Anatolian Shepherd Dogs At Crufts 2012.

I could only stay long enough to get pictures of the dog classes, but to say I'm smitten is an understatement!

Here are a few of the pics I managed to take, apologies for the quality of some!

Junior Dog Winner:




A Post Grad Dog entry:




Open dog entry and eventual BOB:




GCDS:


Junior Dog Winner again:


In the line up:






One word: luscious!

They are a very handsome breed.

Great photos.

They are gorgeous and have a beautiful natural proportion Almost big enough to ride ...... they are huge I am only short, so all of these gorgeous big dogs look like small horses to me Thanks for showing the photos

Met a coupple whilst I was there. Lovely dogs.

They have got gorgeous faces, never heard of them before especially like the 3rd pic

Hi,
I am new here so hello all other dog lovers. I just stumbled across this
site googling anatolians. I have 2 here in NZ and they are loveliest dogs. They share their home with 2 working cattle dogs and lots of cattle.
Enjoyed your photos of the dogs at Crufts.

Heck I must have been stood just to the left of you!

How gorgeous is Fred? I want to steal him!

Thank you.

I think that's what attracted me to them, they do look a very natural breed, but so stunning with it!

They are aren't they, a big variance in type, but the Karabash are just stunning!!!

I know, for some reason I imagined the dog in the third pic was called Bear!

Oh wow, lucky you! Any pics?

Blimey, really?! I was sat in the front row right on the right hand side!

Fred was gorgeous, Freya was lush too!!!!

I'm going to email Deely and discuss things a bit more as I'm worried that my house and garden isn't big enough for a breed bred to cover large distances. That said it won't be short on exercise as an adult. It's a tough one!

I had one and I live in a terraced house in the middle of a small town, he was mostly lead walked as they are not the most obedient of dogs (plus most other dog owners would object to a dog that size bearing down on them to play!), but I walked him for miles over dockland/beach every day. He came from the same kennels of the dog that won BOB at Crufts. I would not hesitate to have another (or two!) in this house.

When I say they are not obedient I don't mean they are not capable of learning - just that they learn too fast and are too intelligent for their own good, this combined with the fact that they are very headstrong and think that they know best all the time can make them very frustrating dogs to own! They are bred to be independent and often don't always wait for 'commands' from their handlers/owners.

They don't really cover large distances. They are bred to sit on the hillside and 'guard' or watch over their stock. If something (like a bus) comes into their patch they will run alongside and escort it until it leaves their patch and the dogs next door will take over.

Most of the time they are laying/sitting surveying the area.

My boy was quite happy sitting around the house, I used to walk him for a half hour in the morning, then two hours most afternoons and half an hour round town at night. Not much different to what my GSD's got, except theirs was all free running because they were more obedient.

I would advise anyone interested in the breed to contact the breed rescue (Roz Carr). She will be very honest about the breed and has lots of experience of them. As gorgeous as they are they do not suit everyone.

If buying a pup I would definitely recommend going to a good breeder who has been breeding for a number of years. Don't just buy the first pup you see advertised. There are a number of cross breeds being advertised as pure 'Anatolians'. If you like the Karabash (black faced ones) then go to a breeder who breeds Karabash, not all 'Anatolian' breeders do (hence the variation in type).

They can be a very long lived breed so you have to make sure it is the breed for you - you will be stuck with them for quite a while!!!

If anyone wants more information about them you are more than welcome to pm me and I will try and answer any questions you have (or give you the names/phone numbers of people who can).......

Sue

The dog in the 3rd pic grabs my attention too for some reason...
A short haired live stock guard...dont seem to be many of those..