AP PHOTOS: Livestock-guarded dogs breed Turkish pride
SIVAS, Turkey (AP) – Huseyin Yildiz has been breeding strong shepherd dogs for 30 years in the central Anatolian province of Sivas, home to Kangal Cattle Breeding, a source of pride for the country.
Yet the animal breed that Turkey considers the national dog is struggling for international recognition. The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom mentions Turkish Kangal dogs as a distinct breed identified by its dark snout and ears. Elsewhere in the Western world, Kangals are still listed with similar breeds from the region as Anatolian Shepherd dogs.
Their origins in Sivas’ Kangal district apparently span thousands of years, although concrete evidence is scarce. Yildiz (50) describes the herd tenders as ‘Anatolian lions’.
“The Kangal dog is the ancient heritage of Anatolia,” he told The Associated Press. ‘It’s fast, fast, agile, nimble, strong and smart. At the same time, it has a wolf-like appearance that distinguishes it from other dog breeds. ‘
While the skull-short-haired creatures are mainly used to protect herds of livestock, Yildiz says that they are also used for personal protection – it is known that Kangals have one of the strongest bites of any dog.
On his farm 450 kilometers east of the capital of Turkey, Ankara, Yildiz says he keeps the male dogs separated at all times because they will fight each other to the death.
He currently has 67 purebred Kangal shepherd dogs on the farm, but Yildiz says he has bred more than 500 dogs in three decades and sold most of them. He also donated dogs to the police and military forces in Turkey.