SCRAPS Breed Profile ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD

Stats

Country of Origin: Turkey Group: Working Use today: Flock guardian, guard dog Life Span: 10 to 12 years Color: White, black & white, wolf gray, wolf sable (red undercoat with dark gray outer coat), or red, often with darker highlights and sometimes with a dark mask or cap. Coat: Dense coat (1 – 3 in) and undercoat. The undercoat comes out in clumps twice a year. Heavy shedder. Grooming: This breed requires little grooming. The coat needs thorough brushing-out during the twice-a-year shedding season. Height: Males 28 - 30 inches; Females, 26 - 28 inches Weight: Males 100 - 150 pounds; Females, 90 - 130 pound

Profile

In Brief: Large, rugged, powerful and impressive, leadership. Calm, steadfast and brave, but not possessing great endurance and agility. aggressive. Independent, very watchful, proud and Developed through a set of very demanding self-assured. Affectionate with their own family, circumstances for a purely utilitarian purpose; he but suspicious of strangers, especially after is a working guard dog without equal, with a reaching adulthood. Strangers should be formally unique ability to protect livestock. General introduced before the mature dog is asked to accept impression - Appears bold, but calm, unless them. The Anatolian Shepherd is possessive regarding challenged. This ancient breed is regarded as the his home and property and will not allow anyone into the national emblem of Turkey. family property if the owner is not home, unless it has had frequent contact with the person. However, he is Description: The Anatolian Shepherd Dog, also fairly friendly with those people the family accepts. The called the Karabash, is a large, noble and powerful dog is demanding of itself, and can be stubborn and livestock guardian. He is very similar to the Great dominant. When training the Anatolian Shepherd, the Pyrenees and the Kuvasz, but is more slender and best results are achieved by motivational training agile. Capable of great speed and endurance. The methods with a determined, consistent and loving triangular, pendant ears are often black and rather approach. It is very important to begin training as small with rounded tips. In Turkey, the ears are early as possible, because a fully grown dog may often cropped very short. The small, deep-set be too strong and too big to be corrected and eyes range from gold to brown in color. The short because this dog has his own ideas and will not or rough double coat is generally fawn with a black cater to his owner's every whim. He is sensitive to mask, though any color is acceptable. Other reprimands and eager to receive affection. This frequently seen colors include pinto, white and breed is patient and protective with children of the brindle. The outer coat is smooth and the length family, but may accidentally knock them down. may vary greatly depending on the season and the Children should always be supervised and dog's lineage - it is longer around the collar and properly introduced. They will generally get along tail. There are two basic coat types: medium with other animals provided they have been length and medium long. introduced to them when they are still young. They can be rather dominant towards other dogs and it Temperament: The Anatolian Shepherd is a very is important to socialize them while they are still loyal, alert and possessive dog. He is intelligent young. These dogs mature quite slowly, reaching and easy to train, but is not a dog for beginners. full adulthood at about four years old. Dogs that He needs a handler who naturally radiates are going to be made into flock guards should not Living Conditions: The Anatolian Shepherd is be family pets or they will prefer the family over not recommended for apartment life. It is relatively the sheep. They should live their entire life with the inactive indoors and will do best with at least a flock, but still should be socialized with people out large yard. This breed is very suspicious of in the field and accustomed to grooming strangers, and it is therefore necessary to provide procedures when they are puppies to make a secure, fenced yard. veterinary care possible later in life. Anatolian Shepherds guard, but do not herd, livestock. They Exercise: This breed needs a lot of exercise. often patrol the outer perimeter of their territory, They do best when they can run free in their own then find a high place from which to watch over fenced-in yard. In this case they will decide upon their charges. Anatolians possess excellent their own exercise needs. senses of sight and hearing to help them in this work. They check their "protective zone" around Origins: This is an ancient breed native to Asia the flock every few hours to be certain nothing Minor. It is also known as the Turkish Guard Dog threatening is brewing. If danger approaches, the where he protects flocks and serves as a Anatolian will first bark a warning, then accelerate shepherd's companion. On the high Anatolian and raise the volume of the barking if the danger Plateau, where summers are hot and very dry and persists, signaling the sheep to crowd in behind winters are cold, the Anatolian Shepherd Dogs live him for protection. The dog will attempt to drive the outside all year round. The first Anatolian danger away and will only attack as the last resort. Shepherd Dogs were imported to the United Extensive early socialization and obedience States in 1968, though the first successful training are very important when owning an breeding program did not get underway until 1970. Anatolian Shepherd. They tend to bark at night For centuries it was used as a combat dog in war and some like to dig. and for hunting. It was particularly valued for the victorious battles it could fight with wolves. As a Health: Some are prone to eyelid entropion and to sheepdog, it was bothered by neither fatigue nor hypothyroidism. Hip dysplasia does occur, but is bad weather. Today it is still used as a sheep dog not as common as some other large breeds. They as well as a guard dog. are sensitive to anesthesia. The Anatolian Shepherd's immunity often takes longer to develop than with many other breeds and therefore young Anatolians should be given extra vaccinations against parvo-virus.

Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service 6815 E. Trent • Spokane Valley • Washington • 99212 (509) 477-2532 voice (509) 477-4745 fax www.spokanecounty.org/animal