Tornjak

Tornjak is an ancient Molosser from the Mt.Vlasic region of Central Bosnia. It s main use is that of a herd-guarding dog, usually while enclosed in a large sheep-pen, called a "Tor", which is how it got the name Tornjak. This large Bosnian breed is one of the best-documented dogs in the Balkans. Closely related to other Balkan Molossers, the Bosnian Tornjak is a very healthy and sturdy dog, possesing remarkable intelligence and a sound temperament. A very calm breed, the Tornjak is friendly with humans, altough cautious with strangers. Like many other Balkan dogs, it is fairly dog-aggressive.

This is a true Molosser breed, heavily boned and massive, but not a bit lethargic. It differs from the Croatian variant in that it has a more molossoid-type head, whereas the Croats breed for more lupoid features. It is also larger and stockier than the much finer and lighter built Croatian Tornjak.

There are a few types of the Bosnian Tornjak, separated by coat type and colour, as well as temperament and size, such as the Garov, Belov, Zelov, Medov, Sarov and Grlin. The most common type is the Sarov, which is the large, white dog with big patches of black, brown, gray, red, yellow and fawn, either bicoloured, tricoloured or multicoloured.

The coat is long and dense, requiring moderate grooming. Average height is around 30 inches.