The national animal of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the tornjak, a native livestock guardian dog which commonly protects sheep from threats like wolves. They have been in the records since at least the 11th Century and are common also in Croatian. Their name comes from the word for a sheep pen, tor.
The tornjak has been a very important part of life in this world, then, for the better part of a thousand years.
They have guarded livestock for local farmers and shepherds for a very long time and doubtless far further back in time than their first mention in writing.
Let’s find out more.
What is the national animal of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The national animal of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the tornjak, a native breed of dog that is most commonly used for the defense of livestock.
They are native to both Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Croatia and are used widely in both nations.
The foundation of their stock is made up of landrace shepherding dogs which were dispersed in the mountainous regions of this part of the world.
They are what is called molosser type mountain dogs, meaning they are either descended from or in many ways similar to the Molossus dog of ancient Greece.
They are a rare livestock protection breed and naturally share many characteristics with other dogs bred for the same purpose.
Interestingly, they crop up in the historical record going back a very long way, so we can surmise that they have been used in the region for perhaps as long as humans have been there.
They are first mentioned in the 11th Century, clearly at that time already being an established breed.
They were the dog of choice for the Vlach shepherds of Bosnia and were also later described by the bishop of Dakovo in Croatia in the 14th Century.
Their name has changed somewhat over time with the older records generally referring to them as the Bosnian Shepherd Dog, or sometimes the Croatian Mountain Dog.
They are highly intelligent and selectively bred to be docile enough to train well and easily but aggressive enough to see off any potential predators.
They are large dogs with square features and very agile movements.
They have long coats with short hair on their faces and legs.
They are believed to have existed in the region since at least the Roman times, though they slowly disappeared as nomadic sheep herding became less prevalent.
Since the 1970s, they have been introduced around the world as a desirable pedigree.
Why is the tornjak the national animal of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The tornjak, as we’ve seen, is a very important part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s history.
They have been in this region for at least two thousand years and no doubt the progenitor to the breed existed there long before that.
Because nomadic sheep herding was so important to the region’s history at certain times, they more or less became as important to the people of the region as the sheep themselves.
They are seen, then, to embody a vital aspect of national pride in the country.
This dog, which is now sought after around the world as a rare breed, embodies the strength, courage, and loyalty to duty that is a very important part of Bosnian and Herzegovinian life.
Rather like purebred horses in other parts of the world, the dog is seen as a creation of the country’s best, and without these dogs people may not have been able to live in the region as successfully as they did.
So, effectively, without this dog breed, you do not have people in the region as we know it today.
Is tornjak an aggressive breed?
Tornjak are not an aggressive breed and indeed are famed for their friendliness despite their role as protectors.
Of course, any dog needs to be trained properly in order to curb aggressive tendencies, but in the right hands and with the right training you should never have any problems with aggressiveness from a tornjak.
They are friendly both towards people and other dogs.
They get on very well with strangers, though at the same time they can get very protective and thus may react aggressively if they believe their family is being threatened. Again, training is vital.
Is tornjak recognized by the AKC?
The AKC, or American Kennel Club, is an official organization listing recognized dog breeds, and the tornjak is a recognized breed with the AKC.
They are, though, considered a rare breed and are recorded in the Foundation Stock Service.
So, they’re recognized, but it’s also recognized that there are not very many of them today so if you wanted to find one, at least in the U.S., you may have a tough time of it.
It is in part due to their rareness that they are often so widely sought after, so this is naturally something of a double edged sword; their rareness makes them desirable, but it also makes them hard to get.
It’s more common to have a member of the local wildlife, rather than a domestic animal, be a country’s national animal.
In this country, though, the tornjak is simply so closely interwoven with the country’s history that few other animals could have hoped to make the cut.
They have been guarding and continue to guard the local livestock for millennia and perhaps longer and will be an important aspect of the nation’s culture for a long time to come.