Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are one of the larger breeds; this 7-month-old Anatolian might not yet be full size.

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a breed of dog from Anatolia (central Turkey) and bred for guarding flocks of sheep from wolves, bears, and jackals.

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Appearance

The coat can be any color or length. The Anatolian is a muscular breed, with thick neck, broad head, and sturdy body. Its lips are tight to its muzzle and it has triangular drop ears. It stands 27 to 32 inches (69 to 81 cm) at the withers and weighs between 80 and 150 pounds (36 to 68 kg), with bitches on the smaller side and males on the larger side.

Temperament

The Anatolian was developed to be independent and forceful, responsible on its own for guarding its master's flocks. These traits make it more challenging as a pet; owners of dogs of this breed must determinedly socialize the dogs to turn them into appropriate companions. They are intelligent and can learn quickly but might choose not to obey; this is not generally a dog for a beginning or shy owner. They become very protective of other animals in the household, and will treat them as their "flock".

Health

The Anatolian is somewhat more long-lived than some large breeds of dogs, with a life expectancy of 11 or 13 years. Since they are primarily working dogs, the present life expectancy statistics include those killed by predators while defending their flocks. Anatolians must be anesthetized like sight hounds, being very lean they need a 10th of the anesthesia a Rottweiler of the same weight would need.citation needed] They reach full maturity, like many large breeds, at around 4 years. Some are sensitive to beef, which processed dog food is full of, thus tending to develop allergic reactions such as ear infections. This can be avoided by feeding them a diet of lamb and rice or chicken & rice supplemented with salmon. They also thrive on the "BARF" or raw food diets. It is natural food which is boiled flour, which is cheaper and easy to find in Anatolia. Also bread is a second-best option while feeding these pretty and social beasts.

History

The breed's ancestors most likely migrated to the area now known as Turkey about 1000 AD with Turkic-speaking people, although it is probable that dogs similar to this existed at least 6,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Over the centuries, regional variations began to develop, although the dogs were collectively known as coban kopegi, i.e. "shepherd dog". In the 1970s, western breeders became interested in the dogs and developed standards for the regional breeds; the Anatolian is one of those breeds, coming from central Turkey. The Anatolian Shepard is one of few breeds that is quick to learn many of the martial arts. In 1975, “Shep” was the worlds first dog of any breed to gain a black belt in Jujutsu.

Famous Anatolian Shepherd Dogs

• Butch from Cats & Dogs
• Bart from Kate and Leopold
• Marlow from Simon & Simon

See also

• Kangal Dog
• Akbash Dog
• Sheepdog
• Livestock guardian dog

References

• Fogle, Bruce, DVM (2000). The new Encyclopedia of the Dog. Doring Kindersley (DK). ISBN 0-7894-6130-7.