Canis
 Fauna
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Flock Guardian (Herding) Dogs

Livestock or flock guardians are usually large, muscular and swift - capable of tremendous bursts of energy. Often working in desolate areas under minimal human direction, good flock guardians have the ability to quickly assess situations and make intelligent decisions on their own. This independence can be disconcerting to an owner who expects the flock guardian to be submissive and act only upon command. In order to develop a good working relationship with a flock guardian dog, an owner must understand this instinctive behavior.

Although domesticated for centuries in their native habitats, these dogs are not very far removed from their feral ancestry. They protect those within their flock and within their territory. Their flock may be human and/or animal, and their territory may be as far as they can control. In some countries, livestock guardians breeds nearly were decimated by invaders who found they had to kill the flock guardian dogs before they could control a country.

While livestock guardian breeds have some characteristics in common, these dogs differ from breed to breed, within breeds, and even among littermates. There are approximately 26 different breeds of flock guardian dogs:

   
  • Aidi 
  • Akbash 
  • Anatolian Shepherd 
  • Armant 
  • Ca de Bestiar (AKA Perro de Pastor Mallorquin) 
  • Caucasian Ovcharka 
  • Estrela Mountain Dog 
  • Great Pyrenees 
  • Greek Sheepdog 
  • Himalayan Sheepdog 
  • Kangal Dog 
  • Krasky Ovcar - Karst Sheepdog - Istrian Sheepdog)
  • Komondor 
  • Kuvasz 
  • Maremma Sheepdog 
  • Polish Tatra (AKA Polish Mountain Dog, Owczarek Tatrzanski, & Tatra Mountain Dog) 
  • Portuguese Cattle Dog 
  • Portuguese Watch Dog 
  • Pyrean Mastiff 
  • Rumanian Sheepdog (AKA Carpathian Sheepdog) 
  • Sarplanina (AKA Illyrian Sheepdog) 
  • Slovak Cuvac 
  • South Russian Sheepdog (AKA South Russian Ovtcharka) 
  • Spanish Mastiff 
  • Tibetan Kyi Apso 
  • Tibetan Mastiff

A great deal of research and evaluation should precede the decision to obtain a flock guardian dog. It is just as important to make an honest assessment of personal compatibility and the suitability of home environment for these working dogs as it is to research the individual breeds, breeders, genetic problems, temperament in lines and individual puppies.

Krasky Ovcar - Karst Sheepdog - Istrian Sheepdog

Also known as the Krasky Ovcar or the Karst Sheepdog, the Istrian Sheepdog is a flock guardian most often found in Croatia. It is obviously a close relative to the Sheepdogs of Sparta, Romania and the Eastern Balkans generally. It shows much of the ancient Mollossus in its makeup, particularly in its short muzzle and heavy bone formation. Dating back to the 15th century, the dogs are one of the region's oldest breeds, but by any means common. They are usually kept by shepherds for guarding and herding flocks in the mountainous interior of the peninsula and seldom found on the seaboard. The race was not officially recognized by the Jugoslovenski Kinoloski Savez (the canine governing body of the former Yugoslavia,  probably no longer in existence - ed. note) nor the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana (the cynological authority in Italy).

Istrian Sheepdogs are reserved and cautious of strangers, but are more lively and affectionate than most flock guards. They make excellent watchdogs because of their bravery and wariness. They are also good family dogs because they get along well with children and are very playful.

Istrian Sheepdogs will weigh in between 55 and 88 pounds at maturity, depending on gender. They will grow to a height of 20 ½ to 24 inches. Its coat is of medium length and is thick and very rough. Coat colors are gray with shades of tan/cream with a black mask on the face. Its topcoat is water-resistant with a thick insulating undercoat. Their eyes are light brown and medium-sized and their ears are set high and hang down the sides of their heads. Their bodies are powerfully built and their shoulders are set thick and very muscular. Their chests are deep and strong and their tails are carried low and are well covered with hair. 

Short-haired
 Companion to the Benedictines

This is a very ancient breed of dog, and is most certainly a decedent of the long legged Ancient Egyptian herding dog. In on the first Croatian books written in old glagolic script, "Hrvoje’s missal", their is an illustration drawn in miniature, and judging from it features it is the Istrian short-hair herding dog. It is a well known and well documented fact which can be confirmed in numerous historical records, that this herding dog was bred in many of the Benedictine monasteries in the Istria region. The Istrian herding dog has a number of features which are very similar to a Porcelain herding dog from France, who was also bred by Benedictine monks.

