Loyal and hardy, bred to withstand various types of weather all year round, these dogs are powerful and perfect livestock guardians.
Their name comes from an area in Turkey where they were bred more than 2000 years ago. They might be ancient but their powerful guarding instincts and brave attitude haven’t changed. Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are your choice if you are looking for a guard dog to protect your cows, sheep, or any other livestock on the land. They will protect it with their lives.
Anatolian Shepherd Size
Both male and female Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are rather big dogs with strong heads and jaws. Males are usually slightly taller and heavier than females, similar to most dog breeds.
- Male Height: up to 29 inches
- Male Weight: 110 to 150 pounds
- Female Height: up to 27 inches
- Female Weight: 80 to 120 pounds
There is no doubt this is a large guard dog breed. However, as you will see, it’s not just their size that makes them such great guard dogs.
Anatolian Shepherd Color
According to the AKC, there are 8 possible coat colors and 6 markings/masks. The most popular coat color in pictures around the internet is fawn coat color, but that doesn’t mean others aren’t as popular.
All 8 colors are:
- Fawn
- Blue fawn
- Red fawn
- Gray fawn
- Brindle
- Liver
- White
- Biscuit and white
The accepted masks/markings are:
- Black mask
- Brown mask
- Silver mask
- Pinto
- Pinto, black mask
- Dutch markings
A great way to visualize these markings and colors is a picture done by an artist and shown on the page of Apex Anatolians, a breeder from Montana.
Anatolian Shepherd Social traits
There is a stigma that follows large guarding dogs – they are bad for children and they are not trustworthy. That is absolutely not true. The size of the breed is not what determines their social traits or their behavior with children.
It is socialization, training, and the owners.
You can make any dog a calm and confident family dog that will go great with children if you socialize them from an early age and train them well.
Anatolian Shepherds have an innate desire to protect the weak. Whether it’s a lamb, a kid, or someone’s child. They are gentle and protective.
However, it is very important to note that these dogs are not for first-time owners, especially if the owner doesn’t have time to properly train the dog.
Let’s see why.
Anatolian Shepherd Trainability
Anatolian Shepherd dog is a smart dog but not easy to train. It is because of their aloof nature, and thousands of years of breeding programs that prepared them to think on their own and fast. So, is the ASD smart dog? Yes! Is it the smartest? No, but each to their own. I have to say, not all Border Collies are the smartest.
When you have a strong, big, and smart dog, you have to show firm hand and put in a lot of effort in training. It’s not because they don’t know what they are doing – on the contrary. They do know what you want them to do but they act on their own. Unless you give lots of time and patience.
It is best to send your dog to a professional dog trainer. Especially if you want a true guardian dog that will be reliable and will obey your commands without any hiccups.
Read the reviews, ask a friend, or a breeder you got your dog from to find a dog trainer that suits you best.
Anatolian Shepherd Activity needs
Anatolian Shepherd dogs are livestock guardian dogs which means they don’t need as much exercise as a herding dog, such as Border Collie.
They are not used to running around after sheep all day, but they stay vigilant and alert all day long. That means, they will need daily walks and playtime, but nothing excessive.
A short walk in the morning and in the evening, with some in-between playtime is alright.
Keeping this dog breed mentally stimulated is equally important. Give it something to do or a puzzle to play with. These are some quite interesting and dog-friendly toys they can play with: DogLemi Snuffle Mat or Outward Hound Store’s Interactive Treat Puzzle.
Also, keep in mind these dogs are large dogs with great guarding instincts and they will benefit the most in a house with a yard rather than in an downtown apartment.
Anatolian Shepherd Feeding Guide
Anatolian Shepherds might seem like dogs that would eat a lot. However, they are not gluttonous dogs. Every dog is unique, that’s for sure, but most owners I’ve come across say the same: they need around 4 cups of kibble daily.
Most of the owners divide the amount into 2 cups in the morning and 2 cups in the evening.
However, there is a very important things to include – behavior, activity, and health/age. You can always consult your vet on how to feed your dog. It is actually recommended if you are first-time dog owner.
Anatolian Shepherd Grooming Needs
This dog breed has a short but thick and double coat. They are working dogs, bred to work outside in all weather conditions which means they have undercoat that is the main “problem” when it comes to grooming.
They shed, twice a year, and that is the period when you will have to brush your dog every couple of days to keep the fur free of matts and clean.
Outside the shedding seasons, brushing with a Rake Brush For Undercoat and a Short Bristle Hand-brush once a week is alright.
Always trim the nails as well.
Anatolian Shepherd Possible Health Issues
Anatolian Shepherd dogs are healthy working dogs. They don’t have a lot of known health problems. The ones they do have are problems of all large dogs:
Other than that, occasional eye problems can occur, such as entropion – eyelid is inverted. Usually, the solution is a surgical procedure.
Summary
To sump up everything – Anatolian Shepherd dogs are loyal, reserved, excellent guard dogs, and not for everyone.
They are used to free roaming with the livestock they protect, they are stubborn, they protect fiercely their territory which means they will need a very confident trainer.
First time dog owners will definitely need a professional help in socializing and training this dog breed. However, after all the hassle when they are puppies – these dogs will stay on your side no matter what and protect your loved ones and you all their lives.
