The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is one
of the most majestic and noble animals in the service
of man; still being used in the rural districts of Turkey
as the shepherd's indispensable companion and front
line of defense of his livestock from predators. Since
the Turk is prohibited from owning a rifle, the proven
dog becomes his twenty-four-hour security system. To
detect enemies, keen hearing, smell and sight are basic
requirements. Without the aid of the Anatolian Shepherd
Dog, the Turkish Shepherd would be less able to defend
his property and flock from wild animals. The extraordinary
speed and agility of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog enables
him to run down a predator with great efficiency.
Historically, since Babylonian times,
there is documented a breed of large, strong dogs with
a heavy head. With the advent of the first domestic
sheep, the dogs went from "hunter" to "protector".
The book of Job, which dates back to at least 1,800
BC and is set in the region of Turkey, makes reference
to the dogs with the flocks. The Anatolian Shepherd
Dog of today has remained relatively unchanged from
it's ancestors because of the nature of it's isolated
existence.
In 1968, Lt. R. C. Ballard, USN, was
sent to Turkey where he settled his family in the city
of Ankara. Friends told him that a dog would be the
best deterrent against thieves. Turkish acquaintances
suggested buying a pup from a locally famous guard breed
called the Anatolian Shepherd. From farmers of an ancient
village, which had been in existence since the days
of Alexander the Great, they purchased a six week old
male puppy. The puppy was the whelp of semi wild parents,
who lived alone for months at a time in the rugged country
surrounding the village, with only the sheep they were
protecting as comrades. The Ballards named the pup Zorba.
The Ballards also purchased a second Anatolian, a female
puppy named Peki. Thus the Anatolian's entrance into
the United States began. In 1970 Zorba and Peki were
parents.
At Red Creek Farm we have four adult
Anatolian Shepherds that guard our Full Blooded Boer
goats including our new born babies. They are the most
loyal, gentle and protective dogs that I have ever had
the privilege of living with.
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