Anatolian Shepherd

The Anatolian shepherd dog (Turkish: Anadolu çoban köpeği) is a breed of dog which originated in Anatolia (central Turkey) and was further developed as a breed in America.^[1] It is rugged, large and very strong; with superior sight and hearing allowing it to protect livestock. With its high speed and agility it is able to run down a predator with great efficiency.

History

The Karabaş (Blackhead) is descended from ancient livestock guardian dog types that migrated with the transhumance, guarding flocks of sheep from wolves, bears, jackals, and evencheetahs.^[4]It is probable that dogs of this type existed 6,000 years ago in what is now Turkey.^[5]

Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are members of a very old breed, probably descended from powerful hunting dogs from Mesopotamia.^[6] The breed was developed over time to meet a specific set of circumstances. The most formative were climate (very hot, dry summers and very cold winters), lifestyle (sedentary, semi-nomadic and nomadic) and duties (guarding flocks moving great distances on the Central Anatolian Plateau).

In the 1970s, breeders in the West became interested in these dogs and began developing the landrace natural breeds as modern breeds by documenting their descent from particular ancestors and writing breed standards. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog was imported from central Turkey into the United Kingdom by author and archaeologist Charmian Hussey.^[7] Although the first pair of dogs brought in by Charmian Hussey were Karabash (aka Kangal) dogs, later other types of dogs were brought in and cross bred under the definition of an Anatolian Shepherd dog. Many Turkish breeders believe that the Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a cross of the Kangal dog and the Akbash dog.

Characteristics

Anatolian shepherds playing with an Alaskan malamute and a huskamute

Appearance

The Anatolian Shepherd dog is a muscular breed. They have thick necks, broad heads, and sturdy bodies. Their lips are tight to their muzzle and they have triangular drop ears. Males stand 26 - 31 inches tall. Females are between 27 to 30 inches tall. They weigh between 90 and 150 pounds (41 to 68 kg), with females on the smaller side and males on the larger side. The coat may be any colour, although most common are white cream, "sesame," and white with large coloured spots that do not cover more than 30% of the body. Known as piebald, these colors may or may not be accompanied by a black mask and/or ears.

They have a thick double coat that is somewhat wiry, and needs to be brushed 1-2 times a week in warm weather due to excessive shedding. They have very thick hair on their neck to protect their throat. They are seen with docked as well as intact tails. They are a naturally thin animal with a large rib cage and small stomach. They look as if they are heavier than they actually are, due to the thick coat.

Temperament

Ali(Baba) guarding his flock.

The Anatolian Shepherd dog was developed to be independent and forceful, responsible for guarding its master's flocks without human assistance or direction. These traits make it challenging as a pet; owners of dogs of this breed must socialize the dogs to turn them into appropriate companions. They are intelligent and can learn quickly but might choose not to obey.

According to Turkish shepherds, three Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are capable of overcoming a pack of wolves and injuring one or two of them. These dogs like to roam, as they were bred to travel with their herd and to leave the herd to go hunt for predators before the predators could attack the flock. Therefore it is recommended to micro-chip and tag pets.

This breed is not recommended for living in small quarters. They do well with other animals, including cats if they are introduced while still a puppy and have their own space. They mature between 18–30 months. Both puppies and adults seem to have little interest in fetching. Rather, they prefer to run and sometimes swim.

Breed

There is some discussion about whether the Anatolian Shepherd is a distinct breed, or a general name for different types of shepherd dogs in Anatolia that look alike (such as the Kangal, which is used as a synonym for the Anatolian Shepherd and has the same 'Blackhead' -karabas- nickname). This view accepts the name Anatolian Shepherd as a general name for breeds such as the Kangal dog, Akbash dog and the Aksaray Malaklisi dog. Recognition of the Kangal as a different breed than the Anatolian Shepherd was retracted in Australia.

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

An Anatolian in France
Other names	Karabaş (Blackhead), Anatolian Blackhead (Anadolulu Karabaş), Kangal
Country of origin	Turkey
[hide]Traits
[show]Classification and standards