a brief description of
- Other names: Hungarian Mudi, Canis Ovilis Fenyesi, Dezso Fenyesi, Hungarian Mudi, Hungarian Cattle Dog.
- Height: up to 47 cm.
- Weight: 11-13 kg.
- Color: predominantly black, but there are representatives of the breed with white, brown, ash, piebald and merle colors.
- Coat: Medium length, thick and wavy, with a characteristic glossy sheen.
- Life expectancy: up to 14 years.
- Advantages of the breed: Multifunctionality - from guard to hunter. A wonderful and cheerful companion. The dog is obedient if you devote a lot of time to training.
- Difficulties: Absolutely does not tolerate locked doors. The animal needs space, so keeping it in an apartment should be accompanied by frequent and long active walks. Relatively tolerant of other pets. Tends to bite.
- Price: from $700.
Modern standards
Mudi dogs come in a variety of coat colors: black, white, ash, merle, and even striped. Spots are allowed, but the color of the paws must match the main color of these Hungarian Shepherds (photo below).
The coat is wavy, up to seven centimeters in length, with a pronounced shine. On the front of the body it is short and smooth. The tail can be of different lengths, docking is allowed.
Dogs have proportional shapes. The height at the withers of a male is 43-45 cm, that of a female is 40-42 cm. The weight of dogs varies from eight to thirteen kilograms.
The head is wedge-shaped, the skull is dome-shaped, the forehead is sloping, the muzzle is less than the length of the skull and elongated. The nose is black, coat color is allowed. The lips meet tightly, without jowls. Scissor bite.
The eyes are slanted, the ears are erect. The length of the body is equal to the height at the withers. The paws are of medium length, the toe pads are black and round.
Disqualifying faults - lack of teeth, malocclusion, eyes lighter than color (exception - merle dogs with blue eyes), drooping ears.
Origin story
Officially, the Hungarian Cattle Dog breed has existed for no more than a hundred years . It is believed that the Hungarian Mudi, with the emphasis on the second syllable, appeared absolutely by accident as a by-product of unauthorized matings of the Commander and Pumi breeds, popular in their homeland . But they attracted the attention of shepherds due to their temperamental nature and ability to make independent decisions when driving small livestock into pens. In addition, the ancestors of the Mudi coped well with the tasks of beaters when hunting wild boar.
Mixing with Hungarian Shepherds, Old German and Croatian Shepherds, as well as the German Schafpoodle, by the beginning of the 20th century, a breed type was formed that we see to this day. But the Second World War claimed the lives of more than just people. Moody was on the verge of extinction. The breed was literally restored from scratch, involving the Belgian Shepherd and Collie in the selection.
Having received official recognition back in 1936, the post-war period is listed in the annals of the breed as a time of difficult trials. We had to modify the breed standard, making numerous amendments. And only towards the end of the century, dog handlers received the phenotype of the Hungarian Mudi, which maximally reflects the original image of dogs of this breed.
Purpose of the breed
Mudi has an innumerable number of advantages. But, despite all the advantages, the dog is not particularly popular. Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that the Hungarians have a Commander and a Pumi - two working breeds used for their intended purpose.
Still, moody has its admirers. These are primarily hunters who attract mudies not only to bait wild boar, but also other animals, including waterfowl. Secondly, sheep farmers choose a small dog that can handle a flock of sheep alone.
Well, and finally, the Mudi is considered an unsurpassed guard , thanks to its loud bark. He is able to tirelessly guard the owner’s home , tinker in the yard with nimble children, and at the same time look after them.
At home, Mudi is used in police forces and in border service . Customs officers like keen sense of smell , which unmistakably recognizes drugs. Finnish climbers take Mudi with them on their climbs, as the dogs have proven themselves to be excellent rescuers.
Character
Temperamental and vocal, strong and hardy dogs with an inexhaustible supply of energy - perhaps this is how this breed can be characterized. But for all its sociability, the dog obeys only its owner . Moody are incredibly loyal creatures, but only to one person who feeds them and devotes time to their activities.
The Hungarian Cattle Dog has many advantages, but all of them are negated by the dog’s ability to bite . Therefore, from an early puppy age, it is necessary to strictly educate the dog , each time preventing an attempt to bite a person.
Mudi gets along best with people who lead an active lifestyle - athletes, hunters and fishermen.
A dog can accept other pets if it has been raised with them since puppyhood.
Choosing a puppy
Since the breed is extremely rare even in Hungary, you will have to go to the dog’s historical homeland to get a Mudi puppy . Essentially, choosing a Hungarian Cattle puppy is not much different from other common dog breeds. The main difference between the Mudi breed is that puppies must be active, nimble, and without a hint of signs of rickets . A bloated abdomen only indicates that this puppy has heartworm infection.
There are few nurseries even in Hungary, so the information provided by the breeder is extremely important. The most important question is how to feed the puppy at first, immediately after moving. It is necessary to take food samples so that upon arrival you will have the necessary diet.
The puppy is accompanied by documents:
- Veterinary passport with notes on vaccination.
- A domestic pedigree that later changes to an international pattern.
- A certificate from a veterinary clinic in the appropriate form regarding entry and exit.
At the nursery, you should definitely meet the baby’s parents and take photocopies of medical tests about the health status of the mother and father. Only the breeder will be able to advise whether it makes sense to train a puppy to wear a diaper during the next quarantine period.
Did you know? When picking up a Mudi puppy, do not forget to take a diaper soaked in the smell of the nursery and the baby’s favorite toy, so that the long journey has less impact on the dog’s psyche.
