Kangal Dog Price In India | Turkish Kangal Breed

Kangal Dog Price In India:- Kangal dogs are Shepherd dogs and a breed of large livestock guardian dog in Sivas, Turkey. For anyone wishing to make a study of Turkish dogs, this rather complex situation is not helped by the fact because Turkey had no official body for the registration of breeds of dogs.

There has been no real tradition there of keeping pets; dogs were and still are kept primarily as working animals for hunting or protection.

However, Turkish people who work with dogs recognize the value of good type, steady temperament, and predictable behavior, and have maintained their own unofficial standards for centuries.

Identity of the Kangal Dog

Ask a Turk to describe the shepherd dog of Anatolia and – with great pride and enthusiasm, usually accompanied by accounts of superior strength and prowess against the wolf.

He or she will describe the Kangal Dog. Even the youngest Turkish children have a clear image of the Kangal Dog!

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Turkish Kangal Dog price in India

Kangal Dog Price In India

Turkish Kangal is one of the expensive dog Breed in India. These dogs are purchased for security or protection. If you are going to purchase a large size Kangal dog breed then it will cost you around Rs 60,000 to 70,000.

Remember always buy a Kangal Dog from a pet shop who is importing the Dog breed from Turkish or USA.

The breed imported from Turkish is a quality breed because the Line breeding planned by the Turkish dog breeder is very unique and unknown to the Indian dog breeder.

I do not want to fool you in any case that is why I am not favoring the Indian Kangal Dogs. I personally feel that the environment required to train a Kangal Dog is impossible to create in India.

The are many more reasons behind purchasing an imported Kangal Dogs. Reading the article you will get to know all the major points why to purchase an imported Turkish Kangal Dog.

Reason Behind the High Prices of Kangal Dogs

  • The Kangal Dog is a livestock and estate guardian breed.
  • The dog can chase at speeds of up to 30 miles (50 km) per hour when necessary.
  • An Ancient Breed
  • Possessing a natural protective instinct
  • Proclaimed as the National Dog of Turkey and a protected species.
  • Strongest dog in the world

Owning a Kangal Dog

  • Lifespan: 12-15 Years.
  • Speed: 50 km/h (Maximum)
  • Height: Female: 63–75 cm, Male: 70–80 cm
  • Weight: Female: 41–54 kg, Male: 50–66 kg
  • Colours: Dun, Light Golden, Fawn Sable, Grey
  • Origin: Sivas

The Kangal Dog as a companion makes for a rewarding relationship, provided the nature of the breed is respected.

They will live happily with other domestic animals, including other dogs provided the Kangal is allowed to be top dog, so while dominant breeds are inadvisable most of the easy-going breeds will be good companions and will enjoy being looked after by their Kangal guardian.

Locating the Kangal Dog

Kangal Dog General Apperance

The name is taken from the small town of Kangal, to the south-east of Sivas in central Turkey, the area where the most typical specimens of the breed are found.

The town in turn is named after the Kangal family, for centuries landowners in the region and renowned for breeding excellent horses and fearless sheep-guarding dogs.

Despite the relative obscurity of its place of origin, it is astonishing to observe both how widespread and how uniform this breed of dog is throughout central Anatolia.

A summer traveler taking the main road from west to east across Turkey (the ancient caravan route which runs through Ankara, Sivas, and Erzurum towards Georgia and Iran) will pass countless flocks of sheep escorted by shepherd dogs.

From Yozgat to Erzincan, a distance of around 250 miles (450 km) almost every working dog saw will be a Kangal Dog

Breed Standard

The Turkish Kennel Club, formed in 2001, approved a detailed breed standard for the Kangal Dog, which was published in Turkey at the Second International Kangal Dog Symposium in July 2005.

Sightings

Locating the Kangal Dog

To an onlooker, it may at first appear that there is no dog in attendance, but closer inspection will reveal its look.

At