The Turkish Kangal (Anatolian Karabash) dog breed is one of the oldest and strongest. It impresses with its size, unyielding nature, and hard work. A guarded herd will always be safe and healthy. At the same time, Kangals are affectionate with children and devoted to their owners. They are a national treasure of Turkey. The government has even banned the export of this breed to other countries.
History of the breed
When guarding the flock, they prefer to occupy a high position from which to survey the surrounding area. Young animals stay close to the adults and learn from their experience. Five to six dogs guard the flock: two in front and two behind, and one or two inside. At night, they patrol the flock more intensively. When a dog is alarmed, it raises its tail and ears. This signals to the sheep to gather under its protection. In hot weather, they dig a hole in the ground to cool off.
They demonstrate their strength and provide assistance when it's truly needed. At any age, they strive to dominate, especially males.
Knowing these qualities, one can understand that a Turkish Kangal would have a hard time living in an apartment. Loyal and intelligent, these dogs are bred for service and protection, so they need a job.
Training
This breed is prone to obesity, so it is not recommended to overfeed it; sweets, rice, and potatoes should be excluded from its diet.
Dogs drink a lot, so keep water next to their food bowl. Change it twice a day.
In spring and autumn, it is recommended to add vitamins A, D and minerals to food (Canina, Nutri-Vet).
Diseases and treatment, life expectancy
Puppies mature slowly, and immunity develops slowly. To prevent many diseases, vaccinations are recommended:
- A combination vaccine against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus enteritis, and parainfluenza is administered at 8-10 weeks of age. If the puppy is living and has direct contact with adult dogs, the vaccination is administered at 3-4 weeks of age.
- A repeat treatment is given at 11-13 weeks. Deworming is necessary prior to treatment.
- Further vaccinations are given once a year.
Afterwards, the puppy should be quarantined for two weeks and not bathed. All contact with other animals should be avoided.
Other diseases common to this breed and methods of combating them are presented in the table.
| Diseases | How to cope |
| Limb problems due to heavy weight | Even in puppyhood, add calcium-containing foods or vitamin complexes to the diet |
| Dysplasia and inflammation of the knee and elbow joints caused by excess body weight and excessive physical activity | Calcium supplementation during puppyhood and moderate-intensity walks |
| Eye diseases (eversion and eversion of the eyelid) | Surgical treatment is required |
Your dog should be checked periodically for ticks and fleas. Once every few months, administer deworming medication as recommended by your veterinarian for prevention.
With proper care, the average lifespan is 12-15 years.
Pros and cons of the breed
Nicknames for Kangal
Before choosing a nickname, you should consider some rules:
- Short nicknames are remembered by dogs more quickly.
- It should be combined with large sizes.
- Pets with a pedigree often have names consisting of several words (from their ancestors). Therefore, it's recommended that the chosen name be compatible with other names.
Examples of nicknames are presented in the table.
| Nicknames for female dogs | Nicknames for male dogs |
| Alma, Ada, Bonya, Barsi, Gerda, Juna, Zara, Irma, Lucky, Laura, Orly, Puma, Sonya, Salma, Scully, Tori, Tina, Tessie, Umka, Fimka, Tsya, Chelsea, Sherry, Shaya, Ashley, Elsa, Jasper | Cupid, Athos, Alt, Baron, Bruce, Buran, White Jack, Duke, Elson, Zeus, Zack, Irbis, Chris, Lord, Lice, Max, Macho, Oscar, Pirate, Packie, Rex, Spike, Tyson, Fox, Phil, Hooch, Chuck |
The Turkish Kangal is a strong and resilient dog. However, it requires a lot of exercise, so keeping it in a city apartment is not ideal.
