Question 1

Are Anatolian Shepherds good with cats?

Accepted Answer

With the cats they are raised with, yes. A cat that does not belong on the place is a different matter. The national breed club says the best results come from introducing an Anatolian to other animals as a puppy, under supervision, and that puppies usually adapt well to family pets and livestock and often take them into their protective sphere. That matches what we see. Our farm cats live with our dogs and eat out of the same bowl. Our dogs have also killed stray feral cats that came onto the property. To the dog, its own cats are part of what it guards, and a strange cat is an intruder. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance

Question 2

Are Anatolian Shepherds good with kids?

Accepted Answer

With their own family’s children, yes, when the dog is raised with them and the children are taught how to behave around it. A dog this large needs supervision around children. The national breed club describes the Anatolian as affectionate with its family and fond of well-behaved children. It adds two cautions: the dog does not see a child as its master, and close supervision is recommended because of the dog’s size and temperament. It also notes the dog may be protective of the children it knows. Our puppies are raised around our own family from the start. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance

Question 3

Do Anatolian Shepherd puppies mouth?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In our experience most Anatolian pups mouth. It is normal puppy behavior, and in a dog that will weigh 100 pounds or more it has to be curbed early. We do not let it start with our litters and we do not tolerate it. Once a puppy goes home, that job belongs to the owner.

Question 4

Can an Anatolian Shepherd live in the house?

Accepted Answer

Yes, an Anatolian can live in the house as a family companion, but it is still a guardian breed: territorial, wary of strangers, and in need of a securely fenced yard. A dog meant to guard stock should be raised with the stock, not in the house. The national breed club says these dogs are not pets in the conventional sense, though steady socialization can make them closely bonded companions. The club describes them as affectionate with family and suspicious of strangers, and it treats obedience training as a necessity. The AKC standard calls the breed highly territorial. The coat has a thick undercoat, and the club says the breed tolerates extremes of temperature. The club advises providing shelter from bad weather and shade in summer. Working dogs are a different case. Texas A&M AgriLife tells producers not to bring a guardian pup into the home to socialize it. Our dogs live outdoors with our sheep and work through Montana winters. Our puppies sleep indoors for their first four weeks. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard Texas A&M AgriLife, “Livestock Guardian Dogs: An Overview,” ANSC-PU-468

Question 5

Can Anatolian Shepherds handle cold weather?

Accepted Answer

Yes. They carry a thick undercoat and work outdoors in real winters, ours included. The AKC standard calls for a thick undercoat on every Anatolian, whatever the outer coat length. The national breed club says the breed tolerates extremes of temperature and terrain, and advises providing shelter from bad weather, which the dog may or may not choose to use, and shade in summer. Our short-coated dogs work outside through Montana winters. Sources AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance

Question 6

How do Anatolian Shepherds do with other dogs?

Accepted Answer

They accept the dogs they are raised with and are wary of or aggressive toward strange dogs. That is part of guarding. In a survey of livestock producers published in 1988, 86 percent of the 56 Anatolians rated were called aggressive to other dogs. Wariness of strange dogs is part of guarding. The national breed club advises introducing an Anatolian to other animals as a puppy, under supervision. Our dogs live and work together as a pack with a clear order. Bailey runs it. A dog park is not the place for this breed. Sources Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Table 1, adapted from Green and Woodruff 1988 Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance

Question 7

How much land does an Anatolian Shepherd need?

Accepted Answer

We do not recommend an Anatolian Shepherd for less than one acre, and we do not place our puppies on less. A home at that small end is a standout exception. Most of our puppies go to properties of 5 to 500 acres. That minimum is ours. None of the breed club, breed standard or university sources we read gives a fixed acreage. What they all stress is secure fencing. The breed club’s advice is about containment, not size. It says to keep the dog in a fenced area, and it describes a large yard with a five or six foot fence and a locked gate as ideal. It also says the breed needs substantial fencing everywhere except open range, and should not be off leash away from its own property. The one possible exception the club gives is a completely fenced space where you and your dog can play in private. For working dogs, Texas A&M AgriLife gives a guideline of one to two dogs per 100 ewes or nannies. It says this is not a strict rule, and it lists the size of the pasture among the factors. A guardian will use the ground it can reach. An Australian range study cited by Ontario’s agriculture ministry measured core home ranges of 4 to 252 hectares. Roaming is the real risk. Texas A&M reports that 57 percent of guardian dog deaths happen after the dog has left the property. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed Texas A&M AgriLife, “Livestock Guardian Dogs: An Overview,” ANSC-PU-468 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, “Livestock guardian dogs: selection and training”

Question 8

Should I get a male or a female Anatolian Shepherd?

