Contents
History of origin
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is one of the most ancient breeds in existence today; images of dogs similar to the Kangal are still found on the walls of Babylonian tombs. Although some scientists point out that the ancestors of these dogs were brought from Turkestan (a city and historical region in Kazakhstan) and are close relatives of the no less ancient Central Asian Shepherd Dog or Alabai. Of course, in ancient times there was still no clearly defined breed phenotype, but it is known that huge wolfhounds guarded flocks of sheep throughout Asia Minor and Central Asia many centuries before our era.
Currently in Turkey there are several varieties of large dogs similar to each other, and each has its own name. Therefore, local dog breeders do not recognize the term “Anatolian Shepherd”, preferring to call the Kangal breed after the name of the city in the province of Sivas, where, in fact, dogs have been common for centuries, or karabash (which means “black-headed” in Turkic).
Like the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, these dogs were used primarily to protect herds from wolves. Seeing the approaching danger, kangals silently disperse in a chain and rush towards a potential enemy, while developing a rather high speed – up to 55 km / h.
Today, unlike the same akbash, the Anatolian karabash is known outside of Turkey, although it is still quite rare in other countries.
Breed description
A real handsome man, the kangal looks both menacing and majestic. This is a very large and powerful dog, completely devoid of the friability inherent in some other breeds of its type. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is lean and slender, with high, strong paws and a proudly planted head on a thick, muscular neck. Moreover, in males the skull is more massive than in females. The muzzle is of medium length, the nose is black. The eyes are small with an attentive and friendly look. The ears are small, hanging, and can be fully cropped. The tail is set high enough, twisted at the end. When the dog is in a good mood, he rises on his back.
The coat is of medium length, very thick, coarse and dense, it protects the dog well both from bad weather and from the teeth of wolves. They have one type of color: the coat on the body is fawn, deer, sable, grayish-sand or reddish with an obligatory dark mask on the muzzle (for which they got one of their names – karabash). The mask can be manifested in varying degrees – from slight blackouts around the nose to a completely black head. White socks and a white patch on the chest are acceptable.
Photos
Character
Balanced, devoted, smart – all this is about Karabash. Unlike the temperamental Caucasians, the Anatolian Shepherd Dog is more restrained. He treats people with calm wariness, but he will never rush at strangers. This is a one owner dog. Kangal will recognize all family members and other pets, but his heart forever belongs to the one whom the dog chooses to be its leader. For him, he, as they say, and into fire and into water.
Anatolian Shepherds are incredibly smart and easy to train, they perfectly understand not only words, but also gestures (the latter is even preferable, because this is how the dog and the shepherd communicate), they work well in a team. Sometimes it seems that you can just talk with a Karabash, and he will understand everything, and then he will think over your words, draw his own conclusions and do what he considers the most correct.
These giants are sometimes sentimental – they love to mess around with children, kittens and other babies, which, despite their size, will be handled very carefully, never harming them.
Kangals are owners by nature, so they will guard their property selflessly. And they express their good attitude towards a person by leaning sideways on him, which is why, with their size and weight, it is sometimes difficult to stand on their feet.
Care and maintenance
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is so unpretentious that it does not cause any difficulties to its owner. After all, for centuries she had to survive almost independently in the highlands. They can get their own food, easily tolerate heat and get sick a little. It’s only that Kangals do not like the cold, so in frosty winter it is better to take them into the house. The only condition that these dogs really need is to be kept in a private home. Accustomed to life in freedom and constant movement, the kangal will quickly wither away in the cramped quarters of the apartment. For the same reason, in no case should you put him on a chain. The dog should be able to move freely around the yard and be sure to walk for several hours every day.
Although his coat is not very long, it must be combed out with a brush or furminator. But bathing him often is not worth it, especially since with such a large size and weight of a dog it is quite difficult.
Education and training
As already mentioned, the Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a very smart and obedient dog that gladly obeys all commands and easily learns new ones. And the sooner you start teaching your dog the culture of behavior, the better. It is very important to pay attention to the socialization of a puppy – from childhood, he should be allowed to play with other dogs, communicate with different people, give children to feed and stroke him. This will fix in the mind of the kangal the fact that other people are not a threat, but a positive. And only when he learns this, you can begin to teach him not to take food from strangers. But in no case do not start with this, otherwise you risk growing a distrustful and even aggressive creature.
In the process of training, you should not allow yourself violence – by doing this, you will also only wake up the beast in the dog. Be confident, calm and persistent, and then you will quickly see what an amazing result your efforts have brought.
Health and disease
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog does not usually have any specific health problems. Of course, it is worthwhile to treat the dog from fleas and ticks in time, because they constantly live outside the home, where the possibility of becoming infected with parasites is very high. You also need to carry out regular prevention of endoparasites and make mandatory vaccinations.
Some point to the sensitivity of kangals to anesthesia, so if you still had to go to the clinic for some reason, it is better to specify how your dog will react to anesthesia.
Word to the breeder
Anastasia Tolkacheva from the Sverdlovsk region, breeder of the kennel “S of the Northern Urals”: “The international name of this breed is the Kangal shepherd dog. Origin Turkey. For Our Country, the breed is still rare. Recommended in the private sector, for active people. All year round lives on the street, withstanding any temperature. A very versatile breed, most commonly used today as a companion dog, bodyguard dog, home garden and farm guard, sport and hunting dog. They adore children, so such a dog is recommended in a family with children).
Ivan Nalbatov, breeder of the Antalkaya kennel near Moscow: “The Anatolian Karabash or Kangal can be called one of the most hardy and strong dogs, while it is much calmer and non-aggressive compared to other wolfhounds. He is completely unpretentious in content, is not afraid of either heat or cold, and is not picky about food.
Kangal barks rarely and only on business, is very well trained and gets along well with other animals. The dog needs compulsory socialization, which must be started as early as possible. If you dreamed of a reliable friend and protector, then the kangal is what you need.”
Popular questions and answers
We asked to answer questions about the content of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina.