Tornjak

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
The general appearance of the Tornjak should be that of a strong, large, dappled, well connected and supple live-stock dog, square form(permitted 5% longer than its height in withers). Bone is neither light nor masive nor heavy. #1[A good Tornjak looks like animal firmly grounded, very stable and balanced in every natural gesture. Lymphatic, hardly moving, bulky and sluggish animals disproportionally built and poorly coupled, "astenic" (delicate, sensitive frame) and all others which by type or by form significantly depart from Standard description should be considered undesirable in the Tornjak breed. ] Coat is long and dense, white with other colours in it. #2[There are Tornjaks with dark mantling, in which white colour appears only on head, around neck and on legs. This color combination is considered as valid as those parti-colored. When this feature is hereditarily dominant, then we have to mate this dark-mantled sample only with multi-colored (particolored) ones. Otherwise dominant homozygote would arise, so this colour pattern would enti- rely overwhelm in breed by time, which is udesirable. ]
BEHAVIOUR - Generally calm, not nervous and not aggressive. A very tough, not demanding, sturdy dog.
MEASURMENTS - Desirable size approximately 70 cm tall for a dog, 60-65 cm for bitch.
#3[These measurments are only desirable values. In breeding lineage and genus are more important than an individual sample. ]
HEAD - Lupine, wedge-shaped and elongated. Due to the heavy coat it could look too small sometimes. #4[Wide, short heads with noticeable stop, like Rotweiller or Newfoundland or Sarplaninac; too large a head as well those with big skull and small muzzle should be considered undesirable in the Tornjak head. ]
JAWS - Powerful and long, teeth complete, scissor bite. #5[Until Tornjak population is sufficient, ideal scissor bite or full set of premolars on one side (P1, P2, P3), should not be insisted upon. Dogs with more perfect set of teeth have privilege, and in breeding at least one dog must have impeccable teeth.]
MUZZLE - Top of the muzzle straight, proportional, never pointed or excessively fleshy, lips fitted tightly to the jaws (#7), droop not alowed. Very slight stop.
#7[. Badly fit lower-lip to jaws and particularly drooliness (having lip sores) are marks of "lymphatic and should be considered as a fault. May be specimens with upper hanging a bit in front over lower lip. If these characteristic aren't too noticecble and too untypical, they shouldn't be considered as faulty. ]
EYES - Almond shaped, eyelids close to the skull (#8), zygomatic arches may be slightly noticable (#6). Back of skull elongated but not narrow, straight from zygomatic arches to occiput. Occipital bone not pronounced but perceptible.
#6[On zygomatic arches area skin is a bit stronger and with delicate skull bones form a bit pronaunced shape of zygomatic arches.]
#8 [Hanging lower-eyelids are a serious fault.]
EARS - Large, single turn down, set high up, nearer to the vertex than in other sheepdogs breeds.
#9[Until Tornjak population is sufficient, slightly smaller ears turned down and opened (somewhat like Greyhounds) should be considered as a mild defect. In breeding,this detail should be paidy attention; only one parent should be allowed to have irregular ears. ]
NECK - Long, carried low, set at 45 degree when alert. Neck muscles firm and taut. Skin qute thick especially at the nape of the neck and adheres to the inner tissue not only on the upper but also on the lower side of the neck. Covered with a rich crop of long hair (ruff).
#10[It is important for a breed, because only on that way, from relativelly light head, can focus of the animal reach its regular place. Specifically, Tornjak's neck has to be relatively longer than that of Sarplaninac or Senenhound. Specimens with short, high inserted neck are undesirable and should be eliminated from breeding.]
WITHERS - Transition from neck to withers forms a well pronounced stop which starts from the upper neck line and goes behind to the top of shoulder joints (#11).
#11[. Tornjaks with not so noticeable withers are unfortunatelly common. We have to tolerate this feature to some degree, but above descripted form should be prefered. ]
BACK - Relatively short, firm, moderately wide and level (#12).
