Characteristics
Average
38-47 cm
17–22 kg
10–15 years
Herding and cattle dogs other than Swiss cattle dogs.
Brief information
Origin story
Mentions of Hungarian shepherd dogs date back to the 17th-18th centuries. These unusual and very intelligent animals were used in Hungary as livestock herders and were selected for working qualities, not conformation. Only in the 19th century, they began to breed mudi, already purposefully selecting according to the exterior. The first breed standard was adopted in 1936.
The Second World War had an extremely negative impact on the population of the Hungarian shepherd dogs, putting the breed on the brink of extinction. Only by the 60s of the XX century, breeders began the process of reviving the breed. Since the Moody themselves are vanishingly few, they began to be crossed with Border Collies and Belgian Shepherds. By 1966, a new breed standard was adopted, which is still in force today. Moody is recognized by the world cynological community and the International Canine Federation.
Description
Hungarian Cattle Dogs are small and proportionally built animals, which are distinguished by an interesting curly coat, short on the head and legs and of medium length on the body and tail. Various colors are recognized as the standard: brown, black, marble, ashy. In this case, small white marks on the chest are allowed, but they are undesirable. The abundance of white spots is considered a marriage, and dogs with this color are withdrawn from breeding.
The head of the mudi is wedge-shaped, the muzzle is slightly elongated. The eyes are almond-shaped, obliquely set, dark in color with black rims. Ears are triangular, set high. The constitution of these dogs is strong and rather compact, the back smoothly drops from the withers to the croup. The tail is set high, any length is allowed.
Character
Typical representatives of the breed are kind, playful and very friendly dogs. They are very human-oriented and ready to do anything to please the owner. At the same time, it is worth considering that the Hungarian shepherd dogs are mostly monogamous and are very attached to only one of the family members, but this does not prevent them from treating the owner’s relatives with reverence.
Care
Moody are active dogs that do not require special care. Their coat, despite its length, does not need constant and expensive care. It should be combed out 1-2 times a week, then the dog will have a “marketable” appearance. However, future owners should take into account that Hungarian shepherd dogs need long and active walks on which they can throw out their energy.
Content
Due to its compact size and friendly nature, Moody can be kept both in an apartment and outside the city, provided that warm enclosures are available.
Price
Since the breed is quite rare, you will have to negotiate the price with breeders in Hungary, adding travel and transportation costs to the cost of the puppy.
