Sarplaninac

FCI:

Yugoslavian shepherd dog - Sharplanina - Group II - Pinschers and Schnauzers, Molossoid breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs.

General Appearance:

Its character is a good-natured, calm, relatively difficult provoked dog, if necessary, but appropriately crisp, bold and brave, but never gratuitously offensive  and  it is devoted dog to owners. It is as incorruptible guardian, distrustful of strangers. But it can be pleasant and well-to-use companion dog, although it still retains its individuality. Precisely because of this owner cannot ask for or expect absolute (slavish) obedience. It's understandable, because like a dog guarding a herd of cattle on the pasture in front of large predators and thieves it should rely and decide only by itself. Therefore, when it is training it behaves as if the sense of command it considers and assess whether it is purposeful or not.

Training/Behaviour:

It is not suitable dog for beginners and people insecure, lacking the natural authority, passive and nervous and those with dog utterly failed to act consistently. Dog must know exactly what it is, what is allowed and what is not. Its congenital self-confidence with justified confidence this breed would lead to efforts to assume leadership positions in pack, which would be for the owner uncomfortable, but in terms of dog perfectly legitimate because "pack" (for which the community in which it lives, is considered) is a weak leader has no hope of survival. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with its education with strict, even though affable consistency.

To other dogs this breed has inclination to act dominant, and therefore it must be well controlled on outings. In addition to training, it also requires early socialization and widest. Properly led dog is fairly child-friendly, but rather come out with older, well knowledgeable and intelligent children. It has its dignity. It needs a lot of movement, it is best to run free in the fenced land. On outings is more certain to lead it on a leash, while it should always be about half a step behind the owner never before. It can be kept outside year round, but urgently it needs sufficient contact with the owner and his family members.

Body:

This is a massive dog slightly larger than medium-sized, compact body and a rich coat, which seems to be stockier than it actually is. Height at withers, male is average 62 cm for female, average is 58 cm, are desirable but larger individuals. Average weight of body - adults in working condition is in the range 35 to 45 kg for male and 30-40 kg for female.

Total length of the head is proportionate to the size of the body and it reaches 25 cm, i.e. about 40% height of withers, the skull should be slightly longer than the muzzle. When viewed from the side, the top lines of the skull slightly domed and the imaginary extension of a slightly convergent (convergent) with a straight line of the muzzle. The forehead should be dry, wide, when viewed from above and slightly arched and rounded. Longitudinal furrow front is clear, the eyebrows are slightly arched. The occipital part is lack lustre, frontal slope (stop) gradual.

The muzzle should be wide at its base and deep and toward the nose gradually narrowing. Nasal bridge must be straight and wide. The nose is wide and black pigmented.

Medium thickness and adjacent to the jaws and teeth is required. Upper slightly overlaps the bottom. Oral corners must be closed, pendulous. The bite should be scissors and a full set of teeth.

The eyes are almond-shaped and may be neither protruding nor sunken. The earlobes are set at the level of the imaginary line connecting the tip of the nose and the outer corner of the eye or slightly below. They should be hung adjacent to the head, the shape of the letter "V", medium length, so its peaks reach to the outer corners of the eye on the same side of the head. They are covered with short, dense hair.

Neck in neck is slightly arched or straight. When viewed from the side to be deep (high) when viewed from above, broad, muscular and of medium length. Due to thick hair looks shorter than it really is. They must be firmly attached to the head and the body. Compared to the topline of the body is carried slightly above.

Upper body lines must be equal to or slightly sloping from withers to croup. For individuals from mountainous areas is tolerated so. There is not desirable badly built of body, croup higher than the withers. Length of body should be slightly larger than height at withers. Withers are reasonably distinctive and wide. The back should be straight and wide, it should never be overly long. The loin should be short, broad and muscular. Croup is moderately long, sloping, muscular and broad and tapers towards the rear.

The tail should be long, reaches min. the hock. Its top line is expected to constitute a smooth continuation of croup. It covers a dense at the bottom of long hair, so it looks bushy. It may be carried like sickle, moving above and in the heat of passion over the top line of the body, curved.

The chest must be deep, reaching to the elbows. Medium length, with slightly sprung ribs, broad and well muscled. The abdomen is hard and muscular. The bottom line of the body towards the stern rises slightly. The flanks are rather short, but well seen.

The forelegs should be straight attitude, length and strength of adequate severity of the body. The hindquarters must be viewed from the side enough angulated and straight when viewed from behind. Their stance is slightly wider stance than the forelegs. The most typical kind of locomotion is moderately long and fast trot. Gallop is cumbersome, but it is characterized by abundant and huge jumps.

Skin should be moderately strong, flexible, well over the body adjacent to the skeletal muscle and subcutaneous tissue, without wrinkles. All visible mucous membranes should be black or dark pigmentation. Hair on the head, earlobes and the front pages of limbs is short, neck, body, back of the legs and the tail is long, rather rough and almost equal. Under the long outer coat should be shorter, finer, very dense and rich undercoat.

Colour should be uniform. Permissible are all colours, from off-white to very dark, almost black. The most demanded are ferric grey and dark gray shades. For all dark colour when the hair is deepest at the top of the head, neck and trunk. The bottom is lighter and limbs down, turning away, so distal portions of a dirty grey, eventually yellowish. Transitions darker shades to lighter must be abrupt, there must be avoided giving the impression multiple colours.