BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY - The breed concerned is an inherently Hungarian sheepdog breed, which was brought to Hungary a thousand years ago by Magyar nomads. Their lineage is that of various types of Asiatic sheepdogs.GENERAL APPEARANCE - Being of imposing size, engaging appearance and dignified deportment, he arouses admiration and also fear. His typical coat lends his appearance a majestic and robust character. His body is somewhat more rectangular than square. His head appears as a tangle of hair above his back. The downward hanging tail is raised slightly to horizontal during movement. The coat is white.
Important Proportions:
Length of body - approximately 104% of height at withers.
Depth of brisket - approximately 45% of height at withers.
Width of body - approximately 28% of height at withers.
Length of head - approximately 46% of height at withers.
CHARACTERISTICS - Characteristic coat which is either shaggy, matted hair, or evenly tightly waved, narrow cords whose strands must not be matted. (See also under General Appearance.)
TEMPERAMENT - This dog is not suitable for fondling and is tough by nature. He is distrustful. In guarding and protecting, he shows unshakeable courage and his attack is silent and bold. The territory entrusted to him must not be entered by any stranger. In daytime, the Komondor likes to lie down, but invariably so as to be able to watch its territory. At night, it is constantly in motion.
HEAD AND SKULL - Cranial Region: Skull moderately broad, in good proportion to the body, so that even his profuse coat does not make him look unbalanced. Skull domed, longer than the muzzle, approximately 60% of the length of the head. The head appears broad between the cheekbones, the superciliary arches are well developed.
Stop: Well defined.
Nose: Nasal bridge straight, nose not pointed but forming a right angle. Nose leather black.
Muzzle: Very broad, of medium length.
Lips: Fitting close to the teeth. Colour black or slate-grey. Black, dark or slate-grey are preferred for gums and inside the mouth.
Jaws: Strong and powerful.
EYES - Oval shape with tight fitting lids, dark brown. Eyelids dark or slate-grey.
EARS - Set on medium high and hanging down low directly from the set-on, U-shape. Their length is approximately 60% of the length of the head. They do not move either when animated or attacking.
MOUTH - Teeth: Correct scissor bite with 42 teeth required.
NECK - Medium length, rather short, no dewlap. Carried at an angle of 35 degrees to the horizontal. In repose, it is sometimes carried almost in extension of the topline.
FOREQUARTERS - Limbs: The long thick coat makes judging the limbs difficult.
Forelegs; Pillar-shaped. The bones are strong and massive.
Shoulders: Shoulder-blades somewhat steep, firm.
BODY - Withers: Rather long, accentuated towards the front.
Back: Short. Loins medium length, muscular and broad.
Rump: Broad, medium length, falling away slightly.
Chest: Brisket of medium depth, barrel-shaped, long. Forechest broad.
HINDQUARTERS - The hair on the hindquarters is almost always very shaggy or matted so that the rump and hindlegs seem to form a unit which makes it very difficult to judge their proportions. Hindquarters are rather steep in angulation and the legs stand quite apart.
Upper Thigh: Very muscular, broad, presenting a good surface for the profuse coat.
Lower Thigh: Strong, forming a good surface for the profuse coat.
FEET - Front Feet: Round, large and tight. Pads well cushioned and elastic. The pads and the strong nails are of slate-grey colour.
Hind Feet: Slightly longer than the front feet. Dewclaws must be removed.
Pads and Nails: Dark or slate-grey.
TAIL - Low set on, definitely hanging downwards, the end slightly raised. When animated, can be carried up to back level.
GAIT/MOVEMENT - Light footed and majestic. Extended trot, covering the ground.
COAT - Skin: The skin is well pigmented and slate-grey in colour. Dogs which lack pigment and have pink skin are undesirable.
Make-up of Coat: The whole body is covered by long hair. The coat consists of a coarser outer coat and a fine, woolly undercoat. The two together make up the characteristic coat, which is either shaggy matted hair or evenly, tightly waved, narrow cords whose strands must not be matted.
The coat is longest on the loins at 20-27 cm (8-10 - ins).
It is of medium length, 15-22 cm (6-8 - ins) on the sides of the brisket and on the shoulders.
There is shorter hair of 10-18 cm (4-7 ins) on the muzzle, eyebrows, skull, neck, ears and on the legs.
It is shortest, 9-11 cm (3 - 4 ins), on the lips and towards the bottom of the legs.
After whelping, through constant work, illness or insufficient diet, the Komondor can lose part of his long coat (on forequarters, belly and brisket) as an exception, but not on the rump. A dog out of coat in this way (the Hungarian shepherds say "He is undressed") is not good-looking, but as this is a passing phase, it is not a fault. However, at shows this must count as a fault in appearance and be judged accordingly.
New-born whelps have fluffy, fine, shiny white curly or wavy hair. After a coat change this will be replaced by a fleecy non-matting puppy coat of medium length. Then the adult coat grows in, which the teddy bear-like puppy coat helps to mat.
COLOUR - Colour of coat always white.
SIZE
For dogs: average height 80 cm (31.5 ins) min. 70 cm (27.5 ins)
For bitches: average height 70 cm (27.5 ins) min. 65 cm (25.5 ins)
FAULTS - Any departure from the foregoing points should be regarded as a fault and its assessment should be in the exact proportion to the degree of the fault.
Severe Faults: Faults of type seldom occur as the breed is pure-bred, and the standard even, to a very high degree. Faults which occur seldom, but occasionally, are:
Lack of pigment on eyelids, lips and sometimes on the nose leather.
Faulty mouth, especially in the region of the incisors.
Loose shoulders or weak pasterns.
Hindlegs not parallel.
Ring tail.
Lack of size.
Disqualifying Faults:
Pricked lightweight ears.
Flesh-coloured skin.
Short coat (on any part)
Stumpy tail.
Dappling.
Lack of, or flabby condition of the entire body.
NOTE - Male animals must have two apparently normally developed testicles fully descended into the scrotum