TOP 10 Turkish Dog Breeds

1) Kangal
Lets start with probably the most famous Turkish dog, which is a Turkish Kangal. And be prepared, that most dogs in this list will be very similar to the Kangal Shepherd, as majority of breeds from Turkey are so called Coban Kopegi dogs, which are basically turkish livestock guardian dogs and they only differ slightly from each other.
Kangals are sometimes known as the strongest dog in the world, but there some bigger and stronger dogs in Turkey. But nevertheless the Kangal truly is extremely strong dog capable of defending the livestock against extremely strong predators, like wolf.
Different coban kopegi dogs differ from each other because they were bred in different parts of Turkey. And the Kangal comes from the Sivas province. It is a vigilant, courageous, powerful and always alert dog breed.

2) Akbash
Just like the Kangal, even the Akbash is amazing livestock guardian dog used to protect sheep and other livestock, especially on annual transhumance to the high mountains in summer or to low pastures in winter. Akbash is considered to be one of the fastest turkish livestock guardian dog. And what is its size? Typically between 50-85 cm, which is 20-33 inch and weight between 35-65 kg, which is 77-143 lbs. But some individuals can be much larger than this.

3) Tonya Finosu
Most Turkish dogs are strong livestock guardians, but there are few exception. The first one is Tonya Finosu. It is a small, lively, alert and playful spitz like dog with fluffy coat erect ears and tail that is curled over the back and fox like face.
The Tonya Finosu is very good alert watchdog, but also loving and loyal family companion. Due to their small size, they are not good choice for guarding purposes, but their alert and watchful temperament makes them great adepts for watchdogs. They create very strong bond with its owner and with the whole family and the Tonya Finosu is known as a tolerant, friendly, playful, lively and cheerful companion.

4) Boz Shepherd
The Boz Shepherd is one of the oldest livestock guardian dogs, not only in Turkey, but all over the world. They are native to Toros Mountains in Southern Anatolia. They can be used either for livestock protection, which is their original purpose, but also for personal and property protection.
The Turkish Boz is slightly larger than the Kangal Shepherd, they have heavier bone structure, more curled tail than most of other Coban Kopegi dogs. But they are still dogs built for athleticism and agility. They are also calmer and more relaxed than the high energy Kangals.

5) Aksaray Malaklisi
If the Boz Shepherd is built for agility and athleticism, than the Malakli is built more robustly and heavier. The Malakli typically has an extremely heavy to excessive bone structure and skull with a strong stop. The Malakli is also described as more agressive, stubborn and as one-owner dog.

6) Pali
Another exception from the turkish livestock guardians is Turkish Pali. It is a perfect family companion tolerant even to cold and rainy climates. They are still protective dogs, perfect for watchdog duties, but they are very affectionate and playful with its own family and owners.

7) Karadeniz
The Karadeniz Shepherd, also known as Black Sea Shepherd is another Turkish LGD. The Karadeniz is native to the high mountains along the Black Sea coast in northern Turkey, where they evolved over centuries by adapting to local specific conditions, such as harsh mountainous climate, intense rains and higher altitude.

8) Trabzon Zerdava
We will finish the video with three very rare dogs from Turkey. There is not much information about neither of them. The first one is Trabzon Zerdava. They are also livestock and farm protectors, but these dogs were also used as succesfull hog hunters. They are very fast, athletic, patient and quite tolerant.

9) Kars Shepherd
This Coban Kopegi comes from Eastern Turkey, from Kars province. It is very similar to other turkish LGD, it has long and dense coat, protective, brave and alert temperament and large sized body. They should be slightly smaller than majority of other Turkish LGDs.

10) Rize Koyun
The last dog in this list and the last Coban Kopegi in this video is the Rize Koyun. Again, it is extremely similar dog to other turkish LGDs and the differences are only small. This breed comes from the Rize province in the eastern part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey. ​