Komondor
The corded white coat forms over years and lets it pass for a sheep until it is too late. A Hungarian flock guardian, and it does its work at night.
Photo by Petful.com, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Komondor is a Hungarian livestock guardian whose corded white coat let it move among sheep without being noticed, both by the flock and by predators. The cords are not dreadlocks in the styling sense: they form naturally from a soft undercoat and a coarse outer coat felting together.
A full coat can weigh fifteen pounds or more and takes several years to develop properly.
Temperament
Independent, protective and decisive. Komondorok were bred to work without direction and they do, assessing threats and acting on their own judgement.
They are devoted to their families and stock and deeply suspicious of strangers. They are not obedient in any conventional sense and they do not defer. They bark at night, which is the job. This is a working guardian and it is a difficult pet.
Care and grooming
The cords are separated by hand as they form, over the first two to three years, and after that the coat is mostly left alone. It is never brushed. Bathing takes hours and drying can take a full day or more, which is a genuine practical commitment.
Hip dysplasia, bloat and entropion occur. Ten to twelve years.
Living and exercise
Territory to patrol rather than walks, plus serious fencing.
They suit smallholdings with stock. The coat also makes heat a real problem, and a corded dog in a hot climate needs shade and management. This is not a suburban breed.
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