# Anatolian Shepherd



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

So I'm on the list for an anatolian shepherd dog/puppy.

I'm not 100% sure about this. Honestly.

I'm not looking for a livestock guard, exactly, but also kind of? I'm looking for a dog that can be trained to be safe around livestock and that will be protective of the property and us.

That being said, yes most folks would suggest another breed like a gsd. Which I've been looking into. Its hard to find dogs that have sound minds that are being bred here. And you cannot easily import dogs, puppies cannot be imported period. I found a breeder that peaked my interest (gsd breeder) but her pups are $3500 each. And frankly thats a bit out of my price range. I bet they're worth it but just not for me.

I found a breeder (our state vet) who breeds anatolian shepherds with very sound minds for what I consider a reasonable price ($800), and come with first vaccines, chipped, etc.

How horrible would it be to raise this breed inside/outside? To train it and treat it as a somewhat normal dog that just has a higher drive to protect? Would I screw it up? Can LGD's ever be indoor/outdoor pets?

you can be harsh if I'm totally off my rocker. The humane society type dogs here are mostly hunting dog mixes and not very stable. So they are off my list for a more independent thinker/protector. I have one as an inside pet.


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Also ad additive:

I happily train feral donkeys. I trained and raised a wolf/gsd hybrid (she just passed away at 14). I'm quite comfortable with a strong minded critter. I prefer them.


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

Anatolians are the best dogs in the world 

If you have a good breeder s/he should be able to help pick a pup with the right temperament for your environment. They absolutely can be an indoor/outdoor/farm dog. They ARE a different breed, don’t expect them to be like a GSD. They think for themselves, they do as they see fit but you can work with them. 

There is something special about these dogs. I grew up with GSD’s and have had other “house pet” dogs and I loved them dearly. But there is something special about these Anatolians.


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Goat Whisperer said:


> Anatolians are the best dogs in the world
> 
> If you have a good breeder s/he should be able to help pick a pup with the right temperament for your environment. They absolutely can be an indoor/outdoor/farm dog. They ARE a different breed, don't expect them to be like a GSD. They think for themselves, they do as they see fit but you can work with them.
> 
> There is something special about these dogs. I grew up with GSD's and have had other "house pet" dogs and I loved them dearly. But there is something special about these Anatolians.


Thanks for that. I feel a little less like I'm going to throw up now. From reading the internet it sounded like they were terrors and would kill people if I didn't have a 6 foot fence. I have a great friend/dog trainer and was planning on socializing the dog, etc. But google makes it sound like they are super scary.


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Though google also says my last dog I had for 14 years was a terror breed. haha (the wolf gsd hybrid) and she was a great dog. I just get nervous.


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

There is a lot of bad information about this breed. Can you have a bad dog? Yes. 
They are not what is often portrayed. Anatolian owners also hyped the breed up.

But with any breed, genetics play are role as does the training. Picking the right dog is key. People need to stop buying for color and focus more on temperament.


----------



## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Forgive me... I have no idea what a GSD is, but I really like our Anatolian shepherd. The only problem is he likes to ROAM!! I had to get a GPS tracking shock collar that cost twice as much as the dog in order to train him. He still sneaks out when he thinks he can get away with it (like if we leave for a couple hours). He's never run deer or livestock on these excursions as far as I know. I'm not sure why he has such an urge to wander, but apparently he thinks I own the whole county and not just a paltry 40 acres. I did have a touch of trouble with our neighbor a couple of years ago when Pluto was young. Pluto viciously chased our neighbor from his truck to his house and almost got himself shot for it. I guess he thought my neighbor's property was ours and my neighbor was an intruder. Pluto knows better now. 

Personally I would never ever want any kind of LGD in the house. They are DISGUSTING!!! Pluto rolls in every dead, putrefied, maggoty carcass he can find, and he gets skunked at least once a month. During the summer he rolls in super-green, mushy horse poop at every opportunity. His breath is indescribable. The dog has a stink that not only defies description but also defies any kind of soap. I avoid petting him as much as possible, preferring to say "Good dog!" with a brief pat on the head (preferably while wearing gloves) or a treat thrown from a distance.

Pluto is great with the goats and is friendly with people, but he's fearless with predators and very smart about leading them away from the area if they get mad enough to chase him. He was a fairly easy dog to train, although we had to watch him a lot as a pup so he didn't get into the habit of chasing wildlife or goats. This would be true of any LGD of course, but I didn't think Pluto was hard to train except for the roaming problem. The other ongoing problem we have is that both my dogs like to bark at my horses when the horses are minding their own business. However, I can't blame the dogs too much since the horses have been known to chase my goats when the mood strikes them. The dogs make preemptive strikes any time the horses pass too close to the goat pen. 

