Breed library

Anatolian Shepherd

Also known as Anadolulu karabaş, Anatolian Street Dog, Karabaş, Turkish Shepherd, Çoban köpeği.

anatolian shepherd photograph.
Anatolian Shepherd.JPG - Canarian. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anatolian_Shepherd.JPG. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Breed overview

A Turkish livestock guardian, the Anatolian Shepherd is associated with protecting flocks. Its coat includes a dense undercoat, and length varies with lineage and season. Fawn with a dark mask is one familiar color pattern, but the reference also lists white, liver, pinto and brindle.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: TurkeyBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • A Turkish livestock guardian, the Anatolian Shepherd is associated with protecting flocks.
  • Its coat includes a dense undercoat, and length varies with lineage and season.
  • Fawn with a dark mask is one familiar color pattern, but the reference also lists white, liver, pinto and brindle.

Size and appearance

Its coat includes a dense undercoat, and length varies with lineage and season. Fawn with a dark mask is one familiar color pattern, but the reference also lists white, liver, pinto and brindle. Assess the individual dog rather than treating a catalogue description as a guarantee.

  • Body mass reference: 40 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. female, minimum.
  • Body mass reference: 50 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. male, minimum.
  • Body mass reference: Up to 65 kgBreed reference body mass. male, maximum.
  • Body mass reference: Up to 55 kgBreed reference body mass. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 71 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 79 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: Up to 81 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 74 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Height category: very_tall
  • Weight category: giant

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 1.73 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 1.78 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.88 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.55 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 1.50 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 1.72 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.34 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.81 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.07 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.56 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.62 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.45 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.57 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.57 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Anatolian Shepherd.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

  • Lifespan reference: Up to 13 yearsBreed reference lifespan years.
  • Lifespan reference: 10 years or moreBreed reference lifespan years.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

A Turkish livestock guardian, the Anatolian Shepherd is associated with protecting flocks. The cited reference supplies background for this catalogue identity; detailed ancestry or a founding date is not independently established here.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. File:Anatolian Shepherd.JPGWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Anatolian Shepherd.JPG - Canarian. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anatolian_Shepherd.JPG. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0.
  4. Anatolian Shepherd - Palipaws factual summaryPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Original Palipaws wording; factual reference: https://www.trainpetdog.com/breed/Anatolian-Shepherd/
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.