How performance testing of working dogs can be adapted to evaluate working ability in Komondor dogs

Abstract

The livestock protection dogs belongs to the group of pastoral dogs, and have originally been used to protect livestock on pasture. The Komondor is a Hungarian breed which is considered to belong in this group, and has been used for protecting livestock since the 13th century. This breed has also gone through genetic bottlenecks and it would be of interest to investigate if there are differences in the working ability of working bred and show bred Komondor dogs. Several tests exist to assess behavioral traits in dogs, many which have been developed to predict future performance of working dogs. These tests, in addition to traits described specifically for the livestock protection dogs and previous studies carried out on livestock protection dogs, should form a basis for the development of tests aimed at testing the working behavior in Komondor dogs.