Do you know Tornjak ?I had an unrepeatable luck to be present in 1990 at the autumn dog show in Zagreb, with a definitive goal to buy a puppy for my thirteen year old daughter Maja, to satisfy her nearly unnatural wish. Not that we never had a dog, but those were always friend-originated giveaways, with barely recognizable "purebred ckaracteristics", and unfortunately due to illnesses, theft, road accidents and such, no breed took roots.
Life with a TornjakIt is nearly unbelievable how a Dog can get close to a man. She was the most clever pup that we had ever met. In every moment of her life she knew what she wanted and how to get it. When she wanted to play she used to bring repeatedly up to twenty times a bicycle tyre or remnants of a ball untill she pulled us into the game; when she wanted food (for that she as if had swallowed an alarm clock) she would paw the doorknob of the house door to open it untill she got her meal, when she wanted out she would fetch the leash, when she wanted gentleness she would lean her head on my lap and wait. It was and stayed the gratest expression of welcome and love towards the members of the family. For me it was the most fascinating that my Bonita, my Tornjak, had such particular expression of personality, had her own Ego. Each of my commands she first considered, evaluated it's relevance and then executed it with clearly showing what she thinks about it. In our mutual relationship both she and I learned exceptionally quickly. I had learned how to esteem her ways, understand when it is drill time, when time to rest, to sense when an order is executed only because it was given by me, and when she genuinely enjoys doing it.
History of the breedIt is supposed that today's Tornjak its ultimate origins draws from variations of Tibetan Mastiff with occasional spontneous inclusions of some types of spitz, possibly also, in certain circumstances, the wolf. The Croatian word Tornjak is derived from the word "tor" = enclosed space for sheep, a pen - becau these dogs were always, night and day, with the stock - and implies a livestock guardian dog and an invaluable help to the shepherd. The oldest written document describing a mountain dog (that is, Tornjak) in Croatia is from year 1062 from bishop's archives in Djakovo, and the same description is to be repeated in 1374 (Djakovo's bishop Peter), and 1752 (Djakovo's Canonicus Petar Lukić). They all describe dogs that inhibit mostly hill country under the ordnance of bishop of Djakovo. At that time all those lands were parts of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia. In recent times the descendants of these dogs were described by prof. dr. Stjepan Romić (best known for his work on Croatian Shepherd), dr Ivan Lovrenčić, mr. Ratimir Orban, Šandor Hotvath and fra Stjepan Krasić. The fact is that the greatest population of Tornjaks survived in mountain regions of central Bosnia and west Hercegovina (mostly among the Croatian population), but also existed on Grobnik fieldplain, in Lika, around Knin and Sinj, wherever extensive sheep farming was practiced, and transhumancy, as in winter months the sheep used to be driven to lowlands of Posavina, Slavonia and central Dalmatia. Recently in books by Šandor Horvath, and another by prof. Mario Bauer, Tornjaks are quoted among the Croatian indigenous and autochtonous breeds.
Use, nature and character of the TornjakShepherds use to say that a Tornjak who guards the flock is a fair match to two wolves, and a couple will encouner and chase away a bear without any undue respect. I of course have myself never been able to testify to these claims, but having lived 7 years with Tornjaks, raising about 30 in my kennel and witnessing the behaviour and life of Tornjak both as an individual and in a small pack (my own three adults) I completely comply with the following:
Short description of exteriorWe are dealing with a dog of powerful albeit not too heavy built (but I myself like a stronger type) well balanced and tending to be square in proportions. Limbs well connected and gait noble and powerful. Strong, scissors bite, cone-shaped mostly lupoid muzzle, not pointy, folded medium lenght ears and soft dark almond shaped eyes form powerfull head proportional to body size. The height is about 70cm for dogs, 60-65cm for bitches. Weight of adult male between 45 and 55 kilos, females around 35 kilos. Special characteristic of this breed is the coat, very long and dense, and particularly goudy in collar, fringes and tail which is in action held high as if a banner.
The perspectiveTornjak is as yet not internationally recognized. In 1993 there were 10 registered individuals in Zagreb and an unknown number in war-torn parts of Croatia and neighboring Bosna and Hercegovina. In 1997 there were already more than 200 registered Tornjaks, with pedigrees - not just unknown ancestry, as it was at the beginning, and there are some excellent individuals among them. However this is a breed that is still under reconstruction, so it's homogenity is not perfect. The interest for Tornjaks in the country is ever growing, at big shows there can be up to 30 in competition, in autumn 1997 they were judged by a german judge Uwe Fisher who took to like them very much. Other than shows, conscious of the fact that concentrating the population of the breed in urban communities we could influence the essential characteristic, we have gladly accepted to support the project of wolf protection in Croatia by reintroducing (also protected) dogs, which would have their ancient duty to avert wolves from herds and thus prevent the extinction of both. Towards that goal, eight pups from Zagreb were placed in the mountain region of Unešić. The Kennel Club Tornjak-Zagreb was formed in february 1997 with primary goals to forward the international recognition of the breed, and, by reintroducing the Tornjak into it's natural habitat, preserve the original life conditions for part of the population.
Zdenko Cerin
