Tornjak

 

 

The Tornjak

Pronounced (Torn-yak)

 

Background history:  The tornjak is a very old breed that originated and lives in Bosnia, Herzegovinian and Croatia for the past 1,000 years. In these countries they are used for herding and guardian dogs for large farms, like what many believe to be one of  their ancestors the Tibetan Mastiff. In these countries the breed is very popular and is even on Bosnia's stamp. Although in the U.S they are not even recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club) and are very hard to come by.As far as I know of there are only 3 breeders in North America, 2 in Canada and 1 that is just started to breed Tornjak's in the U.S.

                                             

Characteristics:

Height: Male's:65-70cm, females:60-65 cm

Weight: ~140 lbs

Lifespan: ~14 years

Temperament: friendly, calm, courageous, obedient, intelligent, full of dignity and self confidence, when the situation demands it, it is a vigilant, a very alert watchdog

Coat: Their coat is doubled for the cold weather and their base color is white and can include tan, brown, black, and copper markings all over the body in many different ways.

 

 

Puppy stage:

*The Tornjak is a strong breed that will become dominant if you allow them to. During early training you should set your dominance to ensure they do not over power you.

* If you intend the dog to be sociable you must expose them to multiple people very Early when they're puppies.

*Do not put them on puppy food for long, because they're big dogs if they grow too quickly it will affect their bones and make them weak.

*They grow fast so take in all the small cuteness you can, they will start growing very large in about 4 months. 

Care tips:

* Tornjak's are survivors so keep them on a low protein diet will keep their coat neat.

*Provide strong toys because their teeth are very strong.



* Tornjak's need plenty of running space.

* Give them plenty of exercise.

*Grooming is essential for their thick coat.

* Be aware of bloat make sure after they eat to keep them from doing extraneous activities for at least a half hour.

* Tornjak's are fast so keep them on a leash until they learn to respond on your command.

 

From my own experience having a tornjak (The dog at the top is mine):

My dog's name is Tocan (Toch-an) which means faithful in Croatian. He is 8 months old at the moment, 85 lbs, and on his hind legs he stands 5"2. We adopted him when he was 3 months old in March and he was flown over from Alberta Canada. I honestly love this dog and the more he grows the more I am amazed with the breed. He is a VERY intelligent, if he wants something he will find a way to get it. He learns quickly and when you tell him a command you can actually see him thinking about it before he does it. This is a sort of bad trait but still very impressive, when the family is busy doing things and Tocan wants to be played with he will grab a shoe and show it to you because he knows that he isnt allowed to have it from past training. Tocan is also a very loving dog who loves to think he is a small dog and sits on my lap when I am on the couch. I honestly love everything about him and he is always making me laugh just by his own clumsiness, I would highly recommend a tornjak as a family pet.