Meet the Anatolian Shepherd

We Anatolian Shepherds are an ancient breed with a fascinating history. The humans think my earliest ancestors came to Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) around 2000 BCE. From the very beginning, we were fierce livestock guardians, able to take on dangerous predators like wolves and bears. In Turkey, the humans called us Coban Kopegi – which means “shepherd’s dog” – because we were so good at protecting flocks of sheep. We’re also called the Karabash dog and the Kangal dog, though many humans consider us a separate breed from the Kangal dog.

We were so prized in Turkey for our skills, in fact, that Turkish humans kept us all to themselves for thousands of years! It wasn’t until the 20th century that we made our way to the U.S. under pawsitively fascinating circumstances. In the late 1930s, the first Anatolian Shepherds arrived as part of a super secret program by the US Department of Agriculture to breed the perfect sheepdog. The program didn’t succeed, but it wasn’t long before more Anatolians came to the U.S. In 1970, a US Navy officer named Robert Ballard (who fell in love with us while he was stationed in Turkey) formed the Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America to promote our breed.

We became well-known in America after the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973. Because of our cheetah-protection work in Namibia, the Americans chose us to help guard livestock from dangerous predators like wolves that were classified as endangered animals. Our guarding skills were perfect for protecting these endangered populations while also protecting the livestock they preyed on. In 1999, the AKC officially recognized us as part of the working group, and even though we make great family pets, many of us are still hard at work on American ranches and farms today.