Kangal Dog vs Indian Bull Terrier - Breed Comparison

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.

Not much is known of the dog breed crossings that James Hinks carried out to get the Indian Bull Terrier. It is believed that he used the old English Bulldog, the English White Terrier and even the Dalmatian and Greyhound.

The dog comes from the UK but was later introduced to India. The Indian Bull Terrier, known as the Indian gladiator was introduced to India by the British Colonial Forces. The dog was developed from British dogs, namely Irish and English strains of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the original English White Terrier and the Hinks Bullterrier breed. The legacy of Hinks is known worldwide – he is known as the one who mixed white terriers to bull dogs to make bull terriers. He made a breed that was the base breed of the egg shaped head bull terriers we see today.

The dog is similar in looks to the old type English Bullterrier. The dog has always been valued as a fighter and as a watchdog.

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.

The Indian Bully is a powerful, muscular, athletic and aggressive breed. He is a medium sized dog standing at roughly 46 cm to 56cm and weighs in the region of 20 – 30kg, both male and female.

As a Molosser, he has a strong, lean body with fairly long legs. Because of the white coat, quite a lot of them are born deaf and they also have skin allergies. The coat of the Indian Bull Terrier is short and smooth and nearly always white although you may well find some small dark markings on the coat. While solid white is the more common color, tan, red-brown and brindle can also be seen. He has the traditional egg-shaped head, erect ears, slanted eyes and long tail.

Temperament:

Your robust Indian Bull Terrier is a fearless dog, and where he has always been used for fighting in India and Pakistan, they are seeing the value of owning him as a pet too.

He is a loving, devoted pet, regarded as a bit of a clown. He is active and intelligent and apart from him wanting a lot of exercise, he just loves being with his human family, being involved with their hike, walks, ball games and swimming.

Being such a robust, active breed, he isn't suited to life in the city where the home is tiny and with little space to run. He is also strong-willed and maybe this characteristic of his might prove to be a bit of a handful for the first time dog owner.

He will need to receive early training and socialization, more so when there are children in the home. He can be inclined towards aggressiveness. They are capable of bonding with kids in the home but they can lean towards aggressiveness with other children.

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.

Indian Bull Terriers are affectionate, playful 4-legged family members. They are loyal, protective and social and will get on well with their own human family members but not necessarily with strangers.

Precautions need to be taken around visitors who aren't familiar with the dog. He is powerful and energetic and must be trained and socialized to become the obedient, loving, loyal pet he is known to be.

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.

With love and good care, your Indian Bull Terrier can reach up to 14 years of age and even more.

If you own the white Indian Bull Terrier, you need to keep in mind that deafness is found in many white dogs. Another concern for your white dog is sun protection. Whether white or one of the other shades, your dog has short, sparse hair and spending hours in the sun can be hazardous to him and he can suffer with serious sunburn. Serious sunburn can lead to other complications such as cancer.

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.

General Care:

Your Indian Bull Terrier has a short coat and he doesn't thrive in cold, damp weather. When its really cold, keep him indoors or put a sweater on when he needs to go outdoors.

Give him a nice, warm, dry place to sleep and ensure that if he goes outside, there is both sun and shady spots for him to lie.

Grooming:

This is a low maintenance dog, so a twice-weekly brush will do him the world of good. It will get rid of loose hair, he will love the closeness the brushing provides and the brushing will keep his coat shiny and healthy.

If you have a white Indian Bull Terrier, if he has dirty marks on his coat, you can just wipe him down with a damp cloth.

Remember to do regular checks on his ears and teeth too. Tooth decay can bring on a host of illnesses for your pet.

Diet:

If you are going to be giving your pet commercially manufactured dog food, make sure its the best there is.

Your Indian Bull Terrier is an active dog and you want to make sure that he remains healthy and active for the 10 to 14 years that he is with you. If you're unsure as to how to feed your pet, speak to your vet.

It will always be to your pets benefit to feed him some homemade food too and cooked chicken, brown rice and pasta and vegetables will keep his eyes bright and alert. If you can, try to add in some raw meat into his kibble too as this helps to keep his skin healthy. Never ever leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.