Anatolian Shepherd Dog

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog stands between 27 and 29 inches at the shoulder and can weigh as much as 150 pounds. Profusely muscled but nimble afoot, Anatolians are more than a match for the predators and harsh terrain of their homeland. Anatolians descend from some of the oldest known domestic-canine bloodlines. This lends the breed a sense of timelessness, a no-frills, untouched quality that takes us back 6,000 years to the Bronze Age.Anatolians are smart, devoted, responsive, and adaptable. They will protect their flock—livestock, children, smaller dogs, even the family cat—with intensity. Anatolian owners must be strong leaders, willing and able to handle a dog as dominating and demanding as he is calm and loving. An Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a rugged, imposing flock guardian of ancient lineage. Protective and territorial, but also intelligent, patient, and profoundly loyal, these muscular avengers are prized as working guard dogs without equal.