Question 1

Are Anatolian Shepherds aggressive?

Accepted Answer

Not toward their own people. They are serious guardians: territorial, wary of strangers, and aggressive toward predators and strange dogs. That is the job they were bred for. The AKC standard describes the Anatolian as calm and observant, highly territorial, and reserved with strangers. The national breed club calls it possessive of family, property and livestock, and suspicious of people it does not know. A survey of livestock producers published in 1988 shows where that protectiveness points. Of 56 Anatolians rated, 9 percent were called aggressive to people, 86 percent aggressive to other dogs, and 96 percent aggressive to predators. A good Anatolian does not start with a fight. The breed club describes the sequence: the dog stands and lets itself be seen, then gives a warning bark, then escalates only if the intruder keeps coming. The club strongly discourages protection or bite training for this breed because of its independent nature. In our experience the guarding instinct is already there and does not need sharpening. What we value most in our own dogs is their judgment. They track everything on the farm, all the time, and they know what is normal and what is not. They know the difference between a visitor we welcome at the front gate and something that does not belong. Our farm cats live with them and eat out of the same bowl, yet the dogs have killed stray feral cats that came onto the property. They watch the sky in a way we have not seen in other dogs: hawks, crows, eagles, even airplanes. They track birds of prey and run them off. That judgment is taught. The breed club notes that an Anatolian may expect a ‘formal introduction’ before it accepts a stranger. In our experience a visitor needs a personal introduction. With practice and repetition, the dog learns what a normal visit looks like. A dog settles into its own environment, and it is up to its owner to show it the way. With our own stock, Tucker is the opposite of aggressive. He is gentle with the sheep. Sources AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Table 1, adapted from Green and Woodruff 1988

Question 2

Are Anatolian Shepherds easy to train?

Accepted Answer

No. They are intelligent, but they were bred to make their own decisions out with the flock, not to wait for orders. The national breed club says these dogs were bred to use independent judgment, and it calls obedience training ‘an absolute necessity.’ It also stresses socialization starting in puppyhood and says the dog needs a strong, consistent, positive leader. The AKC standard notes that eager, animated responsiveness is not typical of the breed. An Anatolian will learn what you teach it and then decide whether the situation calls for it. That independence is the same trait that makes them good at the job. Our dogs sort a threat from a non-threat on their own, without being told. The club’s practical rules reflect that: substantial fencing, and never 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. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard

Question 3

Are Anatolian Shepherds good family dogs?

Accepted Answer

For the right family, yes. They bond deeply with their own people. They are working guardians, though, and not pets in the usual sense. The national breed club describes the Anatolian as affectionate with its family and fond of well-behaved children. It adds that the dog does not see a child as its master and may be protective of the children it knows, and it recommends close supervision because of the dog’s size and temperament. The club is direct that these dogs can be superb, deeply bonded companions with proper and consistent socialization, and that they are not conventional pets. The right home has room, a secure fence, and people who will put in the early work. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed

Question 4

Do Anatolian Shepherds bark a lot?

Accepted Answer

Adult Anatolians are usually quiet and bark when there is a reason. Young dogs bark more while they learn what matters. The national breed club says barking varies from dog to dog, that adults usually sound the alarm only when it is needed, and that puppies will bark at any noise while they test what is worth reporting. Barking is the tool a guardian uses first. The club describes a mild warning bark that escalates if an intruder keeps coming. Our male, Tucker, has a big bark and uses it. If you have close neighbors who will not tolerate a dog barking at night, this is not the breed for your place. Sources Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, About the Breed

Question 5

Do Anatolian Shepherds shed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. They shed their undercoat seasonally and need little coat care the rest of the time. The AKC standard calls for a thick undercoat under a coat that runs from about one inch to about four inches. The national breed club says the coat needs little care except during the twice-yearly seasonal shed, when it recommends thorough brushing. It also notes the breed has little doggy odor and does not drool. In our experience the shedding is just the undercoat and it is no big deal. We brush a dog when it needs it. Sources AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America, Breed Facts at a Glance

Question 6

How big do Anatolian Shepherds get?

Accepted Answer

Males stand 29 inches or more at the shoulder and weigh 110 to 150 pounds. Females stand 27 inches or more and weigh 80 to 120 pounds. Those are the AKC standard’s figures, and the standard applies them to dogs two years and older. The breed matures slowly. The standard also says overall balance matters more than absolute size, and that neither sex should look fat. Our own dogs, measured: Tucker stands 33 inches and weighs 130 pounds. Bailey stands 29 inches and weighs about 100 pounds. Their daughter Smokie stands 31 inches and weighs 110 pounds, and Cody weighed 105 pounds at not quite seven months. Sources AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard

Question 7

Is an Anatolian Shepherd the same as a Kangal?

Accepted Answer

They come from the same Turkish livestock guardian dogs. Whether they count as one breed or two depends on which kennel club you ask. The American Kennel Club registers them all as Anatolian Shepherd Dogs. The United Kennel Club and the international FCI treat the Kangal as its own breed with a narrower standard. In the United States, a dog can move from one name to the other on paperwork. We cover the standards, the registration rules and the genetic studies in full on our Anatolian Shepherd vs Kangal page . Sources AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog UKC Kangal Dog breed standard FCI Kangal Shepherd Dog, standard number 331 ASDCA registration information ASDCA by-laws Kangal Dog Club of America, importation and registration Altunok et al. 2005, “Genetic evidence for the distinctness of Kangal dogs,” Bulletin of the Veterinary Institute in Pulawy 49 Erdogan et al. 2013, “Genetic variability among native dog breeds in Turkey,” Turkish Journal of Biology 37 ASDCA registration policy document Turkish kennel club (KIF) letter published by the FCI, July 2018 Dogs Australia, “The future of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog in Australia” Altunok et al. 2005, study abstract UK Kennel Club, Turkish Kangal Dog standard UKC Anatolian Shepherd standard

The Breed