# Anatolian Kangal Questions, are they the same??



## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

I have been doing research since last year when we got our Anatolian x Pyrenees. I read up a lot on the Anatolians and was quite sure if and when I added another LGD it would be a strait Anatolian male in order to breed to our cross and add more Anatolian influence to the pups. Then I saw some Kangal's for sale and when I looked at them they looked a lot like the Anatolians I had been looking at. More reading, more research. So am I way off base with the conclusion I have come to and my understanding of the two breeds?? 
#1 Anatolians did originate in Turkey, but have been breed in the U.S. for so long that they are no longer the pure Turkish dogs that they started out to be, but are more of a American breed now?
#2 Kangals also started out as a Turkish breed, but have not been changed much and are basically the same dog as was imported from Turkey. 

So basically the Anatolian is a watered down version of the Kangal, due to breeding in the U.S. 

I would really appreciate some clarification from some of you who are more knowledgeable about the breeds and their origins, as I know there is lots of misleading info. on the net, so maybe I am way off base??


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

I read up onthis awhile ago. I think the short version is, the Kangal, as in the few bred in the US are amped up versions of the Anatolian which is more of a "land race" dog than (historically ) and actual breed. Of course there is the AKC version.

Be careful with the Kangals, there is a guy in Tx who is very selectively breeding up extremely dog aggressive, supersized dogs (not sure how this translates into effective stock guardians)...

There is a fair amount of dog fighting in Turkey. 

Subject came up on dogforums awhile back, very interesting...


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

No, the Anatolian is a relatively new breed that was created in the US by crossing Turkish land race breeds assumed to be the same breeds of dogs by the Anatolian's creators in the 1950's. This is why Anatolians come in every color imaginable and variable coat length but kangals are pretty much uniform in appearance. That's not a interesting enough breed history though so the U.S breed club created their own. Like with most breeds in the AKC the true history gets lost and a fake glamorous created. Then true to American fashion we are deciding that they are the same breed and registries are starting to register them as the same dogs even though Turks do not consider Anatolian a Turkish breed.http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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