HISTORYThe Kangal Dog is an ancient flock-guarding breed, thought to be related to the early mastiff-type dogs depicted in Assyrian art. The breed is named for the Kangal District of Sivas Province in central Turkey where it probably originated. Although the breed has long been associated with the family of the Aga of Kangal, large landholders and chieftains, the majority are bred by villagers who take great pride in the dogs' ability to guard their flocks of sheep and goats from such traditional predators as the wolf, bear, and jackal. The relative isolation of the Sivas-Kangal region has kept the Kangal Dog free of cross-breeding and has resulted in a natural breed of remarkable uniformity in appearance, disposition, and behavior. Despite its regional origin, many Turks consider the Kangal Dog as their national dog. Turkish government and academic institutions operate breeding kennels where Kangal Dogs are bred and pedigrees are carefully maintained. The Kangal Dog has even appeared on a Turkish postage stamp.
The Kangal Dog was first reported in European and North American canine literature by David and Judith Nelson, Americans who studied the dogs while resident in Turkey. The Nelsons imported their first Kangal Dog to the United States in 1985. This dog, and subsequent imports, provided the foundation for the Kangal Dog in the United States.
The Kangal Dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1998.
GENERAL APPEARANCEThe Kangal Dog is a large, powerful, heavy-boned dog, whose size and proportions have developed naturally as a result of its continued use in Turkey as a guardian against predators. The head is large and moderately wide with drop ears. A properly proportioned Kangal Dog is slightly longer (measured from prosternum to point of buttocks) than tall (measured from the withers to the ground), and length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) should equal slightly more than one-half of the dog's height. The tail, which is typically curled, completes the distinctive silhouette. The Kangal Dog has a double coat that is moderately short and quite dense. The Kangal Dog has a black mask and black velvety ears which contrast with a whole body color which may range from light dun to gray. Honorable scars or other evidences of injury resulting from working in the field are not to be penalized.
CHARACTERISTICSThe typical Kangal Dog is first and foremost a stock guardian dog and possesses a temperament typical of such dogs -- alert, territorial, and defensive of the domestic animals or the human family to which it has bonded. The Kangal Dog has the strength, the speed, and the courage to intercept and confront threats to the flocks of sheep and goats that it guards in both Turkey and the New World. Kangal Dogs prefer to intimidate predators but will take a physical stand and even attack if necessary. Kangal Dogs have an instinctive wariness of strange dogs but are not typically belligerent toward people. They are somewhat reserved with strangers, but loyal and affectionate with family.
HEADThe head is large but in proportion to the size of the dog without appearing heavy or coarse. The female's head is somewhat more refined than the male's head. Viewed from above, the broad skull tapers very slightly towards the place where the muzzle joins it and then tapers slightly from the base of the muzzle toward the nose. When viewed from the side, the length of the muzzle, measured from the stop to the end of the nose, is slightly shorter than the length of the skull, measured from the occiput to the stop, in an approximate ratio of 2:3. Faults: Narrow head
Skull - The skull is broad between the ears and slightly domed. The ratio of skull width in relation to total head length is approximately 3:5. There is a slight central furrow which runs from the middle of the skull through the stop and gradually broadens into the wide base of the muzzle. The cheeks are moderately well developed. The stop is well-defined, but not abrupt.Faults: Skull too flat; skull too narrow
Muzzle - The muzzle is deep and moderately blunt due, in part, to the development of the upper lips which are somewhat padded, especially in mature males. When viewed from the side, the jaws are of equal length. The muzzle is blockier and stronger in the male. The lips are fairly tight and always black. Faults: Snipey muzzle; over developed flews
Teeth - The Kangal Dog has a complete set of large, evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors or level bite. Broken teeth resulting from field work are not to be penalized.Serious Faults: Overshot or undershot bite; more than two teeth missing; wry mouth
Nose - The nose is large and solid black. Disqualification: A liver or chocolate-colored nose
Eyes - The eyes are medium sized, somewhat round, set well apart and show no haw. Eye color ranges from deep brown to amber. Eye rims are black. Serious Faults: Pale yellow eyes; lack of solid black pigment on the eye rims; loose eye rims.
Ears - The ears are pendant, medium sized, triangular in shape, and rounded at the tips. The ears are set even with the outside corners of the skull. When alert, the ears may be carried slightly higher. The front edge of the ear is carried close to the cheek and, when pulled forward, the ears should amply cover the dog's eyes. In puppies the ears may appear disproportionately large. In Turkey the majority of Kangal Dogs have their ears cropped as puppies. Cropped ears on a dog imported from Turkey should not be penalized, but cropped ears on a domestic-bred dog are a disqualification. Faults: Any ear carriage other than pendant; ears set too high or too low; ears too large or too small. Disqualification: Cropped ears on a domestic-bred dog
NECKThe neck is powerful and muscular, moderate in length, slightly arched, and rather thick. Some dewlap is present. Faults: short, heavy neck; overly long neck; exaggerated dewlap
FOREQUARTERSThe shoulders are well-muscled and moderately angulated. The forelegs are long, well-boned, and set well apart, with strong, slightly sloping pasterns. The elbows move freely and close to the sides. The front quarters are slightly heavier in proportion to the hindquarters. Faults: Loose shoulders or elbows in mature dogs; bowed front legs; feet that turn in or out; chest too wide or too narrow
BODYThe body is powerful and muscular. The line of the back inclines very slightly downward from the withers, levels, and then rises with a slight arch over the short, muscular loin, which blends into a moderately short and slightly sloping croup. The ribs are well-sprung. The moderately wide chest is deep with the brisket extending down to the elbow. Tuck up is moderate. The Kangal Dog is a working dog and should always be presented in well-muscled condition.Faults:Narrow or poorly muscled chest; narrow rib cage; barrel chest; long back or long loin; steep croup; overweight or lack of muscle
HINDQUARTERSThe hindquarters are powerful and well-muscled, although somewhat less substantial than the forequarters. The rear legs are well-boned and moderately angulated at the stifle joint and the hock joints. The hind legs are parallel when viewed from the rear. The rear pasterns are moderate in length and slope slightly forward from the hock joint when the dog is standing in a natural position. Faults: Poorly muscled thighs; insufficient or over-angulation angulation at stifle or hock joints; rear feet turning in or out
FEET The feet are large with the front feet somewhat larger than the rear feet. They are either rounded or oval in shape, with well-cushioned pads and toes that may be webbed. Nails, which may be black, white, or mixed, should be kept blunt. Rear dew claws may be absent, present, single or double. Dew claws may be removed. Faults: Splayed feet
TAILThe tail, which is set at the end of the croup is uncut, thick at the base, tapering to the tip. The hair is slightly fuller on the tail than on the body. When the dog is in repose, the rather long tail reaches at least to the hock. When the dog is alert, the tail is carried in a curl over the back. The curl may be tight or loose, but when the tail is curled tightly, the tip of the tail may fall off to one side of the back. Faults: Extensive tail feathering or plumed tail; tail too short or too long; tail carried off center (to the side of one hip) when curled; kinked tail
COATThe Kangal Dog coat is a short double coat, neither wavy nor fluffy. In cold weather, the coat is very dense, nearly uniform in length. In warm weather, much of the undercoat is shed, leaving a short, flatter outer coat. The outer coat is harsh and the undercoat is very soft, dense, and sometimes grey in color. The hair on the neck, shoulders, and tail is only slightly longer than the hair on the body. The hair on the tail is never plumed or feathered. Most Kangal Dogs have a strip of flatter hair along the topline. The hair on the face, head and ears is quite short. Faults: Feathering anywhere on the body or on the legs or tail; lack of undercoat; medium, long, or shaggy coats
COLORColor is an important characteristic of the Kangal Dog. In Turkey, non-standard colors or patterns are indicators that the dog is not a purebred Kangal Dog. The true Kangal Dog color is always solid and ranges from a light dun or pale, dull gold to a steel gray, depending on the amount of black or gray in the outer guard hairs and in the soft, cashmere-like undercoat. This basic color is set off by a black mask which may completely cover the muzzle and even extend over the top of the head. The ears are always black. White is only permitted on the feet, chest, and chin. The white on the feet may extend half way up the forearm. The white on the chest may range from a small spot to a blaze which may extend in a narrow stripe under the chest. Such blazes are frequently outlined with dark hair. Only a small white spot is allowed on the chin. The tip of the tail is usually black and a black spot in the middle of the tail is often present.Disqualifications: Solid black, white, or chocolate colored dogs; dogs with piebald, brindle, or other parti-colored patterns; white markings on the face other than the small white spot on the chin. Faults: Poorly defined black mask.
HEIGHT AND WEIGHTDesirable height at maturity (minimum, two years), measured at the withers ranges from 30 to 32 inches for males and 28-30 inches for females. A male Kangal Dog in good condition should weigh between 110 and 145 pounds. A female should weigh between 90 and 120 pounds. Height and weight in both sexes may exceed the foregoing and should not be penalized as long as overall balance is maintained.Fault: Obese, soft condition.
GAITThe Kangal Dog's movement reflects the breed's combination of strength and agility. Its natural gait is relaxed and efficient with strides of moderate length. The back remains level, and the front and rear legs on each side move in a parallel fashion. As speed increases, however, the width between the legs decreases and the tendency to single track increases. Pacing at a slow gait is acceptable.
DISQUALIFICATIONSUnilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness, marked shyness, or cowardliness. Piebald, brindle, or parti-colored coat patterns. White, black, chocolate or liver whole body color. Liver or chocolate colored nose. Cropped ears on a domestic-bred dog.

