INTRODUCING THE KANGAL DOG

The ancients called it Asia Minor that land mass protruding from the depths of Asia into the eastern Mediterranean defined by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean to the west, and the deserts of Arabia to the south. The land itself is like a continuation of Central Asia - vast, immobile, monotonous. Three high mountain ranges traverse the country from east to west so that the interior plateau, the Plateau of Asia Minor, is high, rugged and formerly inaccessible. Mt. Ararat, the legendary resting place of the Ark, marks its eastern boundary. Asia Minor is modern Turkey and this is the land of the Kangal Dog

KANGAL! A name well known to the people of Turkey! Its very name evokes the romance and legendary aura of this land so steeped in history. This ancient breed springs forth like a lion from its epicenter - the Kangal District - a region in east central Turkey located in what is known as the Anti-Taurus. While Turkey has more than one indigenous dog breed, the Kangal is the most famous of them all. This breed's status is manifested by its portrait on a national Turkish postage stamp. If any dog breed can be characterized as the national dog of Turkey, that breed is the Kangal Dog. Standing a minimum of 30 inches (dogs) at the withers and weighing an average 120 pounds, the Kangal Dog is a strongly-built, magnificent dog distinguished by its black face and ears. The short, soft body coat ranges from light dun to steel grey in color and is usually accented with a white chest blaze and white stockings on the feet and legs. Turkish shepherds frequently crop the ears close to the skull, thereby enhancing its leonine appearance. When equipped with the traditional spiked, iron collar around its neck, the Kangal Dog, in its native land, projects an intimidating and powerful image.

The correct, traditional name for the breed in Turkey is Kangal Kpegi or Sivas Kangal Kpegi. (The Turkish word "kpek" means "dog" in English. When used with an adjective in the Turkish language, the word "kpek" takes the form "kpegi.") Thus, the direct translation is Kangal Dog or Sivas Kangal Dog. No other name is acceptable to the Turks, nor to its original sponsor in Europe and the United States The Kangal Dog Club of America, Inc., a non-profit corporation founded to preserve the breed and protect its name.
The existence of the Kangal Dog as a separate and distinct dog breed was first reported in copyrighted international canine literature by the authors, David and Judith Nelson. (Nelson & Nelson, 1983) No American, European, or Australian copyrighted publication pre-dates the foregoing publicity. The breed was advertised in the West and bred as a distinct dog breed since 1984 by the members of the Kangal Dog Club of America, Inc.
To understand the Kangal Dog, one needs to understand the context -- historical, cultural, and physical -- in which it is found. Our objective is to provide all the information needed to understand and appreciate this magnificent breed.