Cattle watchdogs generate Turkish pride

SIVAS, Turkey (AP) – For 30 years, Huseyin Yildiz has raised powerful sheepdogs in the central Anatolian province of Sivas in Turkey, home to Kangal canine dogs, which guard livestock, and are a source of pride for the country.

However, the breed of animal that Turkey regards as the national dog struggles for international recognition. The UK Kennel Club lists Turkish Kangal dogs as a distinct breed, identified by their snout and dark ears. In other parts of the western world, Kangals are still listed with similar breeds from the region as Anatolian sheepdogs.

Its origin in the Kangal district of Sivas is said to date back thousands of years, although concrete evidence is scarce. Yildiz, 50, describes herdsmen as “lions of Anatolia”.

“The Kangal dog is the ancient legacy of Anatolia,” he told the Associated Press. “It is fast, fast, agile, agile, strong and intelligent. At the same time, it has the appearance of a wolf that differentiates it from other breeds of dogs. “

Although large-skulled, short-haired creatures are predominantly used to protect livestock, Yildiz says they are also used for personal protection – kangals are known to have one of the strongest bites of any dog.

At his farm, 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of Turkey’s capital, Ankara, Yildiz says he keeps male dogs apart at all times because they will fight each other to the death.

He currently has 67 purebred Kangal sheepdogs on the farm, but Yildiz says he has raised more than 500 dogs in three decades and has sold most of them. He also donated dogs to the Turkish police and military forces.