Plate 102 · Middle East & Africa
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
安纳托利亚牧羊犬
“A Turkish flock guardian that now protects herds in cheetah country.”
- Origin
- Turkey
- Central Anatolian plateau
- Country of origin
- A livestock guardian of the Anatolian plateau; the marker is Turkey's reference point. Whether the Anatolian Shepherd and Turkey's Kangal (named after a district of Sivas) are one breed is disputed: the FCI standard 331 now names it the Kangal Shepherd Dog, and since 2013 the UK Kennel Club has let owners re-register Anatolians as Turkish Kangal Dogs, while the AKC keeps the Anatolian name.
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- Long-established; no reliable date
- Today
- Livestock guardian · Conservation
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Central Anatolian plateau
A large, independent flock guardian from the Anatolian plateau, built for hot summers and harsh winters.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Living with sheep and goats and driving off wolves and other predators.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Shepherds of central Anatolia have kept such dogs for centuries. Dogs reached the United States around the Second World War. Since 1994 Namibia's Cheetah Conservation Fund has placed them with farmers so that flocks are guarded and fewer cheetahs are killed.
04 · Today
Livestock guardian · Conservation
A livestock guardian on American ranches and on African farms, where it aids cheetah conservation.
Personality
- Reserved
- Independent
- Loyal
- Protective
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Moderate exercise, but needs a tall, strong fence and must be on lead outside it.
- Grooming
- Weekly brushing; heavy shedding twice a year.
- Training
- Bred to decide for itself: thorough socialization and obedience training are a must.
Living with one
- Size
- Giant
- Lifespan
- 11–13 years
- Coat
- Short to rough double coat; all colours accepted
Field note
In Namibia these dogs protect livestock so that farmers have less reason to kill cheetahs.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Working Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Kangal Shepherd Dog, Group 2, standard 331), The Kennel Club (UK, as Turkish Kangal Dog)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Working Group, recognized 1996.
Since 1994 used in Namibia to guard livestock as part of cheetah conservation. AKC registrations: ranked 88 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Anatolian Shepherd Dog — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/anatolian-shepherd-dog/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Kangal Shepherd Dog — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangal_Shepherd_Dog
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · The Anatolian/Kangal identity dispute, Kangal district of Sivas, FCI 1989 and the 2018 standard, UK Kennel Club recognition of the Turkish Kangal Dog (2013), the Cheetah Conservation Fund programme.
- Kangal Shepherd Dog — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/KANGAL-SHEPHERD-DOG-331.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Turkey; Group 2, section "Molossian type"; accepted 1989.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: A livestock guardian of the Anatolian plateau; the marker is Turkey's reference point. Whether the Anatolian Shepherd and Turkey's Kangal (named after a district of Sivas) are one breed is disputed: the FCI standard 331 now names it the Kangal Shepherd Dog, and since 2013 the UK Kennel Club has let owners re-register Anatolians as Turkish Kangal Dogs, while the AKC keeps the Anatolian name.
