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7 Turkish Dog Breeds (With Info & Pictures)

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By Nicole Cosgrove

dog sleeping in Istanbul Turkey on grass turkish dog breeds

Turkey is known for its rich cultural history, exotic food, beautiful art, and gorgeous landscape. It has abundant wildlife, including the endangered Anatolian leopard, but it’s also home to some of the most unique dog breeds on the planet!

In this article, we’ll examine seven of Turkey’s native dogs and what makes them so special.

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The 7 Turkish Dogs

1. Akbash Dog

akbash dog
Image Credit: bektasaydogan, Shutterstock

If you’re looking for a loyal guardian for your family, it’s hard to find any dog more devoted than the Akbash. Because they can be so protective of their families, early socialization is necessary to ensure you don’t have problems with people or other dogs outside the home. They’re also a pretty low-energy breed and prefer to loaf about rather than run and play.


2. Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Image Credit: No-longer-here, Pixabay

The Anatolian Shepherd is another large guardian dog hailing from Turkey. They are direct descendants of one the oldest dog breeds on earth, and they stay very true to their roots. There’s nothing too different from today’s Anatolian Shepherd than those you would find 6,000 years ago.

They are a calm and level-headed breed, showing patience and caution until provoked. Like the Akbash, the Anatolian Shepherd is the ultimate guardian dog. They’re incredibly loyal to their families and will guard them—even the family cat—to the bitter end.


3. Kangal Dog

Kangal
Image Credit: Tuna Ölger, Pixabay

Kangals are similar to the Anatolian Shepherd Dog. Bred initially in Sivas City, Turkey, Kangals hold one of Dogkind’s scariest records. They have the strongest bite out of any breed in the world. At 743 psi, their massive bite becomes an issue when their families are threatened.

Other than that, they’re gentle with their owners and children, often taking on a sweet, adoring nanny role. But just because they’re great with children doesn’t mean they’re good with other pets. If you plan on owning a Kangal, it’s probably best they’re the only pet in your life and that they’re socialized as soon as possible.


4. Catalburun Dog

Tarsus Catalburun Turkish Pointer dog breed
Image By: leo Sano, Pexels

If you’re looking for a truly unique dog, there’s nothing quite like the Catalburun. Also known as the Turkish Pointer, they are only one of three breeds with a split-nose feature (the other two being the Pachon Navarro and Andean Tiger-hound). And if you’ve ever seen one up close and personal, consider yourself extremely lucky.

The Catalburun is a very rare breed and is seldom found outside of their native Turkey. Unlike most of the canines on this list, the Catalburun isn’t a guardian dog but a hunting dog. Their split noses are exceptionally keen at picking up smells, and like any greater Pointer breed, they can remain perfectly still while showing their hunting partner where prey is hiding.


5. Aksaray Malaklisi

Aksaray_malaklisi dog standing on the grass
Aksaray malaklisi beto (Image Credit: Birhanb, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)

This behemoth is also known as the Turkish Mastiff or Anatolian Lion. Historically, Aksaray Malaklisis were used by the Assyrians as war dogs trained to recognize the armor of enemies to take them down in battle.

While they don’t share their massive bite, the Malaklisi share common ancestry with the Kangal. Nowadays, most Aksaray Malaklisi dogs work as livestock guardians.


6. Anatolian Sultanic Dog

Greyhound
Image By: David Mark, Pixabay

This sighthound goes by many names, including the Turkish Greyhound and Anadolu Sultan Tazizi. The Turkish Greyhound is relatively short in stature compared to many other sighthounds. But don’t let that fool you. They’re swift and agile hunters, often chasing down prey such as rabbits, foxes, and partridges.

They get their name from their first recorded appearance in history, where one is depicted at the side of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.


7. Rize Koyun Dog

Molosser
Image By: mirjana ristic damjanovic, Shutterstock

The Rize Koyun is a Turkish variant of the Molosser dog. They’re a large and powerful breed used primarily as guardians for livestock. These dogs aren’t necessarily used for herding. Instead, they serve primarily as protectors for their flocks in the event of attacks. Rize Koyun dogs are also well-known for their fierce barks, which warn their owners of danger.

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Exotic Turkish Dog Breeds

While Turkey may not have as many native dog breeds as the British Isles, its unique and fearsome breeds are among the most unchanged throughout domesticated history. Each dog is deeply loyal and protective of their families. It’s easy to see through these Turkish exotic breeds how the title of “man’s best friend” came to be.


Featured Image Credit: sefa yamak, Shutterstock

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