Grooming
A Komondor may look like they need a regular trip to the doggie day spa, but if bonding over manis isn’t your thing, you’re in luck. The cords on your Komondor dog will start to form on their own with little intervention needed. And once formed, they do not require any brushing or combing. Never brush a Komondor’s cords; it prevents the cords from forming and may damage the undercoat. Shedding is not an issue with these pups, but you may want to give them a haircut from time to time to prevent those long white cords from sweeping the ground and picking up every bit of dirt and debris in their path. Particular attention should be paid to the feet and the eye area. Regular trimming should be done every one to two months.
When it comes to grooming, bathing and drying a Komondor will likely be a bit more challenging. Fortunately, you only need to bathe your pup three or four times a year. To keep skin issues and odors at bay, pet parents will need to ensure that their Komondor is completely dry after a bath (it may take up to a day to dry completely!). If there are any signs of infection in the eye or ear area, clean the area with either eye wipes or ear wipes, and consult your vet for treatment.
Vets recommend that you brush your dog’s teeth daily. (Pro tip: Start getting them used to the feeling of teeth brushing while they are puppies. Doing so will make the process exponentially easier.) And finally, while consistent brushing is important, it’s equally important to have your dog’s teeth cleaned by a vet at least once a year.
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Training
Komondorok are passionately independent and highly intelligent. For those reasons, early socialization and obedience training are crucial when raising a Komondor. Considering that they are ready and willing to act on their protective instincts, it’s important they learn early on that they can trust your leadership. They need you to be calm, confident and consistent. They need to know that you’ll lead them—otherwise, they may try and take over.
Proper socialization involves exposing puppies to different people, places and things in a controlled environment and with lots of rewards for good behavior. This helps them learn how to behave when confronted with a new person or situation when they are older.
For obedience training, it’s important to stick with the words you use for basic commands (in other words, don’t switch back and forth between “stay” and “wait,” for example). You also shouldn’t give them a “day off,” where the rules don’t apply. Komondorok thrive in structure.
While training should be pretty easy with these smart cookies, do your best to keep it fun and interesting, using games or treats. This breed bores easily, and a disinterested pup won’t want to follow you. If you see your dog getting bored, take a break and play a game or take them for a walk.
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Diet
Like all dogs, the Komondor breed’s nutritional needs will change depending on their size, age and activity level. It’s important that pet parents understand their dog’s particular needs for optimal nutrition and health.
Generally, Komondorok don’t require any particular type of food or diet; most high-quality commercially available food for large breeds should do just fine, and it should be appropriate for your animal’s stage in life (puppy, adult, senior).
These dogs are large to begin with, so keep your Komondor’s weight in check. It’s best to have specific feeding times instead of allowing them access to their food 24/7. And while it’s fun for both you and your dog when you dole out treats, remember that treats can be high in calories, all of which count toward their daily caloric intake.
If you’re not sure what type of food to feed your Komondor, your vet is your best resource. They can help you choose the best food for your pup based on their individual needs.
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Exercise
Don’t let the size of Komondorok fool you. Despite their large size and their heavy coat of hair, they are surprisingly agile and athletic. And while they’ll likely spend most of their day in a stationary position and on guard, they can take off running with impressive speed if need be.
Komondorok are not high-energy dogs, and as far as their exercise needs are concerned, about 30 minutes of daily exercise—one or two daily walks—is plenty. Typically, swimming is not the exercise of choice for Komondorok, as you’ll find that drying them out can be a bit of a nightmare and an exercise itself for pet parents.
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Environment
Ideally, Komondorok should live in a home with a lot of outdoor space and a securely fenced yard. However, this breed can live in apartments and small homes as long as regular exercise is a part of the deal.
Komondorok can do well in homes with children who understand boundaries, as long as the dog is well-socialized and children are taught how to respectfully and gently interact with dogs. However, they tend to be wary of strangers, so pet parents should be vigilant when visitors stop by. And while the family cat might be cool, they may neex extra training to get comfortable around other dogs.
Komondorok are not heat tolerant and are better suited for colder climates. (They’re clearly already well-dressed for it!)
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