The Kangal Dog Club of America, Inc.

The development of the Kangal Dog breed outside of Turkey required, as a part of the gentrification process (see Glossary for definition), the establishment of a breed society to maintain a stud book and to promote the breed to the public. The Kangal Dog Club of America, Inc. (KDCA) was organized to accomplish this objective.

History
The Kangal Dog Club of America, Inc. was founded in 1984 and incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1989. The first president of the Kangal Dog of America, Inc. was David D. Nelson who, with his wife Judith, became the first Western observer to report in international canine copyrighted literature the Kangal Dog name and to link this name with its status as an independent Turkish dog breed. This information appeared in the book Akbash Dog: A Turkish Breed for Home & Agriculture. (Nelson & Nelson, 1983)
Original Mission
The mission of the Kangal Dog Club of America, Inc. (KDCA) was to preserve the breed identity and name of the famous Kangal Dog of Turkey. In so doing, the KDCA founders and other foundation breeders joined elements of Turkish society, private individuals as well as the Turkish government, in a crusade to save this magnificent animal, an endangered dog breed, from extinction.

Our contribution to this worthy enterprise was the creation of an enclave of pure Turkish Sivas-Kangal Dogs in the United States of America. This dedicated group of people also worked to educate the public about the nature of the Kangal Dog and what this breed means to the Turkish people.

The foundation breeders and KDCA members promoted the breed in a variety of ways. They published articles. made information (including a color club publication) available, purchased breed and club advertising in national publications, and as early as 1994, had breed information on the web.

To this day, we are very proud of those early accomplishments. Likewise, we are proud of those early foundation kennels and breeders, such as Kangal Aga Kennels (David and Judith Nelson), Turkmen Kangal Dogs (Tamara and Michael Taylor), and Ashkabad Kennels (Nancy Rix). Their dedication and work laid the basis for the Kagnal Dog breed in North America. The early KDCA was in the Vanguard of foreing dog breeders seeking to preserve the Turkish name “Kangal Dog” and all that it means to the Turkish people.

However, the rewards of their work did not end at this country’s borders. In 1996, with encouragement from the then KDCA President, David Nelson, Anne Nippers of Australia traveled in Turkey to Sivas and to Kangal with the KDCA’s founders, David and Judith Nelson, and Tamara Taylor. Upon returning from her trip, Ms. Nippers was able to provide adequate documentation to the Australian National Kennel Club to prove that the Kangal Dog was a unique, pure breed. The result was recognition of the Kangal Dog in Australia, and shortly thereafter in New Zealand.

The KDCA promoted equally the use of the Kangal Dog companion animals in the home and as livestock guarding dogs in agriculture. However, having experienced firsthand the difficulties of importing good foundation stock and realizing the dangers to dogs that work as livestock guardians, the foundation breeders placed only a few imported dogs in livestock guarding homes. However, working together with experienced livestock producers who needed help in reducing predation, a small group of the early KDCA members focused on making working Kangal Dogs available to western sheep and goat producers, primarily.

