Kangal Dog vs Bloodhound - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

The magnificent looking Kangal Shepherd Dog, a purebred Mastiff type dog, is often referred to as a sheep dog and hails from the Sivas province of Turkey.

The Kangal Dog is a distinct breed and the National Dog of Turkey. These are working dogs who made their appearance in the UK in 1965.

It is interesting to note that in June 2018 the Turkish Kennel Club, Köpek Irklari ve Kinoloji Federasyonu, classifies Kangal Shepherd Dogs to be the same population as the Anatolian Shepherd dog.

The history of the Bloodhound breed is a fascinating one. Known as a Sleuthhound for its ability to smell out the culprit and bag the prey. Even more so the Bloodhound is known for tracking and finding lost people. He is famous for finding human scents and being able to follow them even days or weeks after the person is lost. They are also able to track people over a great amount of land and have been known to successfully track escaped prisoners or wanted criminals. They are descended from the Saint-Hubert Hounds that were bred at the Abbey/Monastery at Saint-Hubert, Belgium. According to the legends the St. Hubert hounds were bred by the Monks in 1000AD. This hound was thought to be a mixed breed rather than a purebred. That’s because the ancestry of this hound is not really known but it is known that the monks bred them and sent several to the King of France annually. Only black hounds were gifted.

Some kings preferred not to hunt with these hounds thinking them not good enough while others thought the only use for them was as a leash hound. All described the St. Hubert as long in body with short legs. These gifts continued until the French Revolution when hunting in France was greatly reduced until the 19th century. The original St. Hubert strain became extinct in the 19th century and that the current European St. Hubert hound has its origins in the Bloodhound. The Bloodhound as a separate breed was already established in Europe by the middle of the 14th century. They were used as leach hounds to sniff out the prey so that the pack hounds could chase and keep it “at bay”. They were also used from the beginnings of the breed to track humans. At this time they were often known as sleuth hounds. As recorded by John Caius – the authority on Bloodhounds from their origins – writes about the breeds ability to find and track the scent of blood – thus becoming the Bloodhound and its use to track poachers and thieves. He also reported that the Bloodhound and the Sleuth Hound were the same basic breed. The number of Bloodhounds in Britain gradually declined until few remained after World War II. Britain has gradually built their breed back up by importing dogs from America. It was during the 19th century that the Bloodhound was imported into France by breeders who wished to reestablish the St. Hubert Hound. Thus the St. Hubert is both the ancestor and descendent of the Bloodhound. The Britain’s continue to believe that the Bloodhound is a native British breed.

The Bloodhounds in America have had great success as companion animals, with police departments and forest rangers and showing in the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club in New York. There are more Bloodhounds in the United States than anywhere else in the world.

In the end the Anglo-Saxton Bloodhound cannot be specified with any real certainty. Many believe it was not the St. Hubert that the Bloodhound descended from but rather the Norman hound or the sleuth-hound. Many believe it could have included other breeds such as the southern hound, the dun-hound and the Talbot. It cannot be proven today it the Bloodhound’s origins come from Belgian or England.

This is a large, heavily boned dog with a big head with a black mask and medium sized floppy ears. Looking at him, he has a Mastiff-like appearance but isn't as heavy as some Mastiff breeds, allowing it more speed and agility.

He stands at roughly 72cm to 85cm male and female, and weighs about 50 to 63kg. He has a solid double coat of dense hair which is a pale tan color.The coat is short and dense. The Kangal Dog is powerful and when he is alert, the long tail is held over the back, otherwise he holds it down with a slight curl.

Temperament:

The Kangal is known for his good looks, but he is also alert, sharp, territorial and confident, while also being calm. These dogs have an instinctive wariness of strange dogs and they are also reserved with strangers but are loving, loyal and protective with their human family.

In fact, the Kangal Shepherd Dog is protective while being gentle with small children and animals. He is an intelligent breed too, and having him trained and socialized won’t be a problem.

It is always a wise move to have a big dog like this trained and socialized, making him obedient and even more amicable than he already is.

When being judged for confirmation in a show ring, the preference is for a larger dog, with an unusual skeleton in respect to its large size and heavy weight in the bones. They have a narrow head, flat at the sides, but long. They have deep set eyes buried in the deep, long face and wrinkles. The eyes might be yellow or run the gamut to deep hazel depending upon the color of the dog. The long velvety ears and thin and low set on the head. These long ears are as much a part of the Bloodhounds Olfactory system as his amazing nose. They curl backward and inward as the ends. There is a large amount of loose skin on the head and at the jowls. When the Bloodhound lowers his head the loose folds and ridges of skin are prominent on the face and forehead.

