The Anatolian Shepherd is a large-sized breed that originated in Turkey thousands of years ago. These canines are not meant for everyone as a fair amount of handling and prior experience in dog parenting is required to properly raise these tall and powerful pooches. Their tolerance to low temperatures is exceptional and they can also thrive in hotter areas as well since their tolerance to high temperatures is pretty decent too. These dogs are also well-known for their awesome guarding capabilities; hence they can be a decent option for anybody who is looking for a large-sized pet to raise that is strong, hardy and is immensely protective of its owners and loved ones. But, it is important to keep in mind; training these canines is not that easy and that’s why they are mostly recommended to experienced and knowledgeable dog owners only.
The Anatolian Shepherds are large, muscular, highly powerful and immensely rugged canines that possess a pretty decent amount of stamina, agility, and endurance. They are great working dogs who are renowned for their protective and guarding instincts. The official standards for the Anatolian Shepherd Dog are given as follows:
The average height of the Anatolian Shepherds is around 26-30 inches (at the shoulders). The male Anatolian Shepherd dogs are slightly taller and heavier than their female counterparts. The average weight of these pooches is around 41-68 Kilograms.
|
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
|
MALE |
45-68 kg |
28-30 inch |
|
FEMALE |
41-59 kg |
26-28 inch |
The Anatolian Shepherds have a short to rough outer coat whose length ranges from 1 to approximately 4 inches. They also possess a thick undercoat and a fair bit of feathering around the neck region, ears, legs, and tail.
They have a well-proportioned, sturdily built body which is immensely rugged and powerful in nature. Their neck is slightly arched, well-muscled and is medium in length. The Chest area is deep and wide with well-sprung ribs and the Back region is exceptionally powerful and muscular. They have a long tail which is adequately feathered and is set rather high on the back. The forelegs and hind legs are highly sturdy, well-boned, broad, long and are heavily muscled.
Their head might appear a bit large but it is in proportion to the rest of the body. Their eyes are medium in size, almond-shaped, set well apart and are mostly found in dark brown to light amber colors. They have V-shaped ears which are dropped to either side of the head and are lightly feathered in nature.
They have a powerful jaw region with strong and healthy teeth firmly placed inside their mouth which either closes in a scissors bite or a level bite. Their overall muzzle is highly strong and a bit blockier in nature but is free from any snipiness.
The Anatolian Shepherds are highly confident and bold canines who are known for their devotion and protective instincts for their family members. These dogs are considered to be amazing guard dogs as they will always protect their loved ones from any kind of dangers or external harm. They are also highly territorial in nature as well which means apart from guarding their close ones, these dogs will also guard their owner’s property as well. The Anatolian Shepherds do not mix that well with other canines or other people who are unknown to them. They might seem a bit aloof with guests and strangers, hence, early socialization is immensely important for these canines. General temperamental traits of the Anatolian Shepherds are listed below:
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog was developed in the central region of Turkey in a place called Anatolia from which the name of this breed was also inspired. These canines were and still are highly regarded in various parts of Turkey and it is evident from the fact that there is a national postage stamp that was issued in Turkey in honor of these powerful and strong canines.
Bred as a Working dog and a Protector of the flocks, the Anatolian Shepherd is highly possessive about the people or animals who are close to it and is known to protect them from any intruders or external dangers. Because of their exceptional guarding instincts, these canines always remain suspicious of strangers and thus are reserved with them. They require a decent amount of socialization and training from a young age to become more companionable and gregarious in nature.
Because of their independent personality, it is not very easy to train these dogs and they might seem stubborn and unresponsive during the training sessions. Therefore, these canines are not highly recommended to novice or first-time dog owners. The Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are generally good with small children but still because of their massive size, they could unintentionally injure a small kid, hence it is a good idea to keep an eye on these canines when they are around a small child.
This breed is best suited for those dog owners who are well-experienced and well-versed in the art of dog parenting. Under the guidance of such knowledgeable owners, these canines can be one of the most loyal and close companions anyone could ever ask for.
The Anatolian Shepherds are divided into different types on the basis of the different kinds of coat that these canines are found in. These types are:
Also, the Anatolian Shepherds are available in several different colors which are given as follows:
|
Adaptability |
*** |
Sensitivity Level |
**** |
|
Affection Level |
*** |
Potential for mouthiness |
** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
* |
Drooling Potential |
*** |
|
Barking Tendencies |
*** |
Energy Level |
*** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
* |
Health Issues |
**** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
** |
Intelligence |
*** |
|
Child Friendly |
*** |
Playfulness |
*** |
|
Exercise Needs |
*** |
Shedding Level |
*** |
|
Grooming Needs |
** |
Social Needs |
** |
|
Good for novice owners |
* |
Stranger Friendly |
* |
|
Trainability |
*** |
Watchdog Ability |
***** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
*** |
Tolerates Cold |
***** |
These large-sized pooches require a good quality feeding material (which can be either commercially manufactured or prepared at home) that is filled with all the essential nutrients that are required for the proper development and growth of these canines. Any diet given to them should be appropriate to the canine’s age and size.
The Anatolian Shepherds require a moderate amount of regular exercise to remain fully fit and happy. Daily short walks in a park and some playing time with family is good for them. But, it is important to keep them on a leash whenever they are taken out for a stroll.
It is important to start training these dogs from an early age to make their training process a lot more easy and undemanding. Their training should focus more on obedience and proper socialization than any other things and the owners/ trainers should try to use some innovative and creative methods to train these dogs so that they don’t lose the interest and attention of these canines during the training sessions.
These dogs heavily shed their fur on a seasonal basis. And, during the shedding season, the frequency of brushing of their coat should be increased. But apart from that, their grooming needs are minimal. Their coat is required to be brushed only once per week to remain neat and tidy. They also require occasional baths and cleaning of ears so that they remain free from any infections and skin issues.
Health-related problems which are commonly seen in the Anatolian Shepherds are as follows:
It is recommended to take these canines to a skilled veterinarian’s clinic at least once every 45-60 days for normal check-ups and consultation.
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is considered to be a highly ancient breed whose ancestors came into existence around 6000 years ago. Breeds like Mastiffs and Sighthounds were bred together and these large and powerful canines are believed to be the result of that breeding.
The main purpose of these dogs was to protect the flocks and the people from any kind of danger or harm. The people lived a nomadic life at that time, and it was the duty of these dogs to protect them during their journey from one place to another. And, because they were so great at their job, they were started to be called as “Coban Kopegi†which is Turkish for “Shepherd Dogâ€.
The Anatolian Shepherds that we see today are believed to be the descendants of some of the best workers from the past who were bred together to achieve a uniform type, exceptional working abilities and stable temperament in the breed. These canines started moving to other parts of the world after several years of their emergence. But, once they moved to countries like U.S. and U.K., they started to get recognized on a larger scale and were admired by most people for their protective instincts and caring attitude for their owners and loved ones. This breed was finally recognized by the prestigious American Kennel Club in the year 1996.
