WE HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG WHILE FOR THIS
Over a year at least, for these puppies to come around. And now that they are here, we are so excited!
ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD
While we have not decided what we are going to name him yet, you all can at least know his breed. These dogs are independent herders, meaning they naturally keep a herd together, safe and guide them without any assistance from the shepherd. In the old days, the dogs did not even need to be fed, as they hunted while they worked protecting the flock.
"The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is considered a livestock protector or guardian dog. As such, they were developed to live with the flock and adopt it as their own. They are rugged, self-confident guardians who know how much protection or intimidation is necessary in any situation.
The Anatolian has been working independently for centuries, making decisions regarding threats to their property. As a puppy, they adopt whomever they live with, be it a family or a herd of sheep; as they grow, they take on the protector gig. It doesn't matter to the Anatolian whether their "flock" is human or animal. They are extremely protective and possessive.
And they back up their guardian nature with presence. The Anatolian is a large dog, weighing as much as 150 pounds. They have a short, fawn coat and a black mask. They appear intimidating, and if necessary they are—though they're calm and friendly with their family.
Not surprisingly for a guard dog, the Anatolian Shepherd is suspicious of strangers and reserved with those outside their "flock." They take their job seriously—this dog is no clown—and when their owner isn't home, they are unlikely to allow even friends or extended family members whom they've met before to come onto their property."
Source: dogtime website
A VALUABLE ASSET
Given the uncertain times that we live in, homestead defense is becoming an ever-increasing higher priority so the universe aligning and creating this pup for us at this time is absolutely amazing and I would expect no less. He will be the night watchman, the protector of our flocks, defender of the homestead and our family community. He will be trained but not socialized. He also will not be allowed off the homestead ever as his job will be defense and not making friends.
"The Anatolian Shepherd will guard and protect without any protection training; in fact, attack training is not recommended for this breed. Their protective nature grows as they matures; by the time they're about 18 months old, they usually voluntarily take on the role of guardian." Source: dogtime website
*Our pups momma, Tigger, guardian of chickens and goats.
A LITTLE MORE WAITING
We will have to wait a few more weeks before we receive our puppy. He is only about a week old now so he is too young to take from his mom. But considering the length of time that we have waited so far, a few weeks is an easy wait.
*The whole family.
SOME HISTORY
"The Anatolian Shepherd Dog breed is named for their homeland of Anatolia in the central part of Turkey, where they are still a point of pride (and have even been honored on a national postage stamp).
It's thought that the working ancestors of the breed date back 6,000 years. Wandering tribes from central Asia probably brought the first mastiff-type dogs into the area that is now Turkey, and sight hound breeds from southern regions contributed to the Anatolian's agility, long legs, and aloof character.
Due to the climate and terrain of the area, the local population developed a nomadic way of life, dependent on flocks of sheep and goats. The protection of those flocks, and of the shepherds themselves, was the job of the large dogs who traveled with them.
The dogs became known as coban kopegi, Turkish for "shepherd dog." The dogs stayed with the animals night and day, and they had to be swift enough to move quickly from one end of a widely scattered flock to the other. They also had to be large and strong enough to stand up to predators.
Severe culling and breeding of only the best workers resulted in a dog with a uniform type, stable temperament, and excellent working ability. Dogs were often not fed once they were past puppyhood. They lived by killing gophers and other small animals, though never injuring their flock. They were fitted with iron collars with long spikes to protect their throats from assailants. You can still find working dogs wearing these collars in Turkey today.
Anatolian Shepherds got their most enthusiastic introduction in the U.S. in the 1970s, although prior to that the Turkish government had given Anatolians to the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a gift, for experimental work as guardians of flocks.
But in 1970, the Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America was formed at the urging of Robert Ballard, a U.S. naval officer who had become fascinated by the dogs while in Turkey, and who began to breed them once back in California. The breed entered the American Kennel Club Miscellaneous Class in 1996. It moved to the Working Group in August 1998." Source: dogtime website
Thanks for swinging by everyone and as always, thanks a million for all the love and support. The positive vibes and energy fuels us and keeps us going! We send our love and best energies out to the whole Hive community!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
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