Kangal Guard Dog Breed: History, Facts, and What You Need to Know

The Kangal Guard Dog Breed is a sight to behold, with its majestic appearance and impressive size. This ancient breed has a long history dating back to the 14th century in Turkey.

They were originally bred to protect livestock from predators like wolves and bears, and their instincts are still strong today.

In fact, the Kangal's keen sense of smell and hearing make them a formidable guard dog, capable of detecting potential threats from a distance.

With proper training and socialization, Kangal Guard Dogs can make wonderful companions for active families or individuals who value loyalty and protection.

The Kangal Guard Dog is a remarkable breed with several distinct characteristics. They typically stand between 72 and 78 cm (28 and 31 in) at the withers, with a 2-centimetre (1 in) tolerance either way for both sexes.

Their size is balanced by their agility, allowing them to reach speeds of up to 56 km/h (35 mph). This is a testament to their athletic ability and makes them well-suited for guarding livestock.

The Kangal's coat is a key aspect of their character. It has two layers: an under-layer that provides insulation against extreme temperatures, and an outer-layer that repels water and snow. This unique combination allows them to regulate their core temperature efficiently.

Their coat is also dense enough to repel rupture from wolf bites, making them a formidable guardian.

Kangal guard dogs aren't for apartment living, they need a large yard with a proper fence around their home to prevent them from wandering off or getting into fights.

They're social and friendly, especially with children, but they can be a handful if not trained well. Kangal puppies mature late and are prone to chewing and digging, making life in the city and at home challenging.

To keep your Kangal safe and happy, you'll need to provide a secure space for training and exercise with long fences (about 2 meters) and deep bases to prevent them from jumping out or digging their way out.

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Kangals are herding dogs and bark a lot, so be prepared for some noise.

For grooming, Kangals have a thick, easy-to-care-for coat that sheds heavily, so you'll need to brush them twice a week to prevent hairballs on your furniture and carpets.

They may need their thick nails clipped every 8 weeks, and daily tooth brushing should be introduced from a young age to make nail clipping and other grooming tasks a breeze.

The Kangal guard dog is a breed that requires regular exercise to stay happy and healthy. They don't need much vigorous exercise, but several hours of lead walking per day will suffice.

Their calm temperament makes them a great companion, but they do have a strong instinct to protect their flock and grazing pastures. To fulfill this instinct, they need a large garden to patrol.

Kangals are naturally brilliant herding dogs, and defending the herd is second nature to them. You don't need to train them for this, but it's essential to supervise their work.

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In fact, training them in the classical sense is almost impossible. They're more suited to basic training, such as obedience, which is still beneficial for their well-being.

If you live in an urban area, a daily walk or run is a must for your Kangal. They can get upset if they don't have anything to do, and walking them should be done with a collar.

Here are some guidelines for exercising your Kangal:

It's worth noting that Kangals are not suited for living in apartments and require a large yard to thrive. They also need a proper fence around their home to prevent them from wandering off or getting into trouble.

The Kangal is a very healthy breed, with very few recognised predispositions to disease or genetic disorders. This is great news for anyone considering bringing one home.

In the villages of Turkey, Kangals were traditionally fed a diet of goat's milk, yogurt, bread, and cooked barley, which is likely not nutritionally complete due to its low protein content. It's better to give your Kangal quality food that provides a balanced mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

A fully grown male Kangal needs about 7 cups of dry dog food daily, which is less than you might think considering their large size. This is equivalent to 2 liters of food per day.

The Kangal is a very healthy breed, with very few recognised predispositions to disease or genetic disorders. This makes it an excellent choice for families or individuals looking for a low-maintenance companion.

A fully grown male Kangal dog needs about 7 cups of dry dog food daily to provide the necessary calories. This is equivalent to 2 liters of food, which may seem like a lot but is actually less than you think for a dog of his size.

Their diet is traditionally low in protein, consisting of goat's milk, yogurt, bread, and cooked barley, which isn't nutritionally complete. Adding a piece of raw meat from a healthy animal from time to time can help supplement their diet.

Kangal dogs require 66 calories of energy per day per kilogram of their body weight, and this can vary depending on their level of activity and age. You'll need to balance their food to ensure the right amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Feeding puppies too much won't make them grow larger than their genetics allow, but it will make them fat. It's better to feed them small, frequent meals that they finish in ten minutes.

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Kangal guard dogs have a remarkable instinct to sense predators, making them excellent herders.

Their exceptional speed and agility allow them to easily cover large distances, reaching speeds of over 50 kilometers per hour.

Two or three Kangals can care for a herd of 150 to 250 sheep, and the best combination is two sterilized males and one female.

Kangal dogs are big and substantial, with a jaw strength that's three times that of pitbull dogs, exceeding 49 kg/cm2.

Their impressive jaw strength, combined with their agility and speed, makes them a formidable opponent for predators like wolves, bears, and hawks.

As they mature, Kangal dogs become independent and start protecting the herd at the age of two years.

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The Kangal guard dog is a remarkable breed with a rich history. They were once referred to as the 'Anatolian Lion' and are also known by other names such as Kangal Shepherd, Kurdish Kangal, Turkish Kangal, and Kangal Çoban Köpeği.

In terms of strength, the Kangal has the strongest bite force in the canine world, generating a force of 743 pounds per square inch (PSI). This is significantly stronger than a Rottweiler, which has a bite force of 328 PSI, or a human, which has a bite force of 150 PSI.

Despite their impressive strength, the Kangal is not the same as the Anatolian Shepherd, although both breeds originated in Turkey.

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The Kangal Dog is a traditional working breed of Central Anatolia, originating from the town and district of Kangal in Sivas Province, Turkey. It has been used by shepherds for protection against wolves and other predators for centuries.

The breed was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1989, and the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom recognised the Turkish Kangal Dog in 2013. A provisional breed standard was published early that year.

The Kangal is classified as a molosser breed, meaning it is part of the broad family that includes the English Mastiff, Rottweiler, and Boxer. Molossers were used by the peoples of Central Asia thousands of years ago for a wide range of jobs.

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The Kangal is typically used to protect herds of sheep allowed to graze freely in the rugged mountainous terrain of its homeland, where wolves, bears, and other predators are plentiful. It usually works in pairs or teams, depending on the size of the flock.

The breed has gained a foothold in Africa, where farmers suffering losses because of predation by lions and other big cats have seen remarkable success in employing the Kangal to tackle these fearsome predators.

The Kangal is an impressive breed with a rich history. They used to be referred to as the ‘Anatolian Lion’ and are also known by other names such as the Kangal Shepherd, Kurdish Kangal, Turkish Kangal, and Kangal Çöban Köpeği.

The Kangal has the strongest bite force in the canine world, generating a force of 743 pounds per square inch (PSI). This is significantly stronger than a Rottweiler's bite force of 328 PSI or a human's bite force of 150 PSI.

Kangals are often confused with Anatolian Shepherds, but they are actually separate breeds that originated in Turkey.

According to legend, the first Kangal was bred from a lion, which explains why some people think their face resembles a lion's.

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