Anatolian Shepherd Dog puppies

About the Anatolian Shepherd Dog

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a livestock guardian from the Turkish plateau, bred over a very long time to live out with flocks and see off predators without a shepherd standing over them. This is a very large dog, 69 to 74 centimetres tall and up to 68 kilograms, lean rather than bulky, with a short weatherproof coat over a thick undercoat. They are calm and undemonstrative at home, reserved with visitors, and they make their own judgements about what counts as a threat.

Exercise is moderate: a long walk once or twice a day and a yard with a tall, strong fence and a locked gate. Grooming is a weekly brush, stepped up to every few days during the twice yearly shed. Trainability rates two out of five, which reflects independence rather than dullness, so reward based work and early socialisation matter. They stay on lead away from home. A guardian breed is a hard fit for suburban life, where that territorial instinct has nowhere sensible to go.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Anatolian Shepherd Dog puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A giant breed puppy at eight weeks is already heavy and will keep growing for up to two years. Controlled growth matters more here than in any other size class, so a large breed specific puppy food and no overfeeding. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow evaluation of breeding stock
• Entropion, an inward rolling eyelid that irritates the cornea, found on a veterinary eye exam and corrected surgically
• Gastric dilatation volvulus, a surgical emergency, risk rises with deep chests
• Sensitivity to anaesthesia, so the vet should be told the breed before any procedure

Your Anatolian Shepherd Dog puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Giant for a Anatolian Shepherd Dog.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 36.3 to 68 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 48 inch (48 x 30 x 32 in, 122 x 76 x 81 cm) for an adult of up to 68 kg, the largest size in the chart, which tops out at 49.9 kg, so measure the dog before you buy; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Do slow feeder bowls work? Choosing one for a puppy that gulps
• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other giant breeds

More on the Anatolian Shepherd Dog

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Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Anatolian Shepherd Dog breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/anatolian-shepherd-dog/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Tibilou, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.