As friendly as Pluto is, I would NOT want to get on his bad side. His teeth are enormous and his jaws are incredibly powerful. He's exactly the kind of dog I want for facing down bears and mountain lions. Thank goodness he's gentle with children and our goats because he could do some massive damage if he had a mean, or even a too-playful streak.

Good luck!


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Damfino said:


> Forgive me... I have no idea what a GSD is,
> Good luck!


German Shepherd dog


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Thanks everyone. I got some good advice both public and private. I feel more comfortable moving forward. I tend to over research, and over think, and over plan. haha

My worst case scenario would have been to get this amazing, well bred creature, and then screw it up. But sounds like it will be a good fit for my family and farm.


----------



## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

I bought 2 LGDD Anatolian Shepherds. They were born in a barn, parents protected goats








I got them cheap, no shots yet..so I took care of that. 
They are amazing. The vet said leave the male intact, until he starts roaming. The castration will end the







desire to roam. Now..you have great pups. Theylive with the goats. They dont stay little long. They turn into 80 lb chewing machines. They love wooden posts, tarps, brooms, handles, boots, feeders, waterers..and chew, chew, chew. They are energetic and strong. 
I would strongly suggest..teach them their name...Drop it...( out of the mouth) No..and SIT!








I give them dog food, and raw chicken quarter on Sunday night. Its a special treat and they love it. 
I Do not allow them in the pens with the kids less than 3 months old. Both Malleek & Savaski..lay next to the fence & watch the babies play. The kids sniff them through the fence. But I swipe of a playful paw could damage a 10lb kid.















Inside my house...No! Protective..Yes...smart..YES! GUARDIANS..DEFINATELY!


----------



## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

> The vet said leave the male intact, until he starts roaming. The castration will end the desire to roam.


Could someone please explain this to Pluto!!!


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Damfino said:


> Could someone please explain this to Pluto!!!


I agree, I think thats not the best advice. I'm going to go with neutering when the vet/breeder suggests in my case. I know I want my dog to reach its full maturity that hormones do help with, but I don't want a dog chasing one of the MANY unspayed females or ferals roaming the area. I want him to protect FROM those dogs.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, that is not the best advice of the timing to castrate.


----------



## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

The vet told me to wait at least a year to neuter so that Pluto's bones and joints could develop fully and properly, but I think we ended up doing it at 9 or 10 months because he was already getting visits from the neighbor's female, and soon he started going down there to see her. They never managed to produce a litter, and I made the appointment to get Pluto neutered very shortly after he started leaving my property, but it seemed to make no difference. His instinct to roam was not based on females in heat so much as the presence of livestock in all the surrounding territory. He was trying to guard my neighbor's cattle and goats in addition to mine, and since my neighbor has several thousands acres and hundreds of animals, Pluto started disappearing a LOT. The GPS shock collar was the only thing that finally helped him learn his boundaries. That thing has been worth its weight in gold.


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Well, thankfully I'm pretty far away from other livestock. But lots of feral dogs, so I do worry about the roaming to procreate. I will consult with the breeder/vet and get a good idea. He's pretty expensive so a GPS collar might be worth it just as a preventative. I will have my husband look into it. Do you have a brand you recommend @Damfino ?


----------



## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Well Savaski is 2..still not wandering. Hes intact. No females anywhere stealing his attention. So...he is still intact. Be 3 in July.


----------



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Moers kiko boars said:


> Well Savaski is 2..still not wandering. Hes intact. No females anywhere stealing his attention. So...he is still intact. Be 3 in July.


Wow! Plenty of girls around here, unspayed girls. So my boy will probably have to be neutered fairly young. I want to put it off as long as I can though if it will help him grow and develop.


----------



## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Dayna said:


> Well, thankfully I'm pretty far away from other livestock. But lots of feral dogs, so I do worry about the roaming to procreate. I will consult with the breeder/vet and get a good idea. He's pretty expensive so a GPS collar might be worth it just as a preventative. I will have my husband look into it. Do you have a brand you recommend @Damfino ?


Sorry, I've had a crazy week and forgot to reply. We bought the Garmin Alpha 100 system. I'm pretty sure it's the best one on the market and it wasn't cheap, but I expect it will last many, many years and will help us train other dogs besides Pluto.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

(thumbup)


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Moers kiko boars said:


> Well Savaski is 2..still not wandering. Hes intact. No females anywhere stealing his attention. So...he is still intact. Be 3 in July.


Hasn't he already bred his sister?


----------



## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

No Saltey he has not
No puppies.


----------



## Rysktal (Jan 11, 2020)

I have a great pyrenees and she is an inside/outside dog. I dont have goats yet but she happily lives among our cats, other dog, chickens and ducks during the day and sleeps inside with us. I think she is going to love having goats to watch over- she definitely guards her family- fur, feathered and human ♡


----------