Valuing the preservation of the working disposition of the breed above monetary return, a few early Kangal Dog breeders, placed dogs with livestock producers in order to get an objective evaluation of the breed and its ability to fill the unique needs of the North American livestock producers.

Thus, in the mid to late 90s, Kangal Dogs were placed in different situations, such as exotic game ranches in south Texas, where the Kangal Dogs were reported to have protected the exotic hoofstock against bobcat and coyotes, as well as potentially rabid skunks. Kangal Dogs were placed on range in Washington state and in Utah’s Bitterroot Mountain Range, where cougar and bear were real threats to sheep and shepherd alike. This special effort, while no longer a function of the new KDCA, has been ongoing thanks to the continuing efforts of those few, independent foundation breeders who are still breeding Kangal Dogs to meet the original KDCA criteria.

The Registry
The traditional path for rare breed dog clubs to follow in the United States until they are "recognized" by a major American or international, multi-breed professional kennel club is to "club register" the founders group and subsequent generations of animals.
For many years, the KDCA maintained its own registration records and issued pedigrees in the name of the club. This served to anchor the developing Kangal Dog breed and was central to the ongoing gentrification (see Glossary) process outside of Turkey.
In 1997, the KDCA chose to affiliate itself with the American UNITED KENNEL CLUB (UKC) --the second largest, multi-breed, professional kennel club in the world. It was felt that development of the Kangal Dog had reached a stage where the breed would have a more secure future in association with a disinterested third party, a professional canine organization known for its support of the working dog.

The UKC, founded in 1898, sponsoring some 10,000 dog events each year, and registering approximately 250,000 dogs of many breeds per year, is a progressive and reliable organization. Very importantly, it also offers a secure venue to deposit irreplaceable historical pedigree information and to provide ongoing registration services.

On January 1, 1998, the UKC announced its recognition of the Kangal Dog breed and the assumption of Kangal Dog registry operations on behalf of the KDCA. The KDCA remains the national club and maintains all its functions with some modifications to conform with UKC procedures.
Left to right: Susan Kocher, Judy Nelson, Nancy Rix, Cindy Cooke (UKC Vice President), and Tamara Taylor sporting breed "T-shirts" designed by Lynne Fancher at UKC's Premier. Aga Kangal Kirli bred by the Nelsons and owned by Sue Kocher is in the foreground.
The KDCA: Breed Club Challenges
The KDCA’s partnership with the UKC , in accordance with the contractual agreement forged by the KDCA Board of Directors in 1996, David and Judith Nelson, Tamara Taylor, and Nancy Rix permits the importation and registration of Kangal Dogs from Turkey in perpetuity. The KDCA’s responsibility is to approve the registration of imported dogs, a process called Single Registration, which is dependent upon basic documentation and proof of purity and origin. It is upon the rules governing Single Registration and their fair application that much of the integrity of the breed lies, and it is there that a primary duty of a rare breed club, such as the KDCA, rests.

Single Registration applies only to Kangal Dogs whose sire and dam are not already registered with the United Kennel Club. The offspring of UKC registered parents do not require approval of the breed club. They must, however, meet certain standards for the breed set by UKC and agreed upon in the original KDCA contract with UKC.
Thus, the UKC Kangal Dog Registry will never be closed, as is the case with some kennel clubs, to the ongoing imports now that the breed has been "recognized." In this manner, through an ever expanding gene pool, we will preserve the vitality and health of the breed by avoiding excessively close line breeding and inbreeding.

The real challenge for the KDCA, as with any breed club dedicated to a working breed, is to maintain the high standards established by the breed founders, standards which enabled the breed to be recognized officially by the UKC in 1997. Those standards for the Kangal Dog were expressed, in part, in the original Single Registration contract with UKC. This Single Registry agreement is also a contract with the KDCA members and potential members, who rely on the KDCA to protect the integrity of the United Kennel Club recognized breed by registering only pure Turkish Kangal Dogs, a responsibility that requires experience (both historical and ongoing), objectivity, and a real sense of fairness. Only then can breeders continue to breed healthy, long-lived UKC registered Kangal Dogs that are able to perform as farm and family guardians.

