There has been much disscussion among people outside Turkey on whether the Anatolian Shepherd Dog really exists or there is only one or more "livestock guardian dog breeds" in Turkey.
One group claims that the Anatolian Shepherd Dog comes from all over Turkey. According to them, the “breed” comes in all coat lengths and colours.
FAQ on "Lumpers vs Splitters"
According to another group, in a country as big as Turkey, which has many indigenous breeds of sheep, goats, horses etc., there are surely more than one breed of dogs as well. The Kangal Dog of Sivas and the Akbas Dog are two of the most distinctive ones that can easily be labelled “breeds”.
Click here to see the list of breeds of animals native to Turkey under DAD- IS
What do the Turks think?
This web site is meant to reflect the majority Turkish view, and the reality of most of the dogs in the Kangal region.
A research conducted by Turkish scientists:
"Genetic Distinctness of Kangal Dogs."
The Kangal Dog of Sivas & The Akbas Dog
In Turkey the Anatolian Shepherd Dog (ASD) is misunderstood to be the foreigner’s word for the Kangal Dog. Turks cannot understand that anyone would think that Kangal Dogs are the same as all the other coban kopegi and/or street dogs in Turkey.
Click for the Turkish Dogs Quiz ??
Everyone in Turkey knows that Kangal Dogs are a separate cins—a breed—with a particular origin, history, colour, and coat. Likewise, it is common knowledge that most of the coban kopegi in Turkey are just “shepherd’s dogs” and mongrels, not a breed.
Let's take a deeper look together.
Read more on the Anatolians :
* Either lump them all or let them go Part I
* Either lump them all or let them go Part II
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The sole reason of this web site is to explain to the world how the different types of working and non-working dogs are classified by the Turkish scholars and my country men in Turkey. By any means, I do not intent to hurt, devalue or discredit anyone. I am only against their breeding practices and some of the influencial persons' misleading roles in educating the world about our dogs. I would like to see it as two different ways of loving these wonderful dogs of Turkey. |
Updated on Jan 2006.
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