There's just been a case of what happens when people get genuine guard dog breeds and don't train them or keep them adequately contained.

My apologies for linking through to the Daily Fail with it's glaring factual anomolies.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nd-attack.html

What a horrific story, I read about that in the telegraph yesterday (there was a whole page which was pretty much dog bashing!). Such a horrible thing to happen to the lady and her dog
I think it's a bit sad that some people are calling for a ban on the breed in the whole country though. Whilst I don't know much about anatolians I'm sur this can't represent the breed entirely.

That is a horrible incident and I feel so sorry for the lady attacked and for her poor dog who was killed. It must have been terrifying

They're bred to guard sheep against predators like wolves and work in teams of several dogs. So these dogs were just doing what they have been bred for thousands of years to do in their heads. Sadly, this isn't acceptable in the UK.

Owning a similar breed, it's totally unfair to call on a ban as properly socialised from an early age and continually through their lives in the hands of someone sensible who is dedicated to put in continuous hard work with the dog, these are great dogs that are sure to become well known and loved in their local area by other dog walkers and people in general. If you are going to keep several and they are not going to get the same one on one socialising and daily walks, you need to make sure they are mentally stimulated and you overengineer your property bounaries. You really need to know what these dogs were bred to do and are capable of and if the latter is what attracts you to them and/or you live in a council flat, you're not the right owner.

It's not the dogs that are the problem in any breed, but the owners. Sadly I can see this breed getting a bad reputation as they seem to have started attracting d*ckless wonders. I'm waiting for an Ovcharka to kill hurt or kill someone then it will be open season. Maybe not in this case as genuine accidents do happen, but saying that, you have three dogs knowing the history of the breed and you make damn well sure accidents don't happen. This is how breeds get demonised. The judge had no right to say these dogs shouldn't be kept in the UK though. I pray this never happens with a Tibetan Mastiff or it will be the rottweiler all over again.

I have been waiting for the Daily mail to become aware of flock guardians ..

yeah that's not good. They will end up the next pit bull

I know a few Anatolians and they are great dogs in experienced hands. Such a shame they have to be demonised because of one terrible incident. I feel for the poor woman, what an awful thing to go through.

Good girl M'Boi - never underestimate a shar-pei! For their size they are pretty good guard dogs. I know exactly what you mean about teaching them friend from foe as that's why my TM was so well socialised and appears to be gentle and amiable - which he is unless he genuinely needs not to be. Both these breeds are amongst ones that are excellent guard dogs, but you can't really call their bluff with schutzhund type training as that doesn't suit their temperaments at all as they know the difference between a real threat and a manufactured one.

My first two would have protected me with their lives and the bearcoat was a particularly surly little black beastie who was quite intimidating if she had the mood on her. I was out walking in the long grass with them about 12 years ago. I could see a chav coming up behind me who hadn't seen the dogs or twigged that he wasn't being very subtle so I and the dogs knew he was there. He suddenly started stalking quickly towards me from behind with that kind of body language you know is not good, the grass still obscuring the dogs. He got within about 10 feet and they both literally exploded out of the grass at him. Lets just say he would have put Yussein Bolt to shame the speed he moved away at. If he'd have pushed his luck, I have no doubt he would have got bitten as no way would those two have backed off. At night, nobody was allowed within about 6 feet of me. I had every faith in them, ditto with the TM, but would not expect my current bearcoat or her horsecoat predecessor to protect me. Sophie would just run in terror.