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Kangal Dog - Comprehensive Information on the Dog Breed, Nature, Training and Cost of Kurdish Kangal Dog

The Kangal Dog is a popular domestic dog in Turkey, and is also known as the Kurdish Kangal dog due to its Kurdish roots.

This dog is considered the national breed of Turkey and is a popular guardian dog for Turkish families. The dog is classified as a large dog and weighs about 50 to 90 kg, depending on its size.

Kangal Dog Breed, Info, Nature, Training and Cost

Historically, the Kangal dog has been used as a guard dog for livestock. The Kangal, which is an early mastiff breed, is usually found in a pale tan coat in a solid color.

The dog has a black mask and looks like the classic mastiff. Though it is largely used for guarding homes, the Kangal dog is known as a sheep dog. The dog itself is not a herding dog, but mostly functions as a guard dog. It lives within the herds of animals it protects, and scares off all predators such as bears, wolves, and even jackals.

The Kangal dog breed is almost devotional towards its family. Ideally, the dog should have a calm temperament. Overall, the dog is very protective of its family and has an independent nature. Though it is a guard dog, it is very friendly with visitors and great with children. However, the dog is very sensitive to any changes and requires a lot of comforting. It is happiest when it is in the company of its human family or even among other livestock.

Since the dog is very popular in Turkey, the Kangal dog cost is not very high. Most experts recommend this dog only for experienced pet owners. They require a lot of expertise to train and handle. Dog training is required right from the time they are puppies. The Kangal dog breed is very active and requires a lot of exercise. They are not fit for small apartments and closed spaces. They need large areas and yards where they can run around and play freely.

They are large, muscular, and strong dogs and are also very obedient, because of which they are often used in illegal dog fights. This brings out the aggressive behavior in them. Even though aggression is not a particular character trait in the Kurdish Kangal dog, it may begin to show in its behavior if the dog is not socialized properly. Most of the behavior problems observed in the Kangal dog are because of the mistreatment by their owners.

Kangal dog info is available with several Kennel clubs and is rather easy to procure.

Submitted on October 13, 2011