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

Moody dogs are shepherd dogs that appeared in Hungary in the 17th century. 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.

Moods have been used as shepherds for several centuries. The breed has quite ancient roots, which, according to various sources, date back to the 15th or 17th century - it is not possible to determine the time of its appearance more accurately. In information sources, dogs with curly hair and pointed ears have been mentioned since ancient times - then they were called “bullets”. According to separate estimates, similar animals lived in Croatia in the XIV century.

Moody got its name only in the 30s of the last century, but even now these animals are increasingly called the "dog drover". Scientists believe that dogs similar to Spitz, as well as German sheep poodles and Croatian shepherds, took an active part in the formation of the breed. The final description of the breed was made 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 muds with the Border Collie and the Belgian Shepherd. Thus, by 1966 the standard of dogs was changed, and, in accordance with the new rules, animals could have a very different color: ashen, brown, as well as 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 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, therefore they are often used to detect drugs, and some muds are specially trained to participate in search and rescue operations.

In accordance with accepted standards, a dog of this breed should have the following appearance characteristics.

• The height of males at the withers is 45-47 cm, females are smaller in comparison with males.
• The sternum is voluminous, deepened, reaches to the elbows. The back is straight, rather short. In the direction from the tail to the withers it begins to rise.
• The muzzle is straight, while the skull is slightly elongated.
• The eyes are dark brown in color, oval, the look is meaningful and very expressive.
• The nose is slightly pointed, the ears are triangular and stand like German shepherds.
• Moody's tail is small, drooping. At the request of the breeder can be stopped by one and a half to two fingers.
• Paws are compact, rounded. The claws are usually black or dark gray, in some individuals dewclaws are found - such animals are not allowed to reproduce.

The coat is soft, rather thick, and 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. Colors of several types are allowed:

• the black;
• ashen;
• brown.

Blue merle colors are possible - in this case the main background is bluish-gray, and dark stripes, specks and marks are scattered across the surface.

Disqualifying signs include:

• spotted, flesh or brown nose in animals of yellow or black color;
• lack 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 drooping ears;
• totally white coat color, as well as a black and tan suit with inclusions of brown and yellow;
• non-compliance with dog growth standards.

Moodies are cute, decisive and desperate dogs, they don’t really like strangers: in most cases they furiously bite them, and can even bite if an outsider starts provoking them, teasing or abruptly running away. At the same time, the animal is quite hardworking and energetic; these are swift and nimble dogs.

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

With other pets, the relationship with the mudi can be different. With the shepherd dogs and some other dogs, this animal is likely to find a common language, but it will be more difficult to reach mutual understanding with cats, while rodents can even become an object of hunting for a dog, although the education of the mudie and the features of his temperament are of great importance here.

So that your pet does not encroach on furniture and other household utensils, he needs to be given the opportunity to move a lot.Best of all, such a dog lives in a private house with a large infield, where she can run around unhindered all day. But if this is not possible, then you should walk the dog 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 suit him. It is best to acquire a similar breed as a companion to a hunter or athlete, then a four-legged friend will be able to accompany his owner in the morning jogging and training.

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

Even if the dog has excellent health, you should not give it food from your table. The fact is that in humans and animals, organisms are arranged differently, and home-made dishes often cause digestion and indigestion in a pet. Fatty, salty, pickled and fried foods, as well as sweets and pastries, are not allowed in the diet. It is necessary to feed an adult dog 1-2 times a day, at a strictly defined time.

When feeding Moody puppies, you first need to adhere to the diet of the breeder, gradually transferring the baby to the type of animal feeding adopted in your house. It is best to use dry food: it has a balanced composition, contains all the necessary micro and macro elements, enriched with vitamins, amino acids and proteins.

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

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

If you are a supporter of natural feeding, then keep in mind that the dog’s diet should be 70% meat, and of high quality: beef, veal, rabbit, chicken or turkey meat, periodic use of offal - liver and heart. The remaining 30% is cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat and rice are best absorbed by the body, and corn and wheat are digested very poorly, creating a burden in the digestive organs of the animal. Vegetables, as well as chopped succulent herbs and sprouted grains, should certainly be introduced into the mixers.

Moodies belong to that rare category of dogs that require almost no special care. Despite the fact that the fur 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. A dog should be bathed 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 pond.

Once a week, treat the animal’s ears with veterinary lotion or boric alcohol. - for this, cotton wool moistened with a disinfectant is drawn along the inner surface of the auricles. Wipe your pet's eyes a couple of times a week with chamomile infusion or a weak solution of furatsilin.

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

Most Moody dogs have good health and strong immunity. They run around all day and remain active until old 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 type of animal can suffer:

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

Moody puppies should be raised and trained 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 cope with their natural needs on the street. Regardless of whether you have a working dog or just a pet, it should know some of the commands of its owner, otherwise a dog jumping down the street, pestering passers-by and ignoring the owner’s orders can cause a lot of problems.

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

It is important that the training takes place in the form of a game, this will bring much more results than a monotonous repetition of the same team. Do not forget to encourage the dog, and for this it is not necessary to stock up on delicacies 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: flyball and agility suit them.

Owners of these intelligent animals should certainly develop endurance and endurance, as well as quick wit and intelligence. Such dogs are smart by nature, but they need frequent intellectual stress. It’s best to buy special dog puzzles for this - they are a wooden stand and figures with dents. A treat is hidden under one of them, and Moody must rearrange the figures in a certain order in order to get to the cherished sweetness as soon as possible.

For more information on breed features, see the next video.