Karst Shepherd Dog

FCI:

Karst Shepherd Dog - Group II - Pinscher, Schnauzer, Mastiff and the Swiss Mountain Dogs, Section 2 - Mastiff.

General Appearance:

Its character is natured, calm, relatively difficult provoked, if it is necessary appropriately sharp, courageous and brave. But it is never gratuitously offensive and it is dedicated to the owner. It is an incorruptible guardian distrustful of strangers. It can be a pleasant and a companion dog, although it still retains its individuality. Owner cannot ask for or expect absolute (slavish) obedience. It is understandable if you understand that a dog is guarding a herd of cattle on the pasture against large predators and thieves, dog must always rely mainly on itself, it must decide by itself when it was in danger. Its training looks like the dog thinking about each command.

Temperament/Behaviour:

This breed is not for beginners and people insecure, lacking the natural authority, passive and nervous, as well as those who would have dog totally failed to act consistently. Dog must know exactly what it is, what is allowed and what is not. The owner must act at all times as a sovereign "leader of the pack", decisive and fair. You should never disappoint in this regard. Congenital self-confidence with justified confidence that is encoded by this breed, it  could lead to the attempt to take over  a leading position in society, which would be for the owner uncomfortable, but in terms of dog perfectly legitimate because "pack" (the community in which dog lives, is considered) a weak leader has no hope of survival. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with its education with a strong, even though affable consistency.
Shouting at the dog it will not help as well as physical punishment. It does not make any sense. That it could provoke by example if it had the feeling of injustice and even oppression, to fight for the α-position in society. The relationship of the owner and the dog must be based on mutual trust and mutual respect.

Body:

It's a medium-sized dog harmonious and robust body structure with well developed muscles strong constitution. The length of the body is height at withers as 9: 8, the body of a rectangular format. By females, the body length is slightly larger. Height at withers, male is 57 to 63 (ideal. 60) cm and female is 54 to 60 (ideally 57) cm.

The head corresponds to the size of the overall body size, must be neither too soft nor too coarse. When viewed from the side to be deep (high) and its contour lines are rounded. Not to be square.

The nasal dorsum should be straight and wide, black nose, of sufficient size and width. Seen from the side slightly protrudes in front of the lips. They are fleshy and well fitting to the jaws and teeth, should not be pendulous. Their edges are black. A full dentition, strong teeth, especially the incisors, and a scissor bite is required.

Eyes are quite far apart and may be neither protruding nor sunken. Almond shaped, of chestnut colour or dark brown. Their expression is honest, calm and firm, because of the black pigmented edges of the eyelids almost melancholic. The earlobes should be suspended, appropriately set high, medium length, so their peaks reach to the outer corners of the eye. They have the shape of a "V" and covered an area along the cheeks, with their interior (front) edges are curved outwards.

The neck is wide, strong, muscular, on the imaginary oval cross-section, of medium length (about 25 cm), firmly set in the shoulders, coupled with a strong head and torso musculature. Neck line can be straight or slightly arched neck line is straight, without dewlap, since thick skin immediately adjacent to the skeletal muscle and skin.

Body should be a huge medium length with a long thoracic areas required. Topline body should be straight, horizontal or slightly sloping. Wither is a long, fairly broad, medium height, firmly attached to the neck. The back should be straight, medium length, broad and muscular.

The forelegs must be viewed from the front or from the side, straight and their individual parts to be absolutely harmonically related. Shoulders should be moderately long, wide, oblique, well muscled and closely adjacent to the chest. The shoulder bones are relatively long, saved more obliquely than the blades, powerfully muscled, tight, chest. Feet are the same as the forequarters.

Movement should be balanced, flexible, well coordinated. It gracefully moves by a trot. At gallop, with a long "strides" (elongated forelegs events), is less elegant.
Skin is moderately thick, firm, elastic and well adjacent to the skeletal muscle and skin. Do not form any folds or wrinkles and should be dark pigmentation.

The coat is thick, long, adjacent area, with a woolly undercoat. The head should be covered by short, as the leading edge of the earlobes and the front legs. On the back edges of the earlobes should be the hair is longer and softer. The neck is covered with long, stiff and very abundant hair forming the "mane", the throat, the hair is longer and softer, and creates so. Collar expands at the base of the neck. The body is covered with long, soft fur on the belly. The tail must be regularly bushy, without a "flag". On the backs of the forelegs form long hair softer "feathering" on the back of the hindquarters, the hair is even longer and bushy forming pants. The length of the top coat should be at least 10 cm.

Ferric hair colour is gray (dark-grey), with a dark shade it is desirable especially on the back. To the abdomen and the legs the colour is moving gradually to light grey and sand with a dark streak on the front of the legs. Dark mask on the face extends to the skull. The occipital landscape is bordered coat of gray, sandy or light blond colour with black shading.

Any faults from the foregoing points should be considered as a fault and accurately assessed the degree of expression.