by Thom Morris
tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

One of the world’s rarest and most unusual looking dogs has given birth to puppies at her home near Ashford.

The Komondor dog called Jaszkiseri Kocos Jegyes - better known as Tia - gave birth to seven puppies last month. Each is worth around £1,000.

Owner Anita Waters, 40, who imported Tia from Hungary in 2007, said: “Tia causes a stir wherever we go.

"Mostly people try to guess her breed, normally old English sheepdog and labradoodle are the most common guesses.

“Tia is a very affectionate dog who loves everyone within her family, though will bark at all strangers who enter our house.”

The mother-of-two continued: “She gave birth to seven lovely pups and after a chaotic first week has settled down to being a great mum.

"The pups - three girls and four boys - are starting to open their eyes and are getting more active and have started to clamber all over Tia when she tries to sleep.”

The breed, which first came to the country in the 1960s, is known as the world’s hairiest dog because their fur grows in dreadlocks which resemble a mop and require daily brushing.

Komondors are known as the ultimate sheep-dog and come from Hungary where they were traditionally used to protect sheep and cattle.

The dogs took on wolves and bears and their hair is thick enough to protect them from bites. There are no Komondor puppies available in the whole of Britain, making Tias puppies extra special.

Landscape gardener Mrs Waters, who says there are less than 100 of the breed in the country, added: “Although only two-weeks-old they are starting to develop individual traits and personalities.

"We have one gorgeous male, nicknamed chubulub by our daughter Charley-Ann, that likes to lie on his own and when he wakes up facing the corner panics when he can’t find his mum.

“One of the girls lies on her back with her tongue poking out. When they are feeding it’s like a mad panic with one little pup frantically trying to knock all the other dogs off just in case they are getting better milk than him.

"Mostly they sleep curled up in their mum’s cords which must be like being curled up in a sheepskin rug.”

She added: “The fun will truly begin when the pups are weaned. Because Komondor pups are naturally inquisitive we are expecting to have our hands full and are currently puppy proofing our house.”