Komondor Care

Komondor care is no laughing matter. These are serious, giant and high-maintenance dogs. Those pictures that you have seen of a giant mop exploding forward with a wee face in the middle of the mass does not happen naturally, overnight or without a great amount of daily, literally hands-on care. These massive canines are a huge daily responsibility that cannot be neglected once their dreads start to grow in.

The Kom is a giant, strong breed that, even in their natural habitat as a Livestock Guardian Dog, doesn't need much exercise. As more and more people are adopting these dogs as pets that don't guard traditional flocks and herds, they are being found to not require much strenuous exercise as companions either. They do, however, need to be walked at length. A couple of hour-long walks is sufficient, but many people recommend 3-4 such walks daily.

There are some things that must be observed to help prevent accidents, aggression and liability when exercising:

• A strong lead must always be used when otherwise unrestrained• If free to run, a very strong and high fence or wall is mandatory
• Owing to the breed's dog-aggression, it's best to stay away from dog parks
• Don't allow your Kom into water if you don't have a few hours afterward for drying
• Do not let other animals intrude on this very territorial breed's "property"

As these dogs mature slowly, are massive and possess significant strength, they must be walked a lot during their late puppy and all their adolescent years to help socialize them. This will also help to curb potential boredom that will almost always trigger destructive behavior. Once they are mature and have been trained, less exercise is required. It's best to try and mimic the activity that these dogs were bred to do:

Walk: Two to four hours a day is best, and if you can go longer, do so
Hike: The harder the terrain, the more these dogs love it
Jog or run: If you have the ability to control your Kom while running, this will be great
Free time: If you have a ranch with a free pen offering a great amount of space, this is nearly perfect

If you have a large and very secure outside area, these dogs are fine for staying outside day and night. There, they will get their fill of exercise. If you prefer to keep them indoors, a variety of chew toys is a must. You should, however, rotate the toys and only allow for one at a time lest your Komondor get bored. Don't put them all out at once.

For the most part, this is a very high-maintenance breed. Drooling may or may not be a problem, and that is up to your level of care and grooming. When it comes to Komondor shedding, there is very little of it most the time.

The mane of the Kom should be trimmed, and by doing so will prevent a beard from forming. If not trimmed, this mass of hair under the muzzle will collect debris and also create a drooling mess and, eventually, health problems. Granted, this might occur with most dogs and especially those that are meant to have beards (such as Schnauzers), but when it comes to Komondors, it's a different style of drooling as well as much more messy.

Because the coat develops into dreadlocks, the dead hair doesn't shed much. As puppies, a slicker brush or even a wire comb can be used with the puppy coat, as it is similar to the that of a Poodle. Once the adult coat is grown in, there should be only clipping (if you want a short and relatively manageable coat) or manually separating the dreads in lieu of brushing or combing. Hair in the ears should be plucked, and the hair between the toes should be trimmed to prevent pain and injury. That hair will otherwise grow continuously and cause complications. It would be unusual and perhaps a real sign of a health problem if the hair of these dogs did shed or fall out. While Koms don't shed like most dogs, their undercoats do shed twice a year. It may not appear noticeable and must be anticipated. If not groomed properly, the undercoat will basically remain in place and become matted in a huge mess. This in turn can create hot spots and allow infections and worse to occur.