Turkish Dogs - particularly Anatolian Shepherd Dogs

Bozkir Çanavari: The Steppe Monster is the latest of articles available online, written by Guvener Isik in the ASDI newsletter (Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International, Inc., Choban Chatter ).

It is an authorized English translation of a chapter from the Turkish dog book, Turk Çoban Köpegi Kangal by Dogan Kartay. Thank you Dogan Kartay and Guvener Isik for doing this work!


This chapter explains a little about the mystery and intrigue behind some of the wolf/shepherd dog hybrids of Turkey, the parents of which "can be karabas, akbas or crosses of these two. The possibility of the survival of the cubs from the Çanavar parents is greater in the steppes."

It has been generally understood that wolf crosses have occasionally been used in the breeding of some of the shepherd's dogs, so this makes for some fascinating reading for Turkish dog fans! The robust health and the original diversity of these dogs, the hardships and the cultures behind them can be really appreciated here. Warnings about character of the cubs/puppies are mentioned as well. (lest anyone think that wolf/dog hybrids come without risk)

Here's another bit from the article...

Male Wolf and female Kangal pairs are bred under the control of the villagers of Yesildag region that is in the west of Beysehir Lake, which is located, further north of Toros Mountains.

I'm really into maps, so I'm always referencing areas when specific regions are mentioned. This helps put a lot of what is said about Turkish shepherd dogs into clearer perspective. The Toros Mountains is the Turkish name for the Taurus Mountains and the region mentioned above can be seen here just at the northern edges of the Toros Mountains and between Konya (east) and Isparta (west) just south of Lake Beysehir...Map of Yesildag TR

Here's a photo of a twisting, winding road to Yesildag going around Lake Beysehir.

Courtesy Lux's World

Here's a fascinating satellite map which helps put the rough terrain into a little more perspective. Pink spot is approximately Yesildag.

Boone ponders a squeaky toy that is not a Steppe Monster.

Labels: Boone, breed_info, isik