In 2019, I had a coyote predation of my new breeding ram and thought it best to invest in an LGD. I took a deep dive into literature and the internet, thinking about a dog that would be good with people as well as a fierce guardian, but also have the patience and awareness to know what to bark at, and what to leave alone. My sheep mentor had a Kangal, and Topher (Christopher), was an amazing dog. When I first arrived at her farm to pick up my starter flock of Katahdins, this huge fawn colored dog met me at my truck and leaned in for a good scratch behind the ear. He was gentle and friendly to a stranger, reading my intention a mile before I had turned up the drive. I was taken aback by his behavior, as all the other LGDs I’d encountered, would rush the truck and bark agressivly until an owner showed up to pull them away. Kangal dogs are highly intelligent, tuned in, and a primitive breed of K9. They have lived with people in small rural villages in Central Turkey for over 5,000 years as livestock guardians. Kangals know when to stand their ground to fend off threats and when to make eye contact and slowly wander over for a good scratch on the neck. I wanted a breed that would greet people without any problem, but still know if something is up and alert as needed, not bark all night at shadows and the deer moving through.
I’d known a few Great Pyrenees dogs, and they were all too much barking and not enough smart observation. I also don’t like long haired breeds, and a white dog in Western Washington will be stained with mud all the time. The other LGD breeds are too risky with strangers, and there are lots of strangers coming and going from the land. I don’t want a hostile dog barking in the background when people come to visit. Kangals are quiet shepherds, stalking off into the shadows to observe and plan. They hold their bark until the predator is within eyesight, then the baying begins. They do not bark at everything like most of the other LGD breeds, they recognize the guy mowing next door, the deer who move through every night, and can easily tell the difference between usual sounds and a predator moving through. My personal experience with Topher also quickly convinced me this was my breed. As I continued to research it became easy to make a choice, especially when I found there are two well established and vetted breeders in Washington.
The Turkish Kangal became my top pick for temperament and work ethos, but I also needed a dog ASAP after the coyote attack, so I turned to Kangal rescues in North America. Kangal Dog Rescue Project happened to have a male Kangal nearby needing a working farm to be homed in, so I drove to Stanwood and picked him up, after a call to a few references and some light paperwork. Gill self loaded right into my truck without hesitation, and he came home to the barn during the winter, living nose to nose with the sheep. When lambing started in February, I watched with apprehension as Gill sniffed the blood, but when a ewe who had been raised with another Kangal backed her butt up to the fence after giving birth, I almost stepped in. But the ewe knew, and Gill came up to her and slowly licked the blood away, gently cleaning her. I knew over 5,000 years of this breed working with shepherds to protect flocks was alive and well in this dog. He bonded to the ewes and their lambs, and we’ve had no sheep predation since his arrival on the property.
As I fell in love with this breed, I began to think about future guardianship for the land. Gill came to the farm with a guessed age of 4. The vet thought he might be 6, we compromised at 5. He is now 11, and 15 is the upper age these dogs can get to with the right care. Since Gill was rescued off the streets of Istanbul with injuries and a chronic ear infection, his life might be a little shorter. I don’t dwell on this timeline, every day is precious. Big dogs tend to have shorter lifespans, but the Kangal is an exception, I think due in part to such amazing genetics and smart breeding. They had to be tough to survive on the open step of Anatolia, fighting wolves, bears, and even lions in prehistoric times. The continued selective breeding for health, temperament, and guarding flocks, has kept this dog’s more feral qualities. Most AKC breeding of dogs today is about removing the feral traits and replacing them with cosmetic likes to better assimilate them into human households. This does make sense with a pet, but not a working animal that lives outside and fights off wild predators.
Kangals had the hardest bite strength of any dog, you can’t ship them on commercial airliners or through the post-office because of liability- you have to hire a private carrier with special insurance. That was part of why I wanted to find a good breeder in state to drive to. It would also make it possible to visiting the kennel in person, before deciding to sign up for a puppy and placing a deposit. I can’t stress enough how serious a dog this is. Not a pet- possibly some puppies are docile enough to become companion animals, but never pets. The primitive traits in this dog are for working outside, with livestock, wilds, and space to roam. A few acres to run around in is not enough, they need a job. If you and your family become the flock they protect, don’t expect to have a lot of friends over or have any other pets, these dogs will kill cats, dogs, and bite people who don’t get the memo to stay away. They are not personal protection dogs- personal protection dogs are skilled in obedience. Kangals are ok with suggestions, but will take up their own crusade if they think something they care about is under threat- and living out in the wilds, they see a lot of threats, that instinct is impossible to “train” out of them, though they can get the basics like “sit” and “back off”, “come” is more like a circle up nearby. A dog like that would be chaos if trained to favor its aggression towards other people, just like a poorly trained protection dog. If you want training, obedience, and protection- be ready for hundreds of hours of working with your Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, or Doberman.