Accepted Answer

For guarding, the research cited by university programs shows no difference between males and females. The differences that matter are size and how you manage an intact dog. Texas A&M AgriLife reports that research found no difference in guarding ability between the sexes, or between fixed and intact dogs. Ontario’s agriculture ministry says many studies agree, and adds an observation it labels anecdotal: females may stay closer to the flock and males may patrol the edges more. South Dakota State Extension finds producer preference is mixed. Size is the clear difference. Under the AKC standard, males start at 29 inches and 110 to 150 pounds, and females at 27 inches and 80 to 120 pounds, measured at age two or older. Our sire Tucker is 33 inches and 130 pounds. Our dam Bailey is 29 inches and about 100 pounds. Intact dogs take more management. Texas A&M notes that a female in heat can disrupt protection, a female raising pups guards less well, and neutering males often cuts roaming. Our puppy contract asks buyers not to neuter before 26 months so the growth plates can close. Beyond that, a lot of it is personal preference. In our experience the males are a little more independent and do not listen quite as well. They bark much more at night, broadcasting. Our females usually bark only when it is needed, so when one of them barks, we know it is for real. Sources Texas A&M AgriLife, “Livestock Guardian Dogs: An Overview,” ANSC-PU-468 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, “Livestock guardian dogs: selection and training” South Dakota State University Extension, “Livestock Guardian Dogs That Work,” P-00400 AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard

Question 9

Should I get one Anatolian Shepherd or two?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the job. For guarding livestock, university sources lean toward more than one dog. Several of them caution about raising two puppies at the same time. Texas A&M AgriLife says two dogs are generally preferable, except for small flocks near the house, so the flock is still covered if one dog is lost. Where wolves, bears or mountain lions are present, it says producers may need more, such as one to two dogs per 50 ewes or nannies. South Dakota State Extension goes further and advises against running a single dog with a flock. How you get to two matters. South Dakota State Extension reports that many producers avoid starting two puppies at once, because two pups together tend to play too roughly with sheep. Ontario’s agriculture ministry advises against buying several puppies of a similar age. University of California Extension warns that a pup bonded alongside a littermate or an older dog may attach to dogs more than to livestock. Texas A&M suggests starting with one or two, judging them at maturity, then adding young dogs to a proven adult. A pup needs 18 to 24 months to become effective. We do not place two puppies from the same litter in one home. Our five Anatolians live and work together as a pack. Bailey runs it. Sources Texas A&M AgriLife, “Livestock Guardian Dogs: An Overview,” ANSC-PU-468 South Dakota State University Extension, “Livestock Guardian Dogs That Work,” P-00400 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, “Livestock guardian dogs: selection and training” UC Cooperative Extension, “Bonding and Training your Livestock Guardian Dog Puppy,” Fact Sheet 6

Question 10

What fencing does an Anatolian Shepherd need?

Accepted Answer

A strong, tall, secure fence. The national breed club calls a large yard with a five or six foot fence and a locked gate ideal. The breed club says to keep an Anatolian in a fenced area for its own protection and to avoid liability, and that these dogs need substantial fencing everywhere except open range. It also says they should never be off leash away from their own property. The one possible exception the club gives is a completely fenced space where you and your dog can play in private. The reason is in the numbers. Texas A&M’s livestock guardian dog program reports that only 52 percent of guardian dogs live to age six, and that 57 percent of the deaths happen after the dog has left the property. A dog that gets off the property is a dog at risk. Good fence is the cheapest insurance you will buy for this dog. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed Texas A&M AgriLife, “Livestock Guardian Dogs: An Overview,” ANSC-PU-468

Living With an Anatolian