Bosnian and Herzegovinian Shepherd

Writings dating from 1067 and 1374 relate the presence of dogs resembling the Tornjak. The breed, whose origin is found in the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, was on the verge of extinction in the mid-20th century. The first preservation efforts began in 1972 in these two countries by gathering indigenous shepherd dogs still present in the region. Pure breed breeding began in 1978. The breed was recognized provisionally by the International Cynological Federation in 2007. The breed is still very poorly represented in France. 4 registrations in 2011 and then 20 registrations in 2012 were recorded in the French breed register (LOF).

The International Cynological Federation standard describes the character of the Tornjak abundantly. It is a dog of calm character, friendly, courageous, obedient, intelligent and confident. Wary of strangers, the breed is naturally inclined toward guarding. Devoted to its master, the Tornjak is described as very calm and affectionate in its family circle. Intelligent, endowed with excellent memory, the breed would be easy to train.

The Tornjak is a large mountain dog with a powerful appearance, well-proportioned and harmonious. The body fits almost in a square. The bone structure is neither light nor heavy or coarse. Attached at medium height, the long tail is hanging at rest and raised above the level of the back in action. The tail has abundant and full hair that forms a plume. The head is elongated, with a rectangular muzzle as long as the skull. The eyes are almond-shaped and dark in color. Attached fairly high, the medium-sized ears are triangular in shape, folded and drooping, worn against the cheeks. The coat is long except on the face and limbs. The topcoat is long, thick, rough and straight, with a very thick and woolly undercoat in winter. On the shoulders and back, it may be slightly wavy. The coat forms a mane around the neck, panties at the level of the thighs, fringes along the forearms and a plume on the tail. The coat is parti-colored white with distinct color markings. The white-dominant coat is most common.