#12 [Good back length is conspicuously link with good withers. This length in bitc- hes is slightly longer in the loins. Irregular, flexible backbone is first noticed by underlined attitude of rear legs. CarefulIt judging most be done so not to misinterpret heavy coat on front part of rump as superstructuring. ]
RUMP - Medium length, slightly arched loins, tail set high or moderately high (#13).
#13[Long knocked down rumpis common. When it isn't accompanied with too long and soft back, it shouldn't be considered as a serious fault. But rump not knock- ed down and with a tail medium highly set should be preferred. ]
TAIL - Long, can be saber-shaped, annular or hooked (slight upward turn at the tip), set medium high. Highly mobile, at rest hanging downwards. When in motion - trotting - or when alert or excited, always carried above the back (#14). Connection between chest and rump is short and relatively wide, longer in bitches.
#14[When alert and moving, very high lifting of very tufty tail: a key feature of the breed. All forms of tails which allow this display sholud be considered good. Too short (shorter than ankle joint), or any kind of unhealthy tail should be considered as a serious fault. ]
CHEST - Very broad, conically deep (#15), wide and rounded, but ribs not heavy. The breast is well-proportioned and forms a firmly connected unit between shoulder joint and chest. As a rule, the sternum (breast bone) tip is a little below the shoulder joint (#16).
#15[It is understandable that conical chest in bitches can be slightly inflated than in dogs. ]
#16[. There are dogs which entire chest are more or less moved backward so that angle between shoulder joint and upper arm reachs few "fingers" (mesure which means 7-8 cm?, * I think, Lj.) before focus of animal. When this kind of structu- re occurs, it should be considered a more serious fault, as it is regularly linked with faults of withers and backsand with shorter upper arm and/or shoulder joint. ]
BELLY - Firm muscules, continous lower line, moderately tucked-up from the back end of sternum to the inside of loins.
LEGS - Must be set correctly at excellent angles without excess and long. Bone must not be too thick or heavy (#17).Angles between shoulder and elbow as well as angles of the back legs are medium. Viewing sidewise, foreleg pasterns deviate slightly from the vertical line (#18). Back leg dewclaws may be well developed (#19).
#17[Irregularly attitudes, soft elbows, "French" attitude front, "caw's" attitude rear legs or so should be considered as a serious faults; some opened attitude of shoulder joint and back legs is not considered a major deficiency. ]
#18[Deviation is about 5 degree. Old dogs have softer pasterns, but young ones haven't more than 5 ds. The softer the biger the deficit. Specimens with regular, well expressed angles, and especially this ones with long, proportionaal femor should be considered the best. ]
#19[. In shepherd (pastoral) tradition dewclaws were held in high esteem, but in actual population aren't uniformly widespread. Perhaps it will be more so in the future. ]
PAWS - Very strong and lean. Pads supple with strong nails. Front paws are rounder than back
MUSCLES - Flat, firm and lean.
SKIN - Tough, quite thick at the neck. Snug on the body and the neck. Should not be flabby or hang loosely, not even under the throat. Lips or eyelids must not droop.
COAT - As a rule, long coated with short hair on face and front part of legs (#20). Top coat is long, hard textured and straight. On the front part of shoulders and backside of rump it can be slightly wavy. Particularly well developed on the neck also below the tail very rich and long, forming trousers. Feathering on the forearm and very rich feathering on the tail. Upper hair is especially long on the upper rump just before tail set (#21). Firmly closed and not able to be opened in parting.
#20[In actual population there is a dominant factor for a shortcoat, as with other breed features in the same groups. We have to preserve a few specimens with short coat, but pet fanciers show no interest about this type of Tornjaks. ] #21[Represented three basic typs of long hair coat. The above description is ideal. No other, especially one with silky long hair, is acceptable. If fur doesn't part at back ,shouldn't be considered as a fault. The third typ of coat - "close", compact fur with slightly shorter firm hair, and with short feathering on lower forearm and without longer soft hair on back part of pasterns should be considered only less desirable. ]
COLOURS AND PIGMENTATION - As a rule Tornjaks are multicolored dogs. White base covers more or less with portions in other colour(s). Either dark colour all over the body (mantle) with white only around neck, on head and legs; or almost entirely white animal with few marking, but always with spots on legs and head (mask) and dark tufts in long white coat (#22). All colour variations and particolored are valued equally (#23). Eyes colour (iris) must be consistently with coat colour (#24).
