General characteristics, territory of origin and progenitors of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog, scope, development of the breed, popularization, recognition and current situation. The Anatolian shepherd dog or Anatolian shepherd dog is a Turkish shepherd breed. These canines are sturdy, large and very strong, with good eyesight and hearing, which can successfully protect livestock. Due to their high speed and maneuverability, they are able to chase predators with great efficiency. The UK Kennel Club classifies them as shepherd dogs and the FIFA Moloss / Mountain Dog.
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a muscular breed. They have thick necks, broad heads, and sturdy bodies. Their snouts are imposing and their jaws are strong. The ears have a triangular drooping shape. The tail is sometimes docked or left natural. The coat has a thick double layer. They have very coarse and thick hair on their necks to protect their throats from predator bites.
Due to the abundant coverage, the animals look like they are heavier than they really are. These canines come in a variety of colors, although the most common are cream white, sesame and white with large colored spots that should not cover more than 30% of the body. Known as piebald, these shades are sometimes accompanied by a black mask and ears.
The Anatolian shepherd dog, were bred to be independent and strong, responsible for protecting their master's herd without human help or guidance. These traits make them difficult pets. Owners of this breed must educate their pets to make them suitable companions. They are smart and can learn quickly, but they can disobey unquestioningly.
According to Turkish shepherds, three Anatolian shepherds are able to defeat a pack of wolves and injure one or two of them. These dogs love to roam as they were bred to follow with their herd. Therefore, it is recommended to equip such pets with a microchip.
"Anatolian Shepherd" is not recommended for living in small rooms and in urban conditions. They are well accepted by other animals, including cats, if they are introduced when the canines are at the age of a puppy and have their own living space. These shepherd dogs mature very late, somewhere between 18-30 months. Dogs, despite their size, are quite mobile.
Territory of appearance and progenitors of the Anatolian shepherd dog
Widely known and in demand in its home country, the Anatolian Shepherd Dog originated in the central Turkish region of the Anatolian plateau. The variety has been shrouded in attention and refined in America. This came after it was imported into the country in the 1930s as a gift from the Turkish government to the United States Department of Agriculture. Such an exceptional dog is used to protect animals. She possesses keen hearing, keen eyesight and impressive size, remarkable strength, necessary to fight bears, wolves or other predators that pose a threat to the flock.
Even 6 thousand years ago, among people lived domesticated Landrace - large, heavy dogs with large bones. The type called "landrace" means an animal created over a long period under the influence of natural and human factors. Such canines are quite similar in appearance, but not a certain strict variation of the standard and may have some differences. Natural selection and geographic isolation of the terrain in which these giant dogs evolved have created genetic consistency and adaptation to the local environment and conditions of existence.
Scope of application of the predecessors of the Anatolian Shepherd
The earliest duties of such dogs belonged to the hunting field, they were wonderful companions for people. However, humankind has gradually evolved from a food gathering to a food-producing culture. As the domestication of sheep and other livestock began to take place, the working activities of local canines developed along with social evolution. Over time, these skilled hunters have become serious protective guardians for their owners' livestock and property.
Such giant dogs developed powerful and behaved independently. They not only significantly helped people in hunting for animals, but also protected the domesticated food stock of livestock from attacks by hungry and dangerous predators. Outwardly, they could be attributed to the brave military dogs, which were appreciated by the ancient Babylonians and Hittites.
It is the images and references to such dogs that have been found for many centuries in the earliest archaeological finds of ancient man. Many different types of rocks will evolve from these noble and prehistoric varieties. Thanks to them, Anatolian shepherds will appear, which claim such a worthy pedigree.
Originating in the high and mountainous regions of present-day Turkey, the species have existed as a unique and identifiable species for centuries. Researchers believe that these canines descended from the Himalayan mountain dogs that migrated with the Neolithic tribes from Asia Minor to the area known as the Anatolian plateau (present-day Turkish territory).
In this area, the height rarely drops below three thousand feet. Its landscape is made up of abundantly located mountain ranges and extinct volcanoes, including the biblical Mount Ararat. The alternating hills and wide plains of the Anatolian plateau form a complex relief. In addition to the instability of the landscape, the climate is also a huge problem, with temperatures reaching over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and minus 50 degrees in the winter months.
The arid conditions, rocky terrain and poor vegetation of the area forced the indigenous peoples of the plateau to adopt a nomadic lifestyle. The attraction of herds of livestock, namely goats and sheep, as a source of food is of paramount importance to these ancient nomadic tribes. To maintain vital activity and normal existence, herds must constantly move from one fertile pasture to another. This need has created “jobs” as livestock caretakers, but who exactly is the task?
A former fearless and strong hunter, the Anatolian shepherd dog is used to the difficult and harsh conditions of the Anatolian plateau. Being ancient Molossian or Mastiff-like types, the breed representatives developed as giant, noble, strong and serious animals. Therefore, as guardians of the herd, naturally, these impressive and capable dogs were excellent. The Anatolian Shepherd Dogs have demonstrated over time that they are good at such a difficult job. The species had a calm disposition and did not get tired of the need to live and perform duties in the open air all year round.
The history of the development of the Anatolian Shepherd
In those difficult times, the state of a person's wealth depended on the number of his flock. The large herd meant that the owner could more than provide a constant source of food for himself and his family, and close relatives with whom he led a nomadic lifestyle. Also, livestock ownership provided people with additional opportunities. For example, they could manipulate the exchange of services and items that needed to be purchased from other "merchants".
The Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, being the animals that have succeeded in their post as guardians of large herds, have become extremely valuable to herders roaming the Anatolian plateau. Due to the high demand and value of these canines, records have been preserved that if a good specimen of anatolian shepherd dog was killed, then the "abusive party" would have to pay the owner of the dog the equivalent, in grain, equal to the distance if the dog was hung by the tail and to the ground.
The survival of the fittest was paramount to the ancient Anatolian Shepherd Dog, as the Turkish canines depended on their successful working abilities to protect the herd, ensuring that their owners were provided with both food and clothing. As soon as a great dog was developed, it began to exist and "modernize" on its own to protect livestock, almost without resorting to the help of a shepherd.
Thus, the anatolian shepherd dog has learned to live peacefully among his "wards", providing them with continuous protection during the day and night and at different times of the year. Representatives of the species “traveled” as sheep moved from pasture to pasture in the hot season and slept in the snow with their flock in frosty winters on the harsh Anatolian plateau.
Due to the lack of interference from the shepherd in carrying out its duties, the Anatolian Shepherd has developed independent and confident characteristics. The fitness and resilience of the animal was extremely important in maintaining a proper working relationship between the shepherd, herd and guardian. Because of this requirement, the intelligence, confidence and performance of the species were often tested for inconsistency and poor quality.
Dogs that had established themselves as "worthy guardians" were equipped with collars with iron spikes. This was done to protect their necks from the bites of potential attacking predators, while individuals that were not of the highest quality would be destroyed. The practice of weeding out weak dogs or culling in this way has created a stable and superior breed capable of surpassing all the responsibilities that are responsibly determined to perform.
The development and improvement of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog has continued in a similar manner for many centuries. As the nomadic people of the Anatolian plateau constantly continued to migrate from one region to another in search of a better land on which it would be better to graze their flocks. In this regard, the tribes were often split. Some of their members took their favorite pets with them to new habitats. This led to the development of certain species of herding canines characteristic of the breeding regions.
Turkish shepherd dogs from the east of the country would later become known as the karakachan dog, and the western ones would be recognized as akbash dog. However, the canines that develop in central Turkey will become famous as the kangal dog and will be most closely related to the modern Anatolian shepherd dog. In some parts of the modern world, the anatolian shepherd dog and kangal are still considered the same species. Some experts claim that all Turkish Shepherd Dogs are of the same breed.
Distribution and popularization of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog
However, the isolation of the Sivas-Kangal region will eventually lead to the Kangal dog becoming a unique and distinct breed. The species was declared native to Turkey and is considered a national treasure of the state. For a period of time, it was prohibited by law to export any breed from the country. For many years, the Anatolian Shepherd has remained strictly isolated in Turkish lands.
Despite this, in the 1930s, several copies of the anatolian shepherd dog were donated by the Turkish government to the United States Department of Agriculture. The species was the first breed to cross the forbidden borders and make a name for itself in America.
An archaeologist and doctor named Rodney Young is said to have imported Anatolian Shepherd Dogs back in the 1950s. Little is known about these canines. Subsequently, no formal breeding of breed specimens will be welcomed and thrived in America for a decade or so later.
It all starts when a breeding pair of Anatolian Shepherd Dogs named "Zorba" and "Peki" were brought to the United States. The animals were brought back by a naval lieutenant named Robert S. Ballard, who was returning home. A soldier, came to California, after completing his service in Turkish lands, and settled there. In 1970, the first "American litter" of Anatolian Shepherd Dogs was born, reproduced by his breeding pair. These puppies will lay the foundation for the breed in the United States of America.
Around this time, other Western canine enthusiasts also became interested in these animals. In the 1970s, other breed specimens were imported into the country by archaeologist Charmein Hussey.
Recognition of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog and the Present Situation
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America (ASDCA) was founded in 1970. By 1976, the species had received enough attention and recognition to be admitted to the various class shows from the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Then, in 1996, the AKC fully recognized the Anatolian Shepherd Dog as a separate breed and included it in the Working Group of dogs. The Kangal Dog Club of America (KDCA) was founded in 1984 and is important to the anatolian shepherd dog as the two species often interbreed to improve the existing “Anatolian stock” in the United States of America.
To date, there is some dispute between specialists, breeders and amateurs regarding the exact origin of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog. Some Turkish canine enthusiasts argue that crossbreeding with the Kangal was perfected in America and could tarnish the breed's origins as a true Turkish dog.
Despite this uncertainty, the anatolian shepherd dog in the United States exhibits distinct "attributes" of the shepherd type. Its popularity spread from America to neighboring countries, Canada and Mexico, as well as throughout Europe and to states of the east such as Japan.
Currently, registration of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog population can be carried out by organizations such as AKC and ASDCA. At the present moment, about three thousand representatives of the species have been registered in the United States of America. On the AKC 2010 list of popular canine breeds, the Anatolian Shepherd Dog is ranked 109th out of 167th and has steadily continued to rise in popularity.
The species can also be registered internationally by Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc. These animals are also recognized by the Kennel Club of England (KC) and the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI). Purebred kangal dogs are still rarely exported from Turkey, but the KDCA continues to work on changing import restrictions. These purebred Kangal importers are highly prized in America for the genetic contribution they make to the development of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog.
More about the history of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog in the following story:
