CH. HR Car Bony-Tor, "Bucak".
Page written by
Liljana Nakic-Petrina, "All-Petrina's" Tornjak Kennel, Croatia.
All pictures by Liljana Nakic-Petrina.
The Tornjak is one of the very old breeds from ancient times, and it was mentioned in handwritten papers for the first time in the 9th century, in a Catholic Church's document.
The breed was later mentioned in the 11th and 14th century. Tornjaks from these documents is the very same as they are today, except for the name of the breed, which was Hrvatski pas planinac, meaning
Croatian dog from the mountain, or as we call the Tornjak today: Croatian Mountain
Dog.
The dogs in these documents was described entirely equal (function and
exterior) as they are today: a protective guarding dog which keep and watch all
what their humans ask from them, but highly intelligent and selected without suffici-
ent aggression, and they are pleasant against strangers that they meet outside of their
own property.
It is considered that dogs of the Tornjak's typ have existed here in Dinaridi (region around
Mountain Dinara, Croatia) from the Roman times. The Romans used their dogs
as war and guardian dogs, as well as for fighting in the arena.
The population of Tornjaks developed spontaneously out of the genetic base brought
to Dinaridi by migrations, trading and wars, combined with the already present
breeds. Throughout the senturies the breed was adapted to the natural enviroment by its fu-
nction, as well as to the needs, customs and aestetic criteria of the inhibitants....
Tina
Size of male Tornjaks is normally 67-73 cm. (26,3-28,7 in) at the withers, most desirable is about 70 cm. (27,5 in). The height of the female is 62-68 cm. (24,3-26,7 in), usually about 64 cm. (25,1 in).The weight of the males is
50-60 kg. (110-132 lb), for females the weight is 35-45 kg. (77-99 lb).
Sexual dimorphisam is obvious.
Tornjaks has a pretty long life, often more than 15 years, which is unusual for dogs of the size of a Tornjak. It is not unusually to see Tornjak older than 18 years.
Tornjaks are multicolored breed.
Acceptable are all known dog colours, but always on a white coloured base. It means
that the Tornjak can be either a almost entire white animal (but never full white - it has to
be at least few dark colored spots on head or body), or a almost solid dark colored
animal (but never completly solid dark - it has to be "mantle": at least some white coat on all four legs,
tip of tail, forechest and around neck and muzzle). And all variations between this
two ends of continuum. The most common colour is a pure white base with
coloured spots on the coat (brown or black spots).
The Tornjak has a double-coat. The body should be covered (especially in the winter)
with an very dense and soft undercoat, almost as wool. The upper coat is longer
and and rather harsh. It must stand straight out from the body (ideal coat!!!) and
should not be be curled. Some "waves" in the coat (on the croup and thighs) is permitted.
The coat of the males should form a ruff around the neck.
The coat is water resistant, because of natural protective oil in the fur. The head, muzzle and front part of the legs are covered with short hair, but on the rear edges of legs till to the pastern there are a slight feathering, especially below the tail. Coat on other parts of Tornjaks body is medium to long (from 7-17 cm./2,75-6,68 in.),
very dense and thick, both the upper and the undercoat.
The need for grooming is at contrary very poor (similar like Maremmano, i.e.).
Show dogs do of course require more grooming, and also pet dogs when they shed their undercoat.
In the sheding season combes and brushes must be used.
CH. HR Car Bony-Tor, "Bucak".
The Tornjak has a calm temperameny. A typical adult Tornjak is very calm, peaceful,
on first sight a indifferent animal, but when the situation demands it, it is a viligant, very alert watchdog.
The character of the Tornjak is equal to the temperament, they are not nervous and not aggressive in general, they are very tough, not demanding, and sturdy dogs. With their human family they are very emotional.
When the Tornjak live in a pack they are highly social animals. Bitches like to live with other bitches,
and there is not any fighting between pack members. Toward strangers or other animals, as a rule,
The Tornjak is not emphasized aggressive. But when the situation calls upon it, the Tornjak act very
determinded and it can without consideration attack much stronger rivals. In this situations Tornjaks
are vary, but brusque, persistent and unpleasant (from my own experience: "angel becomes
a demon").
Exercise level is not too high, especially in first 9 - 12 months (during the last intensive growth).
After that period, we can exercise our Tornjak as much as we can, the more the better.
They prefere long walks without a leash, and a lot of playing with other dogs. The Tornjak
will also be almost equally satisfied with a walk for only 20 minutes if we are in a hurry. The Tornjak is
a modest, not demanding dog.
