Anatolian Shepherd

Coat & Grooming: Although the Anatolian Shepherd’s coat is heavy, it doesn’t take too much to maintain, says VanTine. Anatolians should professionally groomed every few months in order to keep their coat neat and help with shedding, and they should be bathed whenever they smell. Regular brushing will also help keep excess hair at bay.

Shedding: Bred for the outdoors, Anatolian Shepherds are known to shed. Their coats will blow out twice a year, and their thick undercoat produces a fair amount of hair.

Training: Although the breed can be independent, Anatolian Shepherds require a firm yet gentle hand in training and plenty of obedience and socialization classes. According to the American Kennel Club, you should avoid enrolling your Anatolian in protection or guard-dog training, as this can increase their natural protective abilities, which can result in a less-than-friendly dog around strangers.

Barking: The Anatolian Shepherd has long been trained as a working dog and because of this, their bark has evolved over time. According to Kristi VanTine, an Anatolian Shepherd breeder based in North Carolina, the breed has three distinct barks: one that is startled/surprised (“I think I heard a leaf fall!”), an alert bark (“I need to tell everyone about this noise I just heard!”) and a protection bark (“If you come over this fence, I will attack.”).

Temperament & Behavior: According to the Anatolian Shepherd Club of America, the Anatolian Shepherd is known to be reserved around strangers and will be quite alert and observant of those around them. Calm and attentive to their people, the breed is a natural guard dog that excels as both a working dog and a family dog, provided that it receives proper training.

Behavior with Kids: If socialized early in life, Anatolians can be good around children. Partnered with obedience classes, an Anatolian Shepherd will be a great family pup.

Protection: By nature, the Anatolian is an intense, protective breed.

Life span: Anatolian Shepherds live between 11 and 13 years on average.

Inherited Health Issues: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are generally a healthy breed, yet some health conditions can occur at an increased frequency within the breed or as a result of genetics. Responsible breeders typically perform a variety of screening tests prior to breeding in an attempt to minimize health problems within the breed. These conditions may include, but are not limited to, the following: Carpal laxity syndrome and Copper storage hepatopathy.

Preventive Care: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are best kept in optimal health with proper diet, sufficient exercise and routine veterinary evaluation. Veterinarians have been extensively trained to detect new or subtle changes, which is beneficial in diagnosing problems early. As with all breeds, the regular use of flea and tick prevention, and heartworm prevention helps to keep a number of parasites away.

Despite being a large breed, Anatolian Shepherds tend to develop orthopedic conditions, such as hip dysplasia, less frequently than many other large breeds. Regardless, maintaining a healthy body condition and weight are a critical step in minimizing the strain that extra weight can place on joints.

Although Anatolian Shepherds are not inherently prone to obesity, overfeeding and insufficient exercise can result in excessive weight gain. It is best to feed your Anatolian Shepherd portion-controlled meals of a high quality balanced diet. Table scraps or too many treats can quickly pack on the pounds, so only offer these goodies in moderation.

Daily Consumption: An adult Anatolian Shepherd will consume 4-6 cups of food daily.

Energy Level: Enjoys some moderate exercise every now and then

Exercise: As a working dog, the Anatolian Shepherd is used to spending countless hours working with livestock and protecting its herd, and as a domesticated pet it will require plenty of outdoor activity. If possible, your Anatolian should receive multiple leashed walks per day and/or time to play off leash in a well-fenced area. This breed should not be off leash in an open area. As an independent dog, it might be difficult to get your Anatolian to come to you once it finds something of interest.