Moody: characteristics of the breed of dogs, especially care for them

Mudi dogs are herding dogs that appeared in the 17th century in Hungary. They are considered excellent shepherds and watchmen, and nowadays they often act as rescuers. Pets of this breed have considerable advantages, which will be discussed in this article.

Moody for several centuries were used as shepherds. The breed has quite ancient roots, which, according to various data, belong to the XV or XVII century - to determine the time of its appearance more accurately is not possible. In information sources, dogs with curly hair and sharp ears are mentioned since ancient times - then they were called “bullets”. According to separate estimates, similar animals lived in Croatia as early as the XIV century.

The Moody got its name only in the 30s of the last century, but even now these animals are more often called “the dog-driver”. Scientists believe that Spitz-like dogs, as well as German sheep poodles and Croatian shepherd dogs, actively participated in the formation of the breed. The final description of the breed was compiled only in the 90s of the XIX century, and the official standard was approved in 1936.

However, during the Second World War, the dogs were on the verge of extinction - at that time there were almost no purebred individuals, therefore, to expand the gene pool, it was decided to reduce the remaining mudis to the border collie and the Belgian shepherd dog. Thus, by 1966, the standard of dogs was changed, and, in accordance with the new rules, animals could have very different colors: ashen, brown, and also chocolate, black or honey.

Nowadays, dogs remain workers, this is a favorite breed of hunters, with them you can even go on wild boars. In addition, like their distant ancestors, modern Mudi graze great herds of goats, cows and sheep in the countryside. It is known that some representatives of these animals even serve in the police - they have a truly unique scent, which is why they are often used to detect drugs, some Moods are specially trained to participate in search and rescue operations.

In accordance with accepted standards A dog of this breed must have the following characteristics of appearance.

• The height of males at the withers is 45-47 cm, the females are smaller in comparison with the males.
• Sternum volume, in-depth, reaches to the elbows. The back is straightened, rather short. In the direction from the tail to the withers begins to rise.
• The muzzle is straight, with the skull slightly elongated.
• The eyes are dark brown, oval in shape, meaningful and very expressive.
• The nose is slightly pointed, the ears are triangular and stand like those of German shepherds.
• The tail of the mudi is small, hanging down. At the request of the breeder can be stopped for a half to two fingers.
• Paws are compact, rounded. The claws are usually black or dark gray, some individuals have dewclaws - such animals are not allowed to breed.

The coat is soft, rather thick, the undercoat is also thick. The peculiarity of the breed is that the hairs are folded into curls. Thus, the skin gives the impression of a wavy. Several types of colors are allowed:

• the black;
• ashen;
• brown.

Blue merle can be colored - in this case, the main background is bluish-gray, and dark stripes, specks and markings are scattered across the surface.

Disqualifying features include:

• spotted, flesh-colored or brown nose in animals of yellow or black color;
• the absence of one or more teeth;
• protrusion of the lower jaw beyond the upper and vice versa;
• the iris is light brown in black individuals;
• not sharp, but hanging ears;
• total white coat color, as well as black and tan suit with inclusions of brown and yellow;
• discrepancy with the growth standards of the dog.

Moody are cute, determined and desperate dogs, they don’t like strangers very much: in most cases, they bark furiously, and they can even bite if an outsider starts provoking them, teasing or fleeing abruptly. At the same time, the animal is quite hardworking and energetic, it is fast-moving and nimble dogs.

It is noteworthy that they choose only one person, treat him with sincere devotion and affection., to all the rest have only polite respect. In this regard, it is important for the owner to convey to the pet how to behave with his household. The dog loves movement, so if you do not bring it up from early childhood, it is quite capable of spoiling things in the house. Most often small puppies are prone to such hooliganism, but an adult dog requires constant supervision.

Relationships with other pets can be different. This animal will most likely find a common language with shepherd dogs and some other dogs, but it will be more difficult to achieve mutual understanding with cats, while rodents may become the object of a dog’s hunt, although education of the mudi and features of its temperament plays a great role.

So that your pet does not encroach on furniture and other household utensils, it must be allowed to move a lot. Best of all, such a dog lives in a private house with a large garden, where it can run freely all day long. But if there is no such possibility, then the dog should be walked at least twice a day, and the walk should last at least two hours. If a person is a homebody or a workaholic who disappears at work for days, then such a dog will not work for him. It is best to acquire a similar breed in companions to the hunter or athlete., then the four-legged friend will be able to accompany his owner on morning jogging and training.

