at dog shows. The Komondor made its first appearance in America in 1933 and was officially acknowledged by the AKC in 1937. This breed is capable of living outdoors in all types of weather as a protector of its master’s flocks, just the same as it did thousands of years ago.
This breed is known as the king of Hungarian sheepdogs. It primarily serves as a home and livestock protector in the United States.
The Komondor has a coat of a dreadlock appearance, which gives a hint of common origin with the Puli and Bergamasco. It is also possible that there is a link between the Komondor and the big white Russian livestock dogs, which are called the Southern Russian Ovtcharka.
There dreadlock coat had to be developed in a dry and extreme climate, as it provides fantastic protection against the cold and also hot weather. However it is not too comfortable for the dog when it gets wet.
Many Komondorok were killed during the Second World War.
Local stories say that this is because, when the Nazis, and the then Russians, invaded, they had to kill the dog before they could take over a farm or a house that had a resident Komondor.
The Komondor is a serious, confident, alert and authoritative dog. However, they can be very stubborn or bossy with other dogs. The Komondor is very protective of its territory and family, which makes it a great guard dog.
The dog interacts well with other pets, especially livestock, as it believes that it has something to watch over and protect, which ultimately makes it happy.
It is essential however, that a Komondor receives intensive exercise. They require daily exercise which can include long walks, long-distance runs, short romps and pulling. Swimming is discouraged however, as their coats take such a considerable amount of time to dry. Warm weather is not preferred by this breed of dog. The ideal living environment for a Komondor is in the country.
However, it is possible for the Komondor to live in an urban environment also.
