Kangal Dog

Dogs are popular all over the world and are used for various functions. They have certain features which are unique and highly desirable and this makes them very attractive pets. Different breed of dogs show different sets of strengths and they also have different physical attributes. This means that there are dogs which can be suited for a variety of purposes and they will also look a lot different from their cousins. One such breed is the Mastiff. This is a huge breed of dog, which is very popular as a guardian dog. An example of this breed is the Kangal dog or the Shivas Kangal dog.

The Kangal dog is native to Turkey. It is very popular over there and is regarded as the national dog. It is a huge breed and some of them may weigh in at around 120 pounds, much the weight of a normal man. It is a livestock guardian breed and is also sometimes referred to a sheep dog. This may be erroneous because they do not herd their flock. They are excellent guards and they look after their flock with intensity and devotion. It is a very able dog and is capable of fending off attacks from wolves, bears and such other threats. It is a gentle dog and is hence very popular as a pet and as a guard dog for the family.

The adult fully grown Kangal dog will stand around 30 inches tall and weigh in at around 130 pounds. This means that the breed is a very large one. The females are much smaller. The pups themselves are huge and at birth they may weigh around 2 pounds each. This is very large for a pup. Even though these dogs are very large, compared to the other dogs of its type, they are small. This means that they can run fast, they have been clocked at around 30 miles per hour which is surprisingly fast for their size. It has a short double layered coat. The under fur is dense and is covered by longer coarser hair. All the Kangal dogs have a distinctive facial mask which is black in colour, and the ears are shaded black to at the ends.

This breed is a very calm, alert, independent, protective and intelligent dog. It is a very good guard dog. It is generally aloof towards strangers but with the proper training they can be made to accept strangers. They are very sensitive to changes and alert. They usually react to threats with warning signs which are easily understandable and will not hesitate to get physical. They need to be bred by experienced hands only because they are highly intelligent and have a mind of their own. They will get very difficult to handle otherwise.

The Kangal dog shows extreme protective behaviour. They have a very distinct manner of looking after their flock. They will put themselves between the intruder and the sheep or their master and then confront the quarry. They are highly successful.