Boo-Damphir

The Anatolian Shepherd is a giant breed designed to provide protection for a flock, particularly against larger, dangerous predators. The Anatolian’s impressive size is intended to intimidate or at least discourage potential predators from making an attack. The breed’s roots lie in Turkey, where nomadic tribes had to cope with unforgivingly harsh geography and climate. These nomads depended on their flocks for food and clothing, and needed to protect their hoofstock from potential predators, and large guard dogs were commonly used to fill this charge. The dogs had to be fast enough to confront a predator that could potentially approach the flock from any direction. Furthermore, the guard dogs needed to have the size, strength and courage to fight off large predators. The Anatolian Shepherd was introduced to the United States during the 1950s and recognized by the American Kennel Club as part of the Miscellaneous Class and then the Working Group in 1996.