For many centuries all different colors of Bloodhounds could be found. Today however they are pretty much red, black and tan and black and liver. The Bloodhound is a powerful dog and is larger than most breeds of hounds.

Your Kangal Dog is a big, powerful dog. His very size size won't suit him living in the city in small spaces and tiny gardens. He is far better suited to life in the suburbs or to country life where he can move around easily.

In spite of his size, he is a calm, balanced, independent, protective dog. He may well be aloof towards strangers, but a trained and well-socialized Kangal Dog is friendly, loving and loyal pet with his human family and with visitors to the house.

This is a beautiful dog and it will be an honor to have such a wonderful pet in your home. Treat him well and you're bound to have the most fantastic protector, guardian and friend.

The Bloodhound is known as a gentle soul and he truly is. They are affectionate and gentle with people and children. However, their strong will to track can make them stubborn and hard to handle and train. They are easy going dogs and really like to be with people, children and other dogs. They are affectionate but tend to be set in their ways.

Spaying and Neutering:

This is most important if you don't intend your Kangal Dog becoming a parent, and is good for the health of your dog.

Vaccinations:

Your Kangal Dog puppy needs certain vaccinations at certain stages of his life to prevent him from getting some life threatening dog diseases. Keep a check on your dog's health and realize, that although the Kangal Dog is a healthy dog breed, he can develop canine illnesses such as eye diseases, ear infections, bloat, skin allergies and hip dysplasia among others.

Your dog may then require veterinary intervention to heal him of any of these.

General Hygiene:

To keep your pet happy and healthy, make sure to pick up your dog's faeces every day. This is for your own health's sake too.

Obviously with ears like the Bloodhound there is always a chance for problems and serious infections. The ears need to be cleaned daily. Because their coat is so thick, they can overheat easily, and they are very prone to bloat, as are many large animals. However, with the Bloodhound, Bloat is the number one killer. Their lifespan is one of the shortest of all dogs at 6.75 years.

The Kangal Dog can be a wonderful pet in your home, but because you’ve made the decision to bring him into your home, it becomes your responsibility to ensure his happiness and wellbeing.

These ‘care’ tips can help you, particularly if you’re a first time dog owner -

Diet:

Remember that a puppy will need 4 meals a day of soft, recommended puppy food. By the time your dog reaches his first birthday, one or two meals a day will be good.

There are some top quality commercial manufactured foods to choose from, and the packaging labeling will guide you to which one.

Adding in some home-made food such as nutritious cooked chicken, rice and vegetables will be a treat for your pet and don’t forget some raw meat occasionally too.

Fresh, cool water should be within reach of your pet around the clock.

Exercise:

Dogs need exercise to maintain their lean bodies but it will also stimulate their minds and keep them healthy. The exercise needs of your dog will depend on his size, age, health and breed type. Fun and games as well as daily walks will satisfy your Kangal Dog and keep him content.

Grooming:

Help keep your Kangal Dog looking groomed and cared for. He is a fairly heavy, seasonal shedder. Remove loose hairs with brushing the coat twice a week. Check for fleas and ticks at the same time and for any unusual lumps.

Housing:

Every dog needs a warm, dry, quiet place to rest and sleep, inside and outside. Make sure that when your dog is outside that he has a place to rest in the shade and sun, as he chooses.

The Bloodhound is not a high energy, fast moving dog but that does not mean he doesn’t have serious nutritional needs. An overweight Bloodhound is on a course to an early demise. They should be fed a high-quality food once a day or split into two daily servings. Do not feed them right before or right after strenuous exercise and remember that strenuous exercise for a Bloodhound is considerably less than it is for a terrier.

Health issues

As previously mentioned the number one cause of death in Bloodhounds is Bloat. They are also prone to cancer. They have minor issues with their eyes, but their ears and skin are also major concerns. Clean the ears daily and wipe out the skin folds and wrinkles to prevent infections. They should be test for hip and elbow dysplasia simply because they are large dogs, though these conditions are less common in Bloodhounds.

Exercise and games

Though the Bloodhound is known as a couch potato his stamina and activity levels are usually greatly underestimated. He can follow a scent for 7-10 hours over miles of terrain with out a problem. He needs daily exercise such as long walks on a leash. Do not take your Bloodhound out off leash because if he picks up a scent and wanders off you will not be able to get his attention to call him back.