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Breed Characteristics
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Kangal Dog
| Other Names | Karabash, Turkish Kangal Dog, Sivas Kangal Dog |
| Country of Origin | Turkey |
| Weight | Males: 110 - 145 lbs. (50 - 66 kg) Females: 90 - 120 lbs. (41 - 54 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 30 - 32 in. (77 - 86 cm) Females: 28 - 30 in. (72 - 77 cm) |
| Coat | The Kangal Dog has a double coat that is moderately short and quite dense. |
| Colour | The Kangal Dog has a black mask and black velvety ears which contrast with a whole-body colour which may range from light dun to gray. |
| Litter Size | 5 - 10 puppies |
| Life Span | 10 - 12 years |
| Origin & History | The name Kangal derives from the name of the central Anatolian town Kangal of the Sivas Province and is probably from the same root word of a Turkic tribe called "Kangly". The origin of the toponym Kangal and a shepherd dog known under the same name is investigated. The use of the ethnonym Kanglis and its variants Kangars, Kengers, and Kangils by Tatar tribes leaving Turkestan and settling in Anatolia is discussed. These settlers built the commune of Kangal in the area where it is located today. The toponym derives directly from the ethnonym, and evidence is available that tribes designated by such names still exist among Turkic populations. The Kangal sheepdog is a breed indigenous to Turkestan but not Anatolia. It was introduced into the latter territory by the migrants from Turkestan. Hypotheses that the Kangal dog is of Babylonian or Assyrian origin are rejected as not supported by biological science. An alternative view that this canine breed originated in India but was disseminated in Istanbul from a single breeding pair brought from the Indian subcontinent cannot be taken seriously. Britain’s first kangal litter was produced in 1967 by Gazi of Bakirtollo village and his mate Sabahat of Hayıroğlu village. Dogs from this original line formed the foundation of the so-called "Seacop" stock. In October 2012 The Kennel Club announced it will recognise the Kangal Dog as a breed and classify it within the Pastoral Group. This will allow the breed to be exhibited at KC licensed events in the UK from July 2013. In December 2012 an interim Breed standard for the breed will be issued. The interim standard was issued in January 2013. In the US, the first purebred breeding programs for Kangal Dogs began in the early 1980s. The Kangal Dog is recognized by the United Kennel Club in the US, and by the national kennel clubs of South Africa and New Zealand. Many Kangal Dogs are being bred in Germany as well, mostly by immigrant workers. Some are registered as Anatolians, that being the only registration option open to them in Germany; most are unregistered. On January 1, 2012, the Australian National Kennel Club discontinued its recognition of the ANKC Kangal Dog as a separate breed to the Anatolian Shepherd Dog. In Namibia the dogs are being used to help protect livestock from cheetah attacks. Almost 300 Kangals have been given to farmers in Namibia since 1994 by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and the scheme has proved so successful that it has been extended to Kenya. During the past 14 years the number of cheetahs killed by farmers is calculated to have fallen from 19 per farmer annually to 2.4. Livestock losses have been cut significantly at more than 80% of the farms where the dogs have been adopted. The great majority of cheetahs that are still killed by farmers are killed after specific attacks on livestock. Previously, the cats were tracked and killed whenever they neared a farm. |
| Personality | The typical Kangal Dog is first and foremost a stock guardian dog and possesses a temperament typical of such dogs—alert, territorial and defensive of the domestic animals or the human family to which it has bonded. The Kangal Dog has the strength, the speed and the courage to intercept and confront threats to the flocks of sheep and goats that it guards in both Turkey and the New World. Kangal Dogs prefer to intimidate predators but will take a physical stand and even attack if necessary. Kangal Dogs have an instinctive wariness of strange dogs but are not typically belligerent toward people. They are somewhat reserved with strangers, but loyal and affectionate with family. The objective in training this dog is to achieve pack leader status. It is a natural instinct for a dog to have an order in its pack. When we humans live with dogs, we become their pack. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined and rules are set. Because a dog communicates his displeasure with growling and eventually biting, all other humans MUST be higher up in the order than the dog. The humans must be the ones making the decisions, not the dogs. That is the only way your relationship with your dog can be a complete success. |
Care Requirements
| Health | Breed health concerns include hip dysplasia. |
| Grooming | This breed requires little grooming. The coat needs thorough brushing-out during the twice a year shedding season. You can get away with little attention the rest of the year. The Kangal Dog is a seasonal, heavy shedder. |
| Exercise | This breed needs exercise and mental stimulation. Working dogs with acreage will exercise themselves by patrolling the property and protecting their livestock. Family dogs need daily walks, jogs or runs and socialization off-property, because if there is no work to do they will not get adequate mental and physical exercise and may become hard to handle. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. |
| Other Considerations | The Kangal Dog is not recommended for apartment life. It is relatively inactive indoors and will do best with at least a large yard. The Kangal Dog is naturally protective, but is more "people oriented" than most other livestock guardian breeds. A well-socialized Kangal Dog is not generally aggressive to people, and especially loves children—but the breed does not recognize property boundaries. It will wander, attack stray dogs, and may be aggressive to human intruders, especially at night. Good fencing is therefore essential. |