Kangals are bred to be gentle with people and livestock, and that trait comes from removing the prey drive. That’s the drive protection dogs need most, but Kangals can’t have that trait or they would chase down sheep- and still do if not trained right. Gill didn’t get to be alone with the sheep of a whole year before I started putting him out tethered with them in the field. Then, after two years of observing and working with him, I started letting him stay out loose with them all the time, and trusted him during lambing season. The new puppy will not get to be alone with sheep for up to 3 years, as young dogs go through phases of trainability and cannot be trusted for at least the first two years. Coban is with the sheep, just through a fence to keep him out of mischief- and safe. A ram or upset ewe could kill him when he’s this little. Gill is helping him learn how to just chill out. The sit and observe stance of this pup is crucial to their learning and ultimate gardening skill. The sheep are also taking note of the new pup and file his presence for future encounters.
Guardian instincts take some good breeding, along with healthy genetics, and good training. When I first contacted Laura, of Hidden Meadow Ranch, in The Skagit Valley, I was struck by her wonderful application for a puppy, which I wrote a small novel to complete, and rightly so. This breed is rare, and high liability, if not trained well. We made additional introduction at her home where a younger bitch, the future mother of Coban, was hanging out in heat with her new male partner in hopes of a first successful breeding. Both dogs had good energy and gentle demeanor, and the other dogs were well socialized and healthy. As Laura and I talked while she took me through her farm to see the dogs, I felt I was in the right place with the opportunity to invest in a good dog from a legitimate breeder. I left having made a deposit, committing to a future puppy.
In late June, 2024, puppies were born. It was a few months past the original planned date of the litter, but a late pregnancy was better than none. A month later, I was back at Hidden Meadow Ranch to pick out my puppy and learn more about who would be coming home to the farm. Gill is so settled in, it will make the transition for the new puppy easier- I can’t say enough about having and older dog train up the younger one. It also helps the livestock know what’s coming. My breeder had hoped I would take home a female to pair with my male, but having a female stock dog (Valley) in the mix made it impossible to have two bitches in the field. Kangal females are the boss dogs in any pack, and will lead attacks on wolves and other predators in the field. They are in charge, and will fight with any other dog who thinks otherwise. I didn’t want to be dealing with dog fights at work, so I opted for another male. As I walked into the litter of 12 pups, one came with his mother to greet me at the gate. The roly-poly puppy sat down and sniffed me for a while, even after his mamma walked off. Laura watched with a smile, and when I asked her who the little pup was, she said “Gray”. Each puppy was named for the collar color each puppy had on.
When I came into the puppy enclosure, I was looking for calm, balanced dogs. All the puppies were hard to track at once, but Gray coming up to me first for a greeting was good, confidant behavior. Two other puppies later tried to jump on me and nip my hands, Laura corrected them firmly and told me they were the two biggest males that were going to a ranch in Wyoming. Another large dominate female pup was heading to Montana. She already had placement for the higher energy dogs, they would also be larger, and better able to defend against wolves. Laura breeds for size, health, temperament, and working focus. Again, these are not pets for the home, they are working animals with a lot of serious guarding behavior. As my relationship with this new coworker evolves, I hope to have a lasting relationship of shepherding with Coban, and continue to treasure my lessons from both the new pup, and my wise mentor Gill.
These dogs are priceless contributions to the continued restoration at EEC Forest Stewardship, and crucial protection for the livestock. These dogs also protect wildlife, as in keeping predators away from the farm, and thus preventing unwanted encounters that usually end in the predator being killed. In Africa, Cheetah recovery efforts are a success thanks to the introduction of Kangals as LGDs. These animals have been working with people to protect flocks in the hills since the stone age. Leafhopper Farm is a long way from The Anatolian Mountains in Turkey, but these flocks need protection from lions, bobcats, bears, and coyotes. Maybe, in a few more decades, wolves could return, and I have just the breed of LGD to keep predators and livestock safely separated, Kangals. They remain loyal, alert, and wise to their surroundings, adapting as required by season, types of stock being guarded, and navigation of diverse terrain. To remain capable at these levels, the dogs remain primitive, close to their ancestral base in size, courage, and intelligence. I know I’m going on and on, but really, these dogs are honed for their work and do an epic job.
Kangals demand the respect they are owed, and return it with devotion, dedication, and inspiring restraint- if given what they need to thrive. LGDs need room to run, a job- preferably guarding livestock, and the space to work- Kangals are independent and don’t like a lot of close contact. This is an important trait bred into the dogs because they are huge. You don’t want these dogs climbing all over you while you are trying to work. To be sure, Kangals are affectionate from time to time, but they prefer an initial greeting of a few pets and then head off on their patrol alone. They do work better in packs of two or more, so I am glad to have a second younger pup training up to be as excellent a guard as Gill. Since bringing Kangal energy onto the land here, no sheep have been lost to any wild or domestic dog predators. I sleep well most nights knowing there is a highly skilled night shift on his watch down by the barn. His alert tells me when I need to be up and out there helping to defend the stock. We’re a team, and the effort is well worth investment of personal time, and training a new generation of dog to work with human. What a phenomenal example of following original instructions.
EEC Forest Stewardship 