The Anatolian Shepherd is a brave, loyal breed that originated in Asia Minor. Its main purpose was to protect flock and to offer loyal companionship for the shepherd. The ancestors of this breed were used in war and for hunting fierce threats such as wolves. This breed is well weathered and can handle hot and cold conditions. The Anitolian Shepherd is very closely related to and often confused with the “Kengal” dog breed from Turkey. This breed possesses incredible endurance to the elements and great speed. They come in any color and may have one of two different coat types: rough, or short, with a thick undercoat. The most common color of this breed is fawn with a black mask.
The Anatolian Shepherd is known to be intelligent and easy to train, however does require an experienced trainer with strong leadership qualities. Training must also occur at a young age as their large adult frame can be hard to control and correct. Commonly the breed displays possessiveness for its home, property and family and is usually suspicious of strangers. The Anatolian Shepherd is good with children, although must be supervised when around them as their size may cause them to accidentally harm them. They should also be watched around other dogs as they are a dominating breed. This makes it especially important to socialize them with other dogs at a young age.
As a working dog, this breed is still commonly used to protect flocks of sheep. Anatolian Shepherds being used for this purpose should spend all of their time with the flock and though they must be socialized, should not be treated as a family pet as it shifts their protective focus towards the family rather then the sheep. Their impeccable hearing and strong sight help them guard the flock which they often do from elevated places. They check the perimeter of their protective zone every few hours to ensure that no danger is approaching.
Anatolian Shepherd Breed Information
Breed Group
Working Group
Coat
Short (1 inch) or Rough (4 inches) with longer hair around neck with thick undercoat and
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