Breeding Kangal Dogs in America

Breeders associated with the KDCA have bred Kangal Dogs in the USA for more than ten years. This has given us ample time to determine that the Kangal Dog breeds true to type and to the United Kennel Club (UKC) Breed Standard for the breed.
Pictured left with their owner, Judy Nelson, is a brace of Kangal Dogs bred in the United States. Pictured below is "Kurt," a young Kangal Dog owned by Karen and Ken Wolf. These Kangal Dogs illustrate the typical color and markings of the purebred Kangal Dogs found in Turkey.
Purebred Kangal Dog stock does not produce white dogs, pinto or skewbald dogs, brindle dogs, or dogs of indeterminate colors. The head colors are free of white markings and conform to the classic black face called "karabash" in the Turkish language. They are short coated. They look like the dogs pictured on these web pages. The process used to prove the foregoing is called progeny testing.
Progeny testing is basically a process of validating field observations and the genetic characteristics of any given breed stud book by evaluating successive generations of these dogs to determine if they breed true to type; i.e., that a standard morphology, temperament, and color are consistently reproduced over time and combine to become the phenotype for the breed. Progeny testing may also be used to modify or even redefine a preconceived phenotype.

What we have discovered is simple: the Kangal Dog of Turkey breeds "true to type." Our standard for type, and basis upon which the breed standard was established, are the average morphologies of the dogs from the Sivas-Kangal Region which we and the Turks have observed over the years. The remarkable homogeneity among the sheepdogs in the Sivas-Kangal Region may be explained by the fact that the Turkish people have been breeding to this Breed Standard for many yearseither deliberately or influenced by other exterior factors, such as geomorphology and locationbefore any foreigners; i.e., non-Turks, became interested in the Kangal Dog.
Kangal Dogs are dispersed all over the United States and are valued guardians of livestock as well as companions in the American home. We have sufficient numbers and diverse bloodlines to continue breeding Kangal Dogs in the United States without further imports from Turkey. We do, of course, desire to continue to import purebred Kangal Dogs from Turkey. We value and appreciate the help of Turkish government officials who facilitate this process.

Turkish Academic Institutions

The first Turkish academic institution to establish a Kangal Dog breeding program is the Veterinary Faculty of Selcuk University in Konya. Selcuk University was also the first to host an International Symposium on Turkish Shepherd Dogs.
(Nelson photo)
The physical facilities for the breeding of Kangal Dogs at Selcuk University (see photo) are excellent. An impressive number of high quality Kangal Dogs are established at the breeding facility and they are certain to contribute to an advanced understanding of the Kangal Dog as well as the other native dogs of Turkey. Thus, Selcuk University joins the Turkish Government facilities at Ulas and Kangal for the protection and propagation of purebred Kangal Dogs.
Other researchers at other academic institutions, including Ankara University, are producing research reports on the Kangal Dog as well.
All these facilities and researchers agree that the correct name for this famous Turkish breed is Kangal Dog or Sivas-Kangal Dog.
We welcome Turkish Government and academic research into the purebred Kangal Dog, which include, among other things, quantitative physical measurements and blood studies. The Kangal Dog has been recognized by many prominent Turkish government and academic institutions. Please examine Prof. Dr. O. Cenap Tekinsen's letter of accrediation. We will be happy to cooperate in these studies and to incorporate the results of new Turkish studies into our published descriptions of this famous Turkish breed.

Turkish Government Support

The Turkish government has designated the Kangal Dog a bona fide Turkish sheepdog breed.
The decision of the Turkish government in this matter is reflected in three ways: breeding activities, the views of qualified and relevant officials, and official documentation.
Over the years many Turkish government officials have owned Kangal Dogs. Some have even bred Kangal Dogs.
These Turkish officials have included a former President of the Republic, a former Prime Minister of the Republic, the current Governor of Sivas Province where the breed originates, senior military officers, parliamentarians, and a host of others. They all use the name "Kangal" to describe them.

