Komondor vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Known also as the Irish Doodle Setter or the Irish Setterdoodle, the Irish Doodle is a crossbreed – a mix of Irish Setter and Poodle.

This designer crossbreed comes from the United States. There isn't much of a history with the Irish Doodle, though both breeds used to create this dog breed have their own long histories.

Because the Irish Doodle is a hybrid breed, it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. It is however recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.

Looking like a giant mop, and sometimes being referred to as 'mop dogs' the Komondor, known also as the Hungarian sheepdog, hails from Hungary.

The dog was brought to Europe centuries ago so he is a well established breed. It has been declared as one of the country's national treasures.

He is a dog related to many other dogs such as the Pulim the Ovcharka, the Bearded Collie, Old English Sheepdog and others.

The Irish Doodle is a medium sized dog, standing at roughly 33cm to 38cm and weighing roughly 18kg to 31kg.

Pet owners appreciate that a dog like this is considered to be hypoallergenic and this attractive aspect of this dog comes from the Poodle side. The Irish Doodle's coat is long, soft and fairly wavy with apricot being the most common coat color but other colors include white, cream, brown and black. The head and muzzle is longish, the eyes brown, the ears floppy and the tail long.

Temperament:

The Poodle and the Irish Setter combine to ensure that the Irish Doodle is an intelligent dog and that he has an amicable disposition so that he is good with kids and pets in the home.

He has a host of excellent characteristics that make him a superb family pet and these are friendliness, intelligence, devotion and loyalty. He is easy to train and training and socialization will make him obedient so that he responds well to simple instructions such as come, stay, lie down, sit etc.

Known for his unique long corded, singular white coat, the Komondor, a molosser dog, is large. Females start at 64cm in height and both males and females can reach up to 76cm in height.

This unusual coat of theirs is wavy and actually forms cords or dreadlocks as the dog matures. You can't easily see the dog's face because of all the hair.You also can't see the tail easily, in fact you might think he hasn't got a tail as it is obscured by the hair. The tail is medium length and held low.

He has a large head, dark brown eyes, and floppy ears. The coat is certainly going to require grooming even though the dog doesn't shed much. His body is robust and well muscled with the body being slightly longer than the height of the dog.

Temperament:

The Komondor has been a dog used for guarding livestock, and while his character is calm and balanced, when the livestock is threatened, he can show another side – more aggressive – as he defends his flock. He makes an excellent watchdog.

He is an affectionate dog with his human family, being a gentle playmate of children. He is slightly reserved and wary of strangers, and is willing to guard and protect his human family from them.

He is also good with other family pets. When you look at him you might think of him as not being very energetic, but he is an athletic dog, fast and powerful. Because of his size and speed, it is best to have him trained and socialized as he can be obstinate. Training him makes him obedient.

The Irish Doodle is guaranteed to make you a great pet. Every dog becomes better when they have been trained and socialized as they require having interactions with other dogs and people to know how to behave around them later on.

The Irish Doodle is a playful, active, attractive, loyal, fun loving pet who will learn easily.

The most important thing to remember with your Irish Doodle is to get involved in his life. He didn’t ask to come to you, but if you do your part and treat him like a much loved family member, you’ll soon see that your life isn’t complete without a wonderful 4-legged friend like the Irish Doodle.

The Komondor is known for his strong guardian characteristics, especially with his human family. He is loving and loyal towards them while being wary of strangers.

True, his coat can make people think twice before making this dog a pet, but if you're game and ready to attend to his coat, he can make an excellent family pet. They're fine with other pets too, and he is also an intelligent dog, capable of being easily trained.

He needs a good deal of exercise and can become noisy and destructive without the right amount of stimulation. If you do your part with the Komondor and provide him with a loving, caring home, he will be an awesome pet and guard you with his life.

Irish Doodles are a robust, resilient breed, and with good care they can live to be 11, 12, 13 or 14 years. Nonetheless you need to know about the more common dog illnesses that any dog can develop.

These are hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections, bloat and Von Willebrand's Disease.You can improve your dog’s health by making sure he gets the very best food there is to eat, a warm, dry place to sleep and that he is treated with lots of love and care.

Von Willebrand's Disease:

Von Willebrand's disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. The disorder comes about because of a deficiency of von Willebrand Factor. This is an adhesive glyco-protein in the blood which is necessary for platelet binding or clotting. The condition can lead to excessive bleeding after an injury because the blood can’t clot.

The Komondor is a healthy dog breed who can live to be 10, 11 or 12 years if you look after him well. There aren't any known genetic disorders prominent with the dog, but it pays to know about some of those that could strike -

Entropion:

This is an irritating eye problem where the eyelash rubs up against the eyes.The result can be scratching of the cornea and eye infections. It is an eye problem which can be corrected with surgery.

Hip Dysplasia:

Hip dysplasia is a serious genetically inherited disorder and common in large dog breeds. It is caused by a malformation of the hip joint. It can cause problems for the dog, weakening the hip and making it incapable of supporting the weight of the dog.

It also leads to pain for the dog, difficulty with moving and even total lameness. Weight, size of dog, age and genetics are all factors which can increase the dog's likelihood of developing hip dysplasia.

Whimpering, lethargy and refusing to put weight on the leg are common signs of hip dysplasia and your vet will go ahead with ways to relieve the pain and symptoms of your Komondor.

Even though the Irish Doodle's coat is long, this is a dog with just about no shedding, so a brush once a week will ensure his coat stays in tip-top condition. Some Irish Doodle owners like to take their pet to have the coat professionally trimmed.

Exercise:

The Irish Doodle isn’t one of these dogs where you need to ensure a good dose of exercise every day. He doesn’t particularly need a lot of exercise, so include him in your daily walks and give him a ball game now and then to keep him happy and fit.

Diet:

As a medium sized dog, your Irish Doodle will require a high quality diet that will ensure he is getting all the right minerals and vitamins he needs for his activities.

If you choose one of the wet or dry commercially manufactured foods, make sure it is one of the best quality ones free from fillers, colorants and preservatives. It is to your pet’s benefit to add in some homemade food to his kibble such as cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables.

Raw meat is expensive, but if you can, give him some raw meat occasionally too as this promotes bright eyes, a wet nose and a healthy skin and fur.

Fresh, cool water must be provided every day non-stop.

Grooming:

The Komondor is most certainly not a low maintenance dog with that extraordinary coat.Before the dog turns 1, the coat begins to form its cords. These cords can become discolored and matted, In fact the cords will need to be separated to keep the dog clean and free of matted hair.

For those who keep the dog as a pet and who don't want him to be a show dog, he can be trimmed, otherwise the coat and its maintenance could turn out to be a real issue.

Of course once the distinctive coat has been sheared, he loses that typical and recognizable Komondor look.

Check his ears on a regular basis for wax- and dirt buildup so as to prevent ear infection.

Teeth need to be checked regularly to prevent tartar buildup and if you don't have the time or the knowledge to keep his teeth clean and maintained, take him to the vet as the teeth-treatments they do there will promote healthy teeth and gums.