Iconic Hungarian dog breed could face extinction
The Komondor, one of the most well-known out of the nine Hungarian dog species recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) could face hardships and the breed might even disappear altogether.
Due to the modernisation of the agrarian sector and the changes in Hungarians’ lifestyles, as well as the disappearance of the homestead culture, the Komondor, which is mainly used for herding and guarding the livestock has lost its purpose, Anita Anda-Marócsek, a Komondor breeder informed Infostart.
The Komondor is one of the oldest Hungarian dog breeds with Asiatic origins. The breed presumably arrived in the Carpathian basin alongside the migrating Old Magyars around the time of the Hungarian conquest.
It is typically a large, white coloured breed and its most unique feature is its coat; its robust body is covered by matted, corded, long fur. In terms of their temperament, they are mainly calm and have natural guarding instincts, fearlessly defending the herd or their owner’s house.
In 2004, along with several other protected native animal species, the Hungarian Parliament declared the Komondor a national treasure. In 2017, the Collection of Hungaricums was expanded with the Hungarian shepherd, a number of hunting dog breeds as well as the Komondor.
- If you would like to know more about other Hungarian dog breeds, check out THIS article.
Anita Anda-Marócsek, the owner of the Andaházi Tanyák Őre Komondor Kennel, and breeder of this ancient Hungarian breed says the Komondor is one of the most adaptive dog breed. While previously its main role was to guard the homestead and its animals, now they are perfectly adapted to guarding the homes of their owners.
Interestingly, the Komondor respects every family member and looks up to each of them, they are also highly compatible with children, the breeder said.
She also added that while according to popular belief their coat is high maintenance, it is simply not true. However, this breed is not recommended to be kept in an apartment.
As they are not so energetic as the Border Collie, for example, they can be perfectly happy in gardens of about 7-800 m2, writes Agrárszektor.
Not to mention that the Komondor is a very healthy breed, rarely requiring check-ups at the veterinarian apart from the yearly mandatory vaccines for rabies prevention.
Anita Anda-Marócsek, a breeder of the iconic Komondor highlights that the breed is in danger, and it will only survive the next 20 years if more people become familiar with the breed and demand will grow.
Otherwise, there is a possibility that in the future, people will only see the Komondor in animated Hungarian folktales.
Source: Infostart.hu, Agrárszektor.hu