Central Anatolian Shepherd Dog

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Central Anatolian Shepherd Dog(Orta Anadolu Coban Kepegi) is a breed native to Turkey. As its name suggests, the breed comes out of Central Anatolia, the region loosely covering cities like Aksaray, Konya, Nevsehir, Denizli with some part of Ankara and Kayseri. In villages these dogs serve as watchdogs, flock guardians and make appearances in illegal dog fighting venues. It is believed, in fact, that the breed is a develeopment of fighting strains in Turkey.

Central Anatolian Shepherds might recall Kangal Dogs in appearance and can be mistaken by those who do not have a trained eye. As the breeding of dogs in Turkey is not monitored, and the regions are not strict, one might come across dogs from either breed looking rather similar. Central Anatolian Shepherds are usually larger and heavier in size, highly aggressive towards strangers and potential predators. They come in a variety of colors like pinto(Ala), fawn(Boz) with or without black mask and brindle( Capar), but fawn is the most commonly observed color.

In canine circles in Turkey, the breed is also known as Aksaray Dogs since they are abundant in the city of Aksaray. Yet, Turkish Mastiff is another name that is used to refer to the breed. However, villagers do not like their dogs to be referred to as mastiffs, as they feel people, uninformed about the breed, will believe that the dog is a mastiff cross than a purebred.

This breed is hardly known outside the territories of Turkey. Currently, the Turkish Canine Federation is trying to set breeding standards for the villagers to follow, and also working to inform the dog fancy about this highly attractive working breed.