Long-haired
Cross-bred with an Italian bird dog

The Istrian short and long-hair herding dogs are related breeds, while the second only differs from the first in its coat being longer and its hairs having deeper roots, while it also has a sturdier constitution and physical build. There is written proof dating back to 1894 which explains how Italians had purchased these Istrian long-hair herding dogs to cross-breed and improve their own long-hair bird dog breeds (a sporting dog trained to hunt birds). It seems as though both strands of the Istrian herding dog were equally well liked by both the rich and the poor, fetching a price that was equivalent to the price of 400 kg of wheat. 

For the time being the Istrian herding dog is under FCI patronage, while Istria, rather than Croatia, is cited as its country of origin.

The Istrian Sheepdog is presently registered by the FCI (Group 2 - Flock Guard). 

Modern standard

  • Weight: 55-88 pounds
  • Height: 20.5-24 inches (52-60cm)
  • Coat: medium thick and harsh water-resistant top coat with feathering and a dense insulating undercoat
  • Color: iron gray in color with shadings of light tan/cream on legs, black mask with spectacles
  • Life expectancy: 12-13 years

Said to be more cheerful and less aggressive than some flockguardian breeds, the Krasky Ovcar makes an excellent watchdog because of his courage and his wariness of strangers. This breed also makes a nice family dog because of its affectionate, playful personality. 

Description

The head is very broad with a pronounced occipital peak, and rather short foreface with a distinct "stop". The eyes are hazel brown and medium in size; the medium ears are set high, but hang down the sides of the head; the muzzle is very strong with extraordinarily large teeth. The body is well muscled all over, giving the impression of thick-set shoulders and prodigious strength. The chest is deep and wide, and the back rather long and broad to the loins; the legs (like those of all Balkan breeds) are heavily boned, with large round feet and hard strong pads; the tail is set rather low, well covered with hair though not plumed, and carried low.

The coat is short and dense, and rather harsh in texture except on the face. In color it is any of the darker shades of grey, and sometimes black-tan... these are departures from the true type, however, but they nevertheless can be found up in the interior of the peninsula, especially near the mainland. The height is about 24-25 inches at the shoulders and weight about 80-90 pounds.

Their eyes are light brown and medium-sized and their ears are set high and hang down the sides of their heads. Their bodies are powerfully built and their shoulders are set thick and very muscular. Their chests are deep and strong and their tails are carried low and are well covered with hair.

Description in Other Languages

  • Polish: Owczarek Istryjski

Krasky ovcar pochodzi z Jugosławii. Waży od 25 do 40 kg, a mierzy od 52 do 61 cm. Jego szata jest średniej długości, gęsta i szorstka o umaszczeniu stalowoszarym w różnych odcieniach. Zwany jest także owczarkiem istryjskim. Dobrze jest, jeśli na stalowoszarym umaszczeniu występują ciemniejsze smugi na grzbiecie i w formie okularów wokół oczu. Owczarek istryjski jest dobrym, wesołym psem domowym, choć nieufnym wobec obcych. Dzięki temu jest doskonałym stróżem.

  • Spanish: Pastor de kras

Karst shepherd dog / Chien de berger de Kras / Karst schaferhund / Krasky ovcar

Nacionalidad: Istria, Croatia

Origen: Proviene de Oriente, como la mayoría de los perros de pastor, siendo posteriormente autóctono.

Descripción: Perro robusto, de media talla: altura, entre los 55 y 60 cm, peso de 30 a 40 Kg, las hembras un 10 por ciento menos. Cabeza ancha; dientes muy desarrollados; ojos almendrados, castanos o pardo oscuros; orejas caídas hacia la cabeza; cola en forma de sable y larga hasta el corvejón.

Pelo y subpelo abundante (14 cm) de color gris férreo oscuro en la cruz.

Carácter: Doméstico, bueno, alegre, pero no tolera el más pequeño desaire hacia el amo o el rebaño.

Utilización: Muy querido por los pastores, por saber guiar y defender la manada con energía; resiste las más inclementes intemperies y sabe marchar incansablemente por terrenos inaccesibles (el Karst está lleno de piedras), no en vano tiene los pies redondos sobre cojines sólidos como de cuero. Además el Pastor de Karst es también un delicioso perro de compañía, tan diferente del Charplaninatz que es mordedor.

Sources:

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This page compliments of Marisa Ciceran

Created: Saturday, January 19, 2002; Last updated: Monday, March 26, 2007
Copyright © 1998 IstriaNet.org, USA