DESCRIPTION

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.]