Komondors boast having long cords that often reach right down to the ground. It takes quite a bit of time to keep their coats in good condition although they don’t need brushing. However, it's important to keep an eye on a dog’s cords and to gently tease apart any that are too thick paying particular attention to the belly, feet and a dog's back-end. It's also essential to remove any twigs or other debris that collects in their coat after a walk. The hair in a dog's ears also needs to be gently plucked when necessary. The hair around a dog's mouth also needs trimming which helps prevent food from getting stuck in it. The good news is that Komondors do not shed.
It's also important to get puppies used to having their paws touched so that when it comes to trimming their nails, it's never a drama and to regularly check a dog’s ears and clean them when necessary. If too much wax is allowed to build up, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure with ear infections.
The Komondor is a high energy, intelligent dog and as such they need to be given the right amount of vigorous daily exercise combined with lots of mental stimulation for them to be truly happy, well-rounded dogs. They need a minimum of 60 minutes a day with as much off the lead time as possible, but only in safe environments. If they are not given the right amount of mental stimulation and exercise every day, a Komondor would quickly get bored and could even begin to show some destructive behaviours around the home which is their way of relieving any stress they are feeling and not necessarily because they are being naughty.
A shorter walk in the morning would be fine, but a longer more interesting one in the afternoon is a must with as much off the lead time as possible. These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden so they can really let off steam. However, the fencing has to be extremely secure to keep these active, high-energy dogs in because if they find a weakness in the fence, they will soon escape and could get into all sorts of trouble.
With this said, Komondor puppies should not be over exercised because their joints and bones are still growing. This includes not letting a dog jump up and down from furniture or going up or down the stairs. Too much pressure placed on their joints and spines at an early age could result in a dog developing serious problems later in their lives.
If you get a Komondor puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy eaters, but this does not mean they can be given a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
Because Komondors are known to suffer from bloat, it is really important for them to be fed twice a day instead of giving a dog one larger meal a day. It's also a good idea to invest in a stand for their feed bowls which makes it easier for dogs to eat comfortably without having to stretch their necks down to reach their food. Dogs should never be exercised just before or just after they have eaten either because this puts them more at risk of suffering from gastric torsion.
