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Anatolian Shepherd Dog

reserved / independent / loyal
Working Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

29 inches (male)

27 inches (female)

Weight

110-150 pounds (male)

80-120 pounds (female)

Life Expectancy

11-13 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    20% 20%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    20% 20%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    20% 20%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    40% 40%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    20% 20%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    20% 20%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    20% 20%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    40% 40%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

An Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a hardy, commanding flock protector with a long history. These powerful avengers are revered as working guard dogs without comparison since they are protective and territorial but also clever, patient, and profoundly devoted. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog can weigh up to 150 pounds and stands between 27 and 29 inches tall at the shoulder. Anatolians are more than capable of surviving the predators and challenging terrain of their native region despite being well-muscled and agile on foot. Some of the earliest known domestic dog bloodlines are the ancestors of Anatolians. Because of this, the breed has a timeless character that transports us back 6,000 years to the Bronze Age. Anatolians are perceptive, committed, quick to respond, and flexible. They will defend their flock, including their cattle, kids, small canines, and even the family. Anatolian owners must be strong leaders, willing and able to handle a dog as dominating and demanding as he is calm and loving.

What To Expect When Caring For a Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Overall, the Anatolian breed is robust and healthy. Both hip dysplasia and bloat, a potentially fatal twisting and inversion of the stomach, are uncommon in Anatolians. However, owners should be aware of the signs of bloat so they can react immediately if it happens. Before any operations, owners should make sure their veterinarian is informed of the breed's potential sensitivity to anesthesia. Good breeders will check for entropion, which can be surgically repaired and causes the eyelids to invert. The teeth of an Anatolian should be washed frequently, and the dog's ears should be constantly examined for any indications of infection.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • Hip Evaluation
  • Elbow Evaluation

Grooming

The Anatolian has a thick overcoat that shields him from the elements because he was bred to labor outdoors. While some Anatolians have long outer coats, the majority of them have rather short ones. A brief brushing once a week will keep it looking nice. But remember, the Anatolian loses his undercoat twice a year. Every few days during the shedding season, give him a thorough brushing to remove the dead hair using a short-bristle brush and possibly a comb as well. Like all breeds, the Anatolian's nails require routine trimming.  

Exercise

An Anatolian just requires a moderate amount of activity, so he will be content with time spent in a yard and a long walk once or twice per day. Just make sure the yard has a tall, sturdy fence and a lockable gate. But keep in mind that whenever an Anatolian is taken outside the house, he must be kept on a leash. False security on your behalf can result in disaster, as one breeder advises, "Don't assume that your dogs will be dependable off-leash.

Training

An Anatolian puppy needs to be socialized because the breed has the propensity to be apprehensive of strangers and naturally protective. With the breed, obedience training is essential. The Anatolian breed can be difficult to train because they were trained to be independent workers who made their own judgments and guarded their flock from intruders. An Anatolian should never be trained as a guard dog or protection dog.

Nutrition

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog should do well on high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian's supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). The Anatolian does not tend to overeat. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

History

Turkey’s Asian region is made up of a peninsula called Anatolia, often known as Asia Minor. The Coban Kopegi (“shepherd’s dog”), the ancestor of the modern Anatolian Shepherd, was produced by sheep and goat herders at this nascent crossroads of civilization.

Anatolia’s middle portion is a high plateau with limitless plains and undulating hills. The winters are snowy and extremely cold, and the summers are brutally dry and hot. The Anatolian Shepherd developed his enduring reputation as the top flock guardian in this tough, forgiving crucible.

The ancestors of the species are documented by ancient relics from the time of the Babylonian Empire. Large dogs of the recognized Anatolian Shepherd type are shown in Assyrian bas-relief carvings from 2000 B.C. that are kept in the British Museum. The early texts of the Bible make reference to shepherds and their dogs, which were probably some regional variant of the Anatolian.

The Department of Agriculture imported a breeding pair from Turkey to take part in the top-secret “Sheepdog Project,” which sought to identify the breeds that would be most effective at working on American sheep pastures. This is when the breed’s history in America began. The initiative was abandoned when war broke out, and the Anatolians and their descendants were scattered.

After World War II, American ranchers started importing Anatolians, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the breed really took off here. Lieutenant Robert Ballard of the United States Navy, who purchased a pair of Anatolians while stationed in Turkey, is credited with successfully introducing the breed in America. In 1970, he transported them to the United States and bred his first litter, giving American breeders the foundation stock they needed.

The adoption of the Endangered Species Act happened at the same time as this new breeding effort. The new regulation mandated that ranchers manage the wolf population without actually killing any of them. Anatolian Shepherds were the ideal candidates for the position since they prefer to terrify predators than fight them. Today, many Anatolian Shepherds are still employed as ranch dogs, guarding everything against sheep and goats to cattle.