#22[Spots can be close to each other, or they can appear few and far between. If not on the skin (it's especially observable on belly) and nowhere on the coat as a spot or tuft, this dog should be considered untypically colored. Rare-occuring spots on the neck. It is very interested that the number of colored spots increase with age. In most puppies, spots are invisible on the hear, and first spots on the belly appears at the same time or shortly after opening its eyes (certainly before end of eighth week). ]
#23[Pronounced varied colouring is a key-traditional peculiarity of the Tornjak bre- ed. Shepherds strived to own as heterogeneous colored dogs, as they could easily distinguish from these dogs from long distance and observe and identify in inadequate light (in twilight, or during misty morning). Consequently, of Tornjaci presented rather dissimilar colour factors with a few genetic (non auto- recessive) factors which cause polychromy. Beside variegated skin and coat, polichromy is also linked with mucous membrane dark palate pigment. Irregular pigmented paw pads are required. It is especially obvious in puppies; in adult dogs living outside, skin on paw pad is dark. Inadequate pigmentation of eyelids is not rare; it should be considered as a serious deficiency. Dark masks on a head of some specimens should not be considered as a fault, but should be avoid in breeding, because it is a typical feature so many related breeds. ]
#24[In a few interindependent (uncognate) litters, (dark) blue-eyed specimens appear. This trait seems to link with other factors of variegation is considered an authe- ntic hereditable characteristic of the breed. It should be tolerated until further investigation, no matter the commonly accepted aesthetic attitudes. If experime- nts approve that this trait in Tornjaks isn't hereditatily linked with negative characterictics often noted in other beeds, that blue or "tschackorasto" (* it is spelling on Croatian *my comment*) eye may becme incorporate as a possible standard characteristic of a breed. Our experiments will try to justify the prese- nce or absence this same characteristic in closely relaated breeds of livestock dogs. We know the blue eye naturally appears as a trait in purebred breeding with taritionally variegated colours. ]
MOVEMENT - Vivacious, can have relatively shorter and higher gait, but always abundantly, supple and alert.
BEHAVIOUR - Typical adult Tornjak is very calm, almost indifferent, but vigilant (alert) watch dog. Emotional with familiar people. When living in a pack it is highly social animal. Toward unknown people or animals, as a rule aggression not emphasized. In appropriately situations, very determined and can resolutely attack much stronger rivals. In this situation Tornjak is wary, but brusque, persistent and unpleasant.
FAULTS (MILD):
Slightness of skeleton
Slight but still proportional head
Surplus or shortage of one or two premolars
Slightly shorter coat or too wavy coat or too soft coat
Slighter longer back
Too straight a short rump with too high a tail set
Eyelids poorly bad pigmented
Shorter and incorrect ear set
Angulations too straight, yet still allowing good movement (not dysfunctional)
FAULTS (SERIOUS):
Lymphatic type with too heavy frame
Head too wide and round, too short or to angulate
Bone too thick or heavy
Stop too noticeable
Lips too big and droppy
Too much hanging skin under the throat
Undershot, overshot, shortage more than two premolars or molars, and all genetic faults in teeth set (#25),
Shoulders badly connected
Legs badly angulated
Too softly pasterns and opened paws
Shortage of or badly set sexual organs
Movements ungainly, sluggish or inhibited
#25["Opened" bite, asymetrical, askew jaws and all similar jaw's disorders.]
After discussion and input of details to be reinforced, as a members of Commission for sporting dogs and as a Secretary of HKS (CKA) we affirm this criteria as a Standard of Tornjak, worthy in Croatia for yet unrecognized breed by FCI.
Members of Commission: Vibor Jezek, Zdravko Klicek, Zlatko Kraljic, Radovan Korica and Niksa Lemo;
Secretary of HKS: Igor Selimovic
In Zagreb, 29. October, 1996