A relative has an Anatolian shepherd. He's bigger than George. He's very gentle, unless you're a coyote, or if you're a creature trying to eat his food. #DogsOfCoSo
@poemblaze beautiful dog!
@poemblaze He's beautiful!
@dauphin87 Yes. I wish there was something else in the picture that would give a size reference.
@poemblaze @dauphin87 They're a guardian breed, also known as Kangal Shepherd. Sadly, in Turkey they're sometimes used as fighting dogs.
I found a couple pics with people.
@nonayadambidnes @dauphin87 Thank you. Guarding is exactly why they got him. He defends the livestock.
@poemblaze @dauphin87 They'll take on wolves and coyotes and even bears! Absolutely fearless. 🙂
@nonayadambidnes @dauphin87 I don't doubt it.
@nonayadambidnes @poemblaze I'm guessing a breed that large has a shorter life span like a Great Dane?
@dauphin87 @nonayadambidnes I haven't Googled, but will check. Not my dog, so I hadn't researched that.
@dauphin87 @nonayadambidnes Not as bad as I would have thought. 11-13 years
@dauphin87 @nonayadambidnes Irish wolfhounds only live ~5 years.
@dauphin87 @nonayadambidnes I couldn't bear having a dog with that short a lifespan.
@poemblaze @dauphin87 I know right? They already don't get enough time with us.
@dauphin87 @poemblaze Surprisingly not, I read they average about 12-15 years, for a big dog that's pretty good!
One of our customers breeds Danes, he said usually they only live 8-10 years, but one of his pups is 13 and going strong.
@nonayadambidnes @dauphin87 I don't think this one is quite that big, but he's definitely large. They may have got him at a discount because of the size. That wouldn't surprise me.
Get in my pocket - now!
@ATXJane That would need to be a very large pocket.
@poemblaze 🤩🤩🤩
I love Turkish Kangals 😍😍😍
They're very protective of their flock and their people, incredibly fierce, one can take down a pack of wolves. Their bite force is greater than that of a Cane Corso (my boy has a bite force of 700 psi) and super smart.
Wonderful breed but you need to work with them daily and show them respect and earn their trust. Not for novice dog owners.
@poemblaze Damn! Saddle up and ride. Gorgeous dog.
@poemblaze I 🖤 giant breeds.
@AskTheDevil I am nervous about meeting a huge dog I don't know, but this dog is gentle.
@poemblaze It's usually not the size of a dog that gives me pause, it's their attitude and body language. I'm usually comfortable around dogs, because dogs usually make sense on some level. They don't do things for no reason at all most of the time, or at least not without any warning.
I wish I could say the same of people.
@AskTheDevil True. If a dog is wagging its tail and happy, I'm at ease. If tense, so am I. If it's asleep I have no clue what I'm in for.
@AskTheDevil Good night.
The picture is a stock photo, but that's what the dog looks like. #DogsOfCoSo