As for feeding, the mudi is a rather unpretentious animal. However, there are basic rules that require mandatory compliance. If you want your dog to fully grow and develop, keep active, be cheerful and cheerful, then you should follow certain recommendations.

Even if the dog has excellent health, you should not give him food from his table. The fact is that in humans and animals the organisms are arranged differently, and homemade meals often cause pet digestion and indigestion in the pet. It is not allowed to include fatty, salty, pickled and fried foods, as well as sweets and pastries in the diet. It is necessary to feed an adult dog 1-2 times a day, at a fixed time.

When feeding Moody puppies, you should initially follow the breeder's diet, gradually transferring the baby to the type of animal feeding accepted in your home. It is best to use dry food: it has a balanced composition, contains all the necessary micro and macro elements, is enriched with vitamins, amino acids and proteins.

When choosing dry food, give preference to premium and super premium products. - this food is made only from high-quality meat and does not contain any dyes and preservatives.

If the dog eats dry food, then it is very important that she has constant access to the drinker with water. The fact is that wet food is 60-70% moisture, and in dry food it is not, therefore, the animal must receive it from the outside. If you limit the use of water, it will always lead to the development of pathological processes in the body.

If you are a supporter of natural feeding, then keep in mind that the diet of a dog should consist of 70% meat, and qualitative: beef, veal, rabbit, chicken or turkey meat, periodic consumption of by-products - liver and heart is allowed. The share of the remaining 30% is cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat and rice are best absorbed by the body, and corn and wheat are digested very poorly, creating heaviness in the digestive organs of the animal. In the mash should certainly enter the vegetables, as well as chopped juicy herbs and germinated grain.

Moody belong to the rare category of dogs that almost do not require special care. Despite the fact that the hair of these dogs is long and curly, nevertheless, it does not form tangles and is quite easy to comb - you need to do this at least twice a week. It is necessary to bathe the dog 3-4 times a year, preferably without the use of detergents, but in the summer it is advisable to provide your pet with the opportunity to splash freely in any body of water.

Once a week, animal ears should be treated with veterinary lotion or boric alcohol. - for this purpose, a cotton wool moistened with a disinfectant composition is carried out on the inner surface of the ears. A couple of times a week, wipe your eyes with infusion of chamomile or a weak solution of furatsilina.

If a dog walks in the city, on hard ground, its claws grind off on their own, but if the animal mostly runs in a forest belt or in a private yard with soft ground, you need to trim the growing claws with a special claw as needed.

Most Mudi dogs have good health and strong immunity. They run all day and remain active to a great age. But taking into account the fact that this breed was restored from a small group of animals, it was still not possible to avoid the appearance of some hereditary diseases. So, representatives of this species of animals can suffer:

• ophthalmic diseases;
• hip dysplasia;
• allergies;
• autoimmune thyroiditis;
• hypersensitivity to individual drugs.

Mudi puppies should be educated and subjected to training from a very young age, taking into account the energy and activity of this breed. From the very first days of life, babies should be taught to recognize their own place, as well as to manage natural needs on the street.Regardless of whether you have a working dog or just a pet, it must know some commands of its owner, otherwise a dog jumping along the street, sticking to passersby and ignoring the orders of the owner, can cause a lot of problems.

It should be noted that the upbringing of the Hungarian mudi is not an easy task, and the matter here is not at all in the dog's weak mind. It's just that these creatures are so active that it’s difficult for them to sit in one place for a long time. Therefore, it will be right before the start of training to take a walk with your pet, let him throw out energy and look around on the ground.

It is important that the training takes place in the form of a game, it will bring much more results than the monotonous repetition of the same team. Do not forget to encourage the dog, and for this it is not necessary to stock up with goodies in large quantities - the dog is ready to serve the owner even for praise, although any gift in the form of a new toy will make the dog the happiest in the world. These dogs have proven themselves in sports: they are suitable for flyball and agility.

The owners of these intelligent animals should certainly develop in them endurance and endurance, as well as intelligence and intelligence. Such dogs are intelligent by nature, but they need frequent intellectual loads. It is best to buy special dog puzzles for this - they are a wooden stand and figures with teeth grooves. Under one of them, they are hiding food, and the mudi must rearrange the figures in a certain order in order to get to the cherished sweetness as quickly as possible.

For more information about the features of the breed, see the following video.