Before the trip, you should measure your puppy’s temperature as a precaution.
Care and maintenance
Mudi is one of those rare breeds of dogs that practically do not require thorough or specific care . Despite its length, the coat combs well and does not form tangles . It is necessary to comb at least twice a week . It is not recommended to frequently wash your dog using cosmetics. In the summer, it is advisable to give your pet the opportunity to swim in open water .
Dogs are known for their cleanliness , so it is enough to rinse their paws and belly during the slushy period of the year. But you need to carefully monitor the length of the claws and trim them periodically if the dog does not grind them down while walking. Eyes and teeth are subjected to a preventive examination. But the ears are cleaned with enviable regularity, since the accumulating secretion causes inflammation.
Grooming
It should immediately be noted that the fur of these dogs is hypoallergenic. The Mudi has a thick, slightly wavy coat that is shiny and silky. These dogs are brushed once a week. They are quite clean and do not require frequent bathing.
Hungarian Shepherd dogs, even when free-ranging, do not require special coat care. But at the same time, it is important to ensure that parasites do not appear in their thick undercoat. To do this, dogs are regularly treated with modern antiparasitic drugs.
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Health and heredity
The breed is considered robust and resistant to infectious diseases , with an excellent immune system. Prevention is based on timely vaccinations and seasonal treatments against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes - blood-sucking parasites that carry particularly dangerous diseases.
Mudi's heredity is strong , no genetic diseases have been found in dogs, and there are no breed predispositions to any malfunctions of the body's internal systems.
Important! In order not to upset the naturally strong organism, it is strictly forbidden to feed dogs from the table, treat them with sweets, or offer pork and chicken bones.
What you can and cannot feed
Feeding a Mudi is no different from feeding a Shepherd of any other breed. Balanced food containing fats, proteins and carbohydrates, meat and fish, dairy products - all these foods are well tolerated by Mudi. Like any other dog, these shepherds benefit from diversifying their diet with boiled eggs and cheese. Modern balanced dry food, which includes vitamins and microelements for a full life for your pet, is well suited.
However, there are some taboos for mudis. This applies to sweet, smoked and spicy foods. You should not give your dog baked goods. These products cause allergies and various gastrointestinal diseases in dogs.
Education and training
Raising a Mudi puppy should begin from the first days of its appearance in the house. An active tomboy must be immediately pointed to a place, and during walks he must be taught to urinate without carrying the contents of his bladder home.
They begin training on their own, and from the age of six months you can involve a canine trainer in the training process .
Raising a young dog requires a lot of patience, and not because the dog is disobedient. It's just difficult for moodies to sit in one place. Practicing commands will also require a certain amount of time and repeated repetitions. The main thing is to force the dog to obey , so that later a series of troubles associated with strangers do not arise.
Moody and man
The most important thing in the life of a curly-haired Hungarian Shepherd is its owner, because Mudi are monogamous. Therefore, these dogs do not show aggression towards humans, but on the contrary, they adore their owners and are ready to serve and protect them until death. In a friendly home environment they are very playful and affectionate. Such dogs fit perfectly into large families and become full members of them. These dogs can be a little aggressive with strangers.
Important! Mudi owners should pay attention to the fact that these dogs have a tendency to bite, so it is not advisable to leave them alone with small children.
The Hungarian Shepherd has highly developed hunting instincts, so they can pose a danger to small animals in the house.
Mudi are excellent exterminators of rats and mice, which are often a big problem for residents of private country houses.
Advantages and disadvantages
Endowed with a lot of advantages, dogs are considered excellent workers, friends and companions . Moody is always ready to work. Despite its average size, the dog has great strength and endurance .
Dogs of this breed, which are active by nature can be kept in apartments if they are provided with long walks and long exercises in nature. For Mudi , bicycle rides, chasing a ball or frisbee, and agility classes .
Despite the rarity of the breed, the price of Mudi puppies is relatively low . But this is more a disadvantage than an advantage of the Hungarian Shepherd Dog.
But the disadvantages include the noisy nature of the pet. If the topic is skipped in education on this issue, then a cheerful and restless dog can cause a lot of trouble to its owner with its uncontrollable joy.
Healthy dog
This breed does not have any specific hereditary diseases or predispositions. Due to the mixture of many bloods, these dogs have quite strong immunity. It is important to get all the necessary vaccinations on time, monitor the dog’s condition, ensure a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, then you will have a cheerful and sociable Mudi in your home.
Congenital joint dysplasia is much less common in this breed than in other shepherd dogs. And proper nutrition of the puppy will ensure the appropriate formation of the skeleton and muscle mass.
A healthy Hungarian Shepherd dog will delight you for a long time, because the average life expectancy of a Mudi is fourteen years.
Reviews
Yana:
I think this breed is the best. The combination of small size, strength and energy makes it possible to keep a dog in an apartment. And if you add excellent protective qualities and a rare affection only for the owner, then even at midnight it’s not scary to walk with him along dark alleys.
Edward:
No matter how the Hungarian shepherd is considered one of the rarest breeds, a depressed state of mind and lack of mood in a dog manifests itself even less frequently.
We are looking forward to dialogue with those who are familiar first-hand with this rare breed – the Hungarian Mudi herding dog. Tell us about the features of raising and caring for a pet. Maybe someone keeps “in reserve” tricks that dogs are happy to perform. You can place your comments at the bottom of the article.
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