The Kangal Dog is bred by the Turkish government. Yes, that is correct. The Turkish government has built kennels and pays for the breeding of Kangal Dogs. These state operated kennels are located at Ulas (pictured at the right) and Kangal (pictured above) in Sivas Province. The Turkish military propagates Kangal Dogs at Bursa/Gemlik and elsewhere, and these Kangals are used for, among other tasks, guarding the official residence of the President of Turkey in Ankara.

The Turkish government is beginning to issue "pedigrees" for the Kangal Dogs bred at one of these national breeding kennels. The officials of the government charged with operating these breeding stations call the dogs bred there "Kangals." A number of technical papers have been written by Turkish officials and published in government journals. The dogs are described as "Kangals."

Location and Topography

The Kangal Dog is found in the high rolling plains country of central Turkey. The approximate geographic center of the region is Sivas City. The Kangal Dog has historically been associated with the town of Kangala district town within Sivas Province.
While much of the landscape is rolling plains, the region is cut by the KulmaÁ Mountains and the Tecer Mountains running approximately NE/SW.
The Uzun Yayla southwest of Kangal is a major Kangal Dog and sheep producing area. The Kizilirmak River runs through the province. A karst topography dominates the northern part of the province.
This photograph of a magnificent Kangal Dog with his shepherd also illustrates the typical topography of the region - arid, mesa-like country similar to parts of the American West.
Although Sivas Province is the center of Kangal Dog breeding, good examples of the breed can also be found in parts of the neighboring provinces of Kayseri, Yozgat, Tokat, Erzincan, and Malatya, where they border on Sivas Province. The precise regional boundaries for the Kangal Dog cannot be defined, but the demarcation between true Kangal Dogs and other dogs is usually abrupt.
It is obvious that purebred Kangal Dogs are exported to other areas of Turkey. Many are sent to Istanbul in response to a Kangalmania craze currently sweeping Turkey. Just as a Great Pyrenees sheepdog can be exported from the Pyrenees Mountains of southern France to Paris or the United States, so, too, can purebred Kangals be exported from the Sivas-Kangal region to Istanbul and America. This does not alter the fact that the Kangal Dog originates in the Sivas-Kangal region.

FIELD OBSERVATIONS IN TURKEY

We have studied Kangal Dogs in Turkey since the 1970s. We have traveled throughout the Sivas-Kangal Region visiting scores of villages plus all the principal yaylas. We have spoken with numerous Turkish breeders over the years. These individuals range from the humble shepherd boy to experts such as Turhan Kangal, Mehmet Ali G¸l, Cemal Kaya, and Salih ÷zaslan. All agree that the Kangal Dog is a distinct Turkish dog breed. None would think of cross breeding them with dogs from other areas of Turkey.
We have observed a remarkable degree of homogeneity among the sheepdogs in this region. Why this is so is a question which we have never been able to answer. The fact remains, however, that the sheepdogs in the Sivas-Kangal Region exhibit a high degree of breed "type." Phenotype and morphology is consistent among a great number of dogs. These dogs are called Kangal Dogs throughout the region.
(Nelson photo)
Purebred Kangal Dogs are free of whole body white color. The definition of white is important. When we say white, we mean milk white or, in Turkish, s¸t beyaz. Inexperienced observers may think that the light dun body color of some Kangal Dogs is "white." A quick examination, however, demonstrates that the color is not white as defined above. The color of the Akbash Dog from western Turkey is, however, s¸t beyaz or "milk white."
Kangal Dogs are also free of spotting, brindle, and other non-standard colors and combinations of colors associated with Turkey's ubiquitous street dogs. They are also free of shaggy, long coats. Kangal Dogs have whole body colors and smooth coats. They project a "purebred" appearance and are elegant animals of unmistakable grace.
There are, of course, numerous pariah or mongrel dogs throughout the Sivas-Kangal Region, just as there are in other regions of Turkey. There are also cross-bred sheepdogs. It is easy with experience to discriminate true Kangal Dogs in Turkey from dogs with impure bloodlines.
Turkish government experts A. Ferit ÷zg¸nes and Nazif «iftÁi note that impure dogs resembling Kangals can be seen throughout Turkey, but the only way to guarantee purity is to go to the Sivas-Kangal Region.