Haymana Karası Dog Breed - Facts and Information - Turkish Livestock Guardian Dog

​​Appearance
We all know how big and strong the Kangal Shepherd is. But in reality, it is not even the biggest and strongest among the Turkish livestock guardians. And even the Haymana Karası is slightly bigger. On the other hand, it is typically little bit smaller than the absolutely massive Aksaray Malaklisi. The female Haymana Karası should always be taller than 85 cm (33 in) and males are typically between 90-100 cm (35-39 in) tall.
Compared to the Kangal, the Haymana Karasi is slightly more agile and swift. Another way how to distinguish the Haymana Karası from other turkish dogs is its coat and color. The Haymana Karası has very practical dense but relatively short coat that is always black. They might have some white spots on their coat as well, but no other color is possible. It is also stated in their name, because the word Karası means black in turkish. And the word Haymana? That is associated with the geographic region in Turkey, where these dogs are traditionally present. But i will talk about that little bit more later in this video.

History
Most breeds we know today are result of deliberate breeding process made by people, but the Haymana Karası (just like all the other Coban Kopegi dogs) is a landrace, which means, that they evolved naturally as a result of natural forces.
We are not sure about the ancestry of turkish livestock guardian dogs, but it is believed that they are all related together, but they evolved over centuries by adapting to local specific conditions of different turkish regions.
And the Haymana Karası is native to the Haymana region, which is relatively close to the capital of Turkey, Ankara. Thanks to that, they developed great resistance to both – cold and heat, because the Haymana region is located high plateau, with elevations averaging around 1,250 meters and the landscape is predominantly composed of rolling hills and flat plains. The weather is characterized by hot and dry summers and very cold and snowy winters. And the Haymana Karası evolved over time to be excellent at living in both extremes.
For generations, and even today, the main purpose of Haymana Karası is protecting the livestock, especially sheeps. The main predator of the livestock is wolf and the Haymana Karası is proven by generations to be excellent at detering wolves.
Sadly, today, the Haymana Karası is extremely rare, almost on the verge of extinction. If you would like to see them on your own eyes, you would probably have to visit the Haymana region. These dogs are found in small numbers in the Totak neighborhood, Durupınar neighborhood, and a few other villages in Haymana. But it looks that their population is starting to grow a little bit once again, so maybe the future is bright for this breed.

Temperament
You already know, that the main purpose of this breed is protecting sheeps from wolves and other predators, and they have perfect temperament for it! Only very strong, powerful and endurant dogs can be succesfull at job like that and the Haymana Karasi is exactly like that! They are absolutely loyal to the flock so as to its owners. They are very courageous and they would even die for its pack. Alertness, indepence and intelligence are other traits that are necessary for this job and Haymana Karası has all of them.
The Haymana Karası is very adaptable breed that is extremely devoted and loyal to its master. Because of that, they can happily live just as companion dog and not as livestock protector, but they need plenty of exercise, so they stay healthy and happy. These dogs create very strong bond with its family and they want to be part of your daily activities. On the other hand, because of their natural protective instinct, they are alert and suspicious towards unknown people or other animals and it will take a while until a complete stranger will gain a trust of this dog.

Health and grooming
The maintenance and grooming is extremely easy with the Haymana Karası. This breed can keep itself in good condition and even without any grooming they will keep the coat in okay condition. Of course, regular brushing is only beneficial as it will remove any dirt and loose hair, but it is not necessary. Just like with all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
The Haymana Karası is usually quite healthy and hardy dog breed with average lifespan between 10-15 years, which is actually extremely good for such a large dog breed. Most giant dog breeds have much shorter lifespan. These dogs are hardy and usually very healthy. The only health concern associated with this breed is ocassional hip and elbow dysplasia.