CH. HR Car Bony-Tor, "Bucak".
The Tornjak is a very healthy breed, but we must pay attention to the fact that they were very poorly fed in their past, and now they do not need so much proteins in the food. For feeding Tornjaks a
low protein diet is suitable (not higher than 23% protein for adult and not higher than 26%
for puppy and young dogs until 12 months). Feeding with a lot of protein in theirs food,
can develope coat problems.
We must also pay attention to the early growth of theirs bones, and we have to keep them away
from walking in stairs, and also be careful with the exercise, not overdoing it.
Climbing up and downstairs the first six months can ruin theirs hock joints, or develop hyp-dysplasia.
But, it is important only in really large stairs, with more than 20 steps, which are being used daily.
I always suggest to my puppy buyers to carry the put in the stairs until they are six months of age.
The Tornjak have a very special coat. Even if the coat is pure white (with or without dark spots), it does not need to bath often, because of natural protective oil in the fur.
If they bath too often (more than once a month) it can ruin theirs natural protective oil in the coat.
We use only special, very gentle, dog-shampoo for bathing the Tornjaks.
After the bath they do not need to be dried, except for a very good dry using a lot of towels. They will dry
slowly through the next 12 to 20 hours (indoors, only). It is useful before bathing the Tornjak to spend some time combing and brushing ,to get all dirteness out, and also to remove the old hairs.
The Tornjak usually don't need the claws to be clipped, except if the dog has dewclaws on the back legs.
The teets should be brushed as usual as on any other breed.
Foot pads (except in extreme winter conditions) and eyes do not need any special care, but ears care
vary from dog to dog, and if the need arise, the ears need the same care as any other breed.
Only the best Tornjak bitches should be bred and used as brood bitches, after being X-rayed, and after collected several excellent points from many dogshows. The same does for the stud dogs.
Archibald, a son of Bucak and Tina.
The Tornjak needs early socialization. The first experiences, until 9 months of age, has the most
important influence to their entire life. In the first period of their life they have to meet all fearful situations, the earlier the better -for preventing later fear reactions on the stimulus: traffic noise, big trucks and bus'es will provoke fear ractions in adult age, if the puppy Tornjak already has not faced these situations several times.
In this early age all Tornjak puppies have to meet as many strange people as possible, and also other animals, dogs, and pets especially, for developing a good and stabile behaviour as an adult.
No special training or equipment is needed. Everything your dog need to know you can teach it alone.
Only a breeder who can give you a guarantee for a intelligent, stabile dog, which should be very pleasant with
children, and pretty good as a guardian, is a adequate breeder from which you can buy a good Tornjak.
The puppy should not show any fearness or shyness, and any cowardiness is not permitted. Tornjak puppies
must be playful and faithful to all humans.
When the Tornjak is older than 18 months of age it start to change into a adult behavio, which is pretty uncommunicative to all strangers.
CH-HR Dolly, owned by Nakic-Petrina.
Pictured by Alex Hutter, Austria.
Today there are only one Pedigree Book of the Tornjak, and it is in Hrvatski Kinoloski Savez (HKS), or
Croatian Kennel Association (CKA) in Zagreb. Now there are more than 900 entries in the Pedigree
Book and the number grows almost every day. We hope and expect to get the FCI recognition before the end
of 2001.
In Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina the Tornjak is a recognized breed, but for now conditionally. All the dogs have Croatian Conditionally Pedigree (Hrvatsku Uvjetnu Rodovnicu - HUR).
In our country there is a lot of magazine articles about our LGD - the Tornjak, which other name is:
Croatian mountain dog, but it is most famous only as the Tornjak. Unfortunately all these magazine articles are written in Croatian.
In the last few months all newborn Tornjak puppies got the full breed name in their pedigree:
"Croatian Mountain Dog Tornjak". The first name is very old, and it is from ancient times. From the beg-
gining the Croatian shepherds called their longhaired, protective, large dogfriends: "Hrvatski pas Planinac", which means Croatian Mountain Dog. Now finally the Tornjak got its full name, like in the old time.
The work of the Tornjak is still, as through its entire history - LGD, livestock guardian dogs.
But they keep and watch everythig the human master put in their custody, from small villages to large noble mansions. The Tornjak have always been a real working dog, who knows their work, even without any training.
The Tornjak has a very strong protective instinct, and also a very strong territorial instinct.
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