Central Anatolian Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison

The Central Anatolian Shepherd’s lineage is ancient, with the large dog originating from the Anatolia region of central Turkey. He has been used for guarding flocks against predatory wolves and has adapted to living in extreme weather conditions.

The Turkish shepherds would put a spiked collar on the dog to protect him against predators going for the neck of the dog. Today the dog is still being used as a sheep dog and it is closely related to the Kangal Dog.

In 1965 the first pair of Anatolian Shepherds arrived in the UK. A pair were also provided by the Turkish prime minister to the United States government. Today he is a majestic dog still serving man. He is an Anatolian Shepherd Dog, a working dog breed, recognized by the American Kennel Club.

In 1882 german shepherd was introduced in a show at Hanover. They were created by the cross breeding of the rural sheep dogs by a man named Max. In 1906 they were first exported to America. After that the breed became very popular in UK.

The Central Anatolian Shepherd is a large,impressive looking dog that possesses great strength, endurance and agility. He is beautiful to look at and is well muscled and strong.

He stands at roughly 66-76 cm and weighs 40 to 70kg. The head is large and strong, but in good proportion with the rest of the dog’s body. He has brown eyes and his ears are floppy. The tail is long and set high and when the dog is alert, the tail is carried high, making a wheel shape, otherwise the tail is held low, curling up at the tip.

The short to medium length coarse coat is essentially fawn colored and the dog has a black mask. With the dog, early training and socialization will be needed as he is a strong, stubborn, dominant breed who will require firm leadership from his human owners.

Temperament:

The Central Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a loyal guard dog that becomes possessive over his flock, his human family and anything that he regards as his property. He is aloof around strangers, being suspicious of them.

He will require a firm, positive owner who provides training and socialization. He is an affectionate family pet and gets on well with children who have been taught how to treat dogs and other animals with care and respect. This is a bold, confident dog without aggression who is intelligent, proud and independent.

The GSD is very good for being a watchdog and hence it do not welcome guests to home. But when trained from a puppy it will suit itself for making new friends. GSD like to be always with somebody and they can be its master or his family members or else its partner. The GSD is very intelligent and active hence they should be always kept busy, exercised and playing. Nowadays many of them are trained well and made as four legged stars.

When we see all around the world many of them are involved in helping the physically challenged people. Also they are very important personnels in working with police and military for finding the criminals. Their excellent sniffing power works very good when given proper training for finding illegal smuggling. But basically the breed was set in to herd the sheep and protect them from predators.

Based on the popularity they are ranked 2nd in US and 4th in UK.

The large, rugged Anatolian Shepherd is a dog that has been developed essentially to work as a guardian of livestock. He is a dignified, calm kind of dog who is fiercely possessive of those he guards. He is independent and will require a firm, assertive owner.

He won’t enjoy lying around the home with nothing to do. These are dogs who like to be busy, and therefore he is more a country-life dog than being found in the city on a small property. Make sure that if your pet hasn’t got a working role, that he is provided with exercise, although as a large dog, he isn’t particularly playful and doesn’t require loads of exercise.

Provide him with a caring, loving home and this large, beautiful dog will become your loyal and devoted friend who will guard you with his life.

Children friendliness

The GSD is a very good child friendly dog, they love to play with kids.

Adaptability

They adopts both hot and cold climates, but they like cold weather very much and also their body is suitable for cold than hot.

Learning ability

The GSD has high ability to learn tricks and also they are interested in learning. As they have very high intelligence they learn very easily and quickly.

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a hardy, healthy dog who isn’t likely to get sick easily. The dog can live to be 11, 12, 13 years of age when he receives excellent care. Like any pure breed though, he is susceptible to hereditary disorders and some of the other common health issues.

Hip Dysplasia:

This condition is always a problem with a big dog. It’s an abnormal development of the hip joint and it can cause lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is brought about by a combination of environmental- as well as genetic factors.

Lymphosarcoma:

This is a common type of blood cell cancer diagnosed in dogs. Lymphoid tissue is present in quite a few places in the body including lymph nodes, liver and spleen, and dogs of any age can be affected.

The GSD has the chances for getting orthopaedic diseases such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Other common orthopaedic problems which affects GSD are Panosteitis, Osteochondritis and cruciate ligament rupture.They also get some skin problems such as allergies and pyoderma. Digestive problems such as chronic diarrhea and colitis are also seen in GSD.

Hair fall

GSD is a continuous shedder. They are having a two layer coat. They should be brushed daily as it will remove the dead fur and thus prevents shedding.

The Central Anatolian Shepherd sheds fairly heavily so he will require brushing at least twice a week. Grooming is important and won’t only include brushing, but ear cleaning and nail trimming too as well as proper dental hygiene.

A dog such as the Anatolian Shepherd, with his floppy ears, will also need to have his ears checked and cleaned to avoid ear infections. There are some of these dogs where the hair needs to be plucked from the ear canal to ensure proper air circulation.

It is important that you are skilled to clean the ears properly, and if in any doubt, to avoid damage to the ear, consult your vet for sound advice.

The GSD should be given an cool environment which they will enjoy a lot.

Feeding the puppy

The GSD puppy should be fed small quantities of food but several times per day as it needs to gain 2 gms weight per day. The preferred food for them is dry food along with raw liver pieces which would provide them excellent energy. The protein food given to puppy should contain 25 to 30% calories. Puppies consume more food when compared with adults.

Feeding the adult

The GSD needs a food which has a considerable amount of protein. They are carnivores in the nature. The protein can be given from cooked meat. The artificial food products will not be suitable for them. When are provided with protein food they will gain fat from itself. The recommended fat content for GSD is 5% to 8%.

Points for Good Health

The GSD should be provided with a nutritional food for their good health.

Games and Exercises

Physical exercises are very much needed for GSD since they are very energetic and power packed. It is highly recommended to make them play and run daily as they don't need to get bored. They can be made to climb in hilly areas as they want to explore their surroundings. They can be made to swim or play hide and seek and find the missing objects. Regular morning walk will be very good for them.