The Karst Shepherd is a live stock guardian dog originating in Slovania where it is considered the oldest indigenous breed. It is a medium size dog with a compact, well balanced and robust appearance. This dog has been present for centuries and is now primarily used for guarding purposes. There are different theories regarding development of this breed, none exclusive and conclusive. Some fanciers of this dog believe that this dog descended from Caucasian Shepherd dogs. Others believe that this dog is somehow connected to Pompeii dog breed due to resemblance in body structure. However, it is most likely that the ancestors of this breed were the Greek Molos that the Illyrians brought to the Krast region with their herds of sheep.
This compact dog stands between 22-25 inches and weighs between 58-88 lbs. It comes with proportionately large and broad head with broad and slightly convex skull. Deep and broad muzzle tapers slightly to the broad, black nose and comes with a straight nasal bridge. Almond shaped eyes are set well apart and deep. They come in chestnut or dark brown colour, holding frank and calm expression. V-shaped medium length ears are set moderately high and fall flat against the cheeks. The neck is broad, thick, well muscled with tight skin and without any dewlaps. This breed has a slightly longer than tall body. The topline is level and straight. The broad back is muscular and the well developed chest is well let down. The ribs are moderately sprung. The belly is slightly tucked up. The wide based tail is normally carried saber fashion with a slight hook at the tip. The medium length tail is covered with bushy hair that forms a plume. On the move the tail is raised level or slightly above the back. At rest the tail is carried low. The coat is long and flat and comes with abundant undercoat. Coat colour is predominantly iron gray.
This breed is NOT recognized by AKC however it is recognized by FCI and UKC.
