Komondor vs Berger Blanc Suisse - Breed Comparison

The Berger Blanc Suisse is also referred to as the White Swiss Shepherd. The dog shares the same ancestry with the German Shepherd. The beautiful white dog from Switzerland, is closely related to the White Shepherd. Both breeds are descended from the German Shepherd breed.

It was in 1967 that a certain Agatha Burch brought a White German Shepherd with her to Switzerland and also importing a female white German Shepherd from the UK. It was these 2 dogs who were believed to be the first breeding dogs for the Berger Blanc Suisse. After a number of years, the breed was officially recognized in July 2011. In the USA and Canada, these White Shepherd dogs have been accepted as a distinct breed.

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.

Good Looks

The medium-sized, well muscled Berger Blanc Suisse looks so much like the popular German Shepherd, and apart from its white coat, it has much the same physical standards. The females are about 55–61cm in height while the males are 60–66cm in height. The dogs dense, medium-length double coat tends to be slightly wavy but straight is more common. He has a long bushy tail.

The Berger Blanc Suisse is somewhat longer than it is tall, but like the German Shepherd, it also has erect ears. In contrast to the white coat, the nose is black and the dog had dark, alert eyes.

Temperament

This is an intelligent, confident dog and if you buy a puppy, of which the average litter size is 8, you will need to provide training and socialization to ensure he doesn't act totally independently and behave in a manner not pleasing to you. Once he is trained and socialized, he makes a wonderful pet and is social, playful and gentle. He is loyal and devoted to his human family, wanting to protect them. He is good around children and other pets in the home.

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.

When you first set eyes on the Berger Blanc Suisse or White Shepherd, you can see that this is a strong, well-muscled, energetic dog, full of life and intelligent too. Add to that the fact that he is beautiful to look at.

Your Berger Blanc Suisse dog is gentle and loyal with his own human family and will be somewhat wary of strangers. This dog is balanced, good-natured, friendly and affectionate and he just loves spending time with his family, being a good watch dog as well. He’s got so much going for him – good looks, a great personality, he is loyal, loving, strong, healthy and he’ll make one hang of a pet.

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.

Your White Swiss Shepherd is a healthy, energetic, strong dog, but even so when you find him lethargic and listless, you want to get him to the vet for a check-up. It is always a good idea to be alert to common dog illnesses so that you know what to look out for in your dog.

Bloat

A common problem with dogs. The dog becomes restless and the abdomen is often enlarged. Get your dog to the doctor immediately.

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia

This is a developmental defect of the hip and elbow joints and you’ll notice your pet battling to rise again after lying down.

Degenerative Myelopathy

This is a disease of the nervous system where the hind legs and feet drag. Sometimes the dog loses control over the bladder.

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.

High Quality Food

Apart from your Berger Blanc Suisse puppy need an excellent quality puppy food 4 times a day, as he gets older you will need to adjust his food to suit his high energy needs. Once your pet reaches a year of age you will know whether he requires one or two helpings of food a day. You can feed him a top quality commercial manufactured food or you can make your own home-made food for him which includes meat, rice and vegetables.

You want to make 100% sure he is getting the correct dosage of minerals and vitamins to ensure good health. To keep his eyes bright and his nose wet, include some raw meat into his diet as well. Make sure that he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Lots of Exercise

Remember that your Berger Blanc Suisse is a working dog and he will need plenty of exercise. Apart from taking him on long walks, you can throw balls for him, buy rope toys for him and give him some rough and tumble. He is an intelligent breed and he will require some games that give him mental stimulation too.

Grooming

Check regularly for fleas and ticks. You’ll pick this up with brushing his beautiful coat. Frequent brushing will help keep your dog clean and also remove all those loose hairs. Your White Swiss Shepherd Dog is a moderate, but constant shedder as well as being a heavy seasonal shedder so you will need to give him a good brush at least twice a week.

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.