Anatolian Shepherd Dog

FCI:

Anatolian Shepherd belongs to the Group II. - Pinschers and Schnauzers, Molossoid breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattle dogs, Section - Molossoid dogs, Subsection - Mountain dogs.

General Appearance:

Balanced temperament, courageous, but without any signs of aggression, independent, home loving. They are intelligent, proud, but reliably to its owner very affectionate and loyal, but they also tend to behave in a dominant towards other dogs; adults are distrustful of strangers.

Temperament & Behaviour:

Anatolian Shepherd is really nice and perfectly controllable companion requires from earliest young age gentle, but totally fierce leadership and a wide early socialization.

It is not breed for beginners. Its owner must be person with natural authority, who can be in all those situations peacefully, but clearly apply, and have some previous experience with training and leadership breeds like this. People who are inconsistent, impatient and distracted, impulsive, often changing their wishes and their views. These persons are not good owners of this breed for future.

Training must start at a very early age, along with the widest possible systematic socialization; be kind, but fierce training. We must remember this dog of this breed must be at its physical fund and character establishment in adulthood time, i.e. under all circumstances, perfectly controllable, which will never reach when the training starts late or will be neglected. If socialization of Anatolian Shepherd Dog requires a lot of movement, but freely discharged should be only in a well-fenced property; during year it can be in a kennel, but it cannot not live in all its life. It needs frequent contact with the owner and his family members.

Commands it can learn quickly, because it is intelligent and docile, but slavish obedience from it no one can expect. It is too proud and confident and always retains a certain degree of independence.

Desperately it needs a leader who can never disappoint; such situations, the owner must consistently prevented; with regard to this inclination and temperament of Anatolian Shepherd. it is recommended to walk it on a leash on walks always to go at least a half-step behind owner, the highest level with its nose in level of owner s feet, it never  walks in front of owner. According to the rules of the dog pack owner goes first it is always guiding the dog who decides where to go. Therefore, the dog should remain so consistently and totally non-violent reminded what its position in the group.

Body:

It's a mighty big frame Shepherd, powerfully built, with a strong head and dense medium length coat; must be large and persistent, able to move at high speed. Height at withers for male 74 to 81 cm and for female s from 71 to 79 cm, weight of body adult is from 50 to 65 kg for male and 40-55 kg for female

The head is in adult male dogs larger than the females; skull should be large, but in proportion to overall body size, wide between the ears, slightly arched above. Frontal inclination (stop) is gradual, muzzle must be viewed from above almost rectangular when viewed from the side blunt ended, as it tapers toward the nose slightly, its length is slightly less than the length of the skull. The nose is black, with brown-skinned, some individuals liver brown. Lips are slightly overhanging, at the edges of black (in individuals with brown nose brown) pigmented. Edge of upper lip not exceed the lower edge of the mandible.

Teeth are strong with a perfect regular scissor bite, which means that upper teeth closely overlapping down teeth, both of which are planted in the jaws. AKC standard admits pincer bite, but the margin is preferred, acceptable is a complete set of 42 teeth.

Eyes are in proportion to the size of the head rather small, deep and far apart saved; haw must not be visible, which means that the eyelids should fit closely to the eyeballs; iris colour is golden to dark brown; the rims are black, except for individuals with liver-brown pigment, those have to be brown.

Ears should be medium-sized, triangular, rounded tops, hanging, lying close to the front edge of the cheek.

Topline body should be slightly arched loin; back is in proportion to leg length rather short; tail should be long, if it is carried down reaching the hocks. It is quite high and in repose hanging at the end of a slightly curved upward, in the heat of passion, especially in dogs (males), carried high, curved over the back and loins, chest must be sufficiently long and deep so that it reaches to the elbows, ribs should be adequately arched. Belly distinctly tucked up. The forelegs are strong bones, moderate length, straight, their attitude is wide; blade should be oblique, powerfully muscled, elbows moving freely, fitting  close to the body, strong and pasterns when viewed from the side slightly askew, hindquarters shall be mighty, but not overly muscled when viewed from the rear to be perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other.

Actions legs should be flexible, elongated. Dog gait in typical impression of the beast during chasing, hunting of the prey. It is permitted at a lower speed - amble. Mincing or hackney (high and short limbs action) is highly not acceptable.

The coat can be short or medium length, thick, with a woolly undercoat, due to climatic conditions may be differences in length of coat considerable, neck and shoulders coat tends to be longer and thicker, winter coat is longer in other parts of the body. All colours of coat are acceptable.