The Turkish Mastiff This is the most recently recognised Turkish breed. It has brought about some arguments amongst the Turkish fanciers though the breed’s unique place is also acknowledged by all. Some seem to feel uncomfortable with the use of the term mastiff as they believe it refers to some possible crossings with western mastiff breeds. The breed is also known as the Aksaray Dog or Central Anatolian Shepherd Dog. The Turkish Mastiff seems to have lost most of its old function for livestock protection today. It is widely used for illegal dog fighting and estate protection. Breeding larger and more aggressive dogs has been detrimental to the breed and today the Turkish Mastiff needs a rigorous breeding programme to breed the old strong and healthy dogs of the past. Skeletal and behavioural problems seem to be crippling the breed today.
Although it comes in every colour, in the recent years the Kangal Dog’s popularity has led the ambitious and ignorant breeders to breed Kangal lookalikes in mastiff sizes. While they are marketing these large dogs as Kangal Dogs the two breeds are being destroyed by greed and ignorance. To the uninitiated it has become increasingly difficult to tell two breeds apart. Thanks to the brave steps the Turkish Kennel Club has taken to separate the two breeds in Turkish dog shows these two impressive Turkish breeds are shown in different rings today. It is hoped to save the Kangal Dog from crossbreeding and educate the public about this degenerating trend.
The Turkish Mastiff is a large dog with a shorter coat in various colours such as brindle, pinto, fawn with black mask and various combinations of black, white and brown. The fawn dogs with black masks seem to be on the increase due to the place Kangal Dogs possess in the nation’s heart. The main differences between the two breeds are the head and body types. The Turkish Mastiff tends to have a heavier head with a welldomed skull and an evident stop. The muzzle is shorter with loose skin reminiscent of typical mastiff looks. While Kangal Dogs have a characteristic athletic profile with a curly tail Turkish Mastiffs have a heavier boned body and much less curl on the tail. The most important temperamental difference is the Kangal Dog being less inclined to attack humans while it is more common for Turkish Mastiffs as guard and fighting
Although there is often some mention about this breed of dog internationally, little research has been done so far. The name was given by the American breeder, David Nelson, upon his field observations in the 1980s. He observed these dogs in north eastern Turkey and classified them as the Turkish version of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog of Russia. The breed has not achieved a wide national recognition yet, unlike Kangal and Akbaş Dogs, though it is listed among the Turkish livestock guardian dog breeds by the Turkish Kennel Club. The breed shows great variety in type. It comes in various colours and long coat as in the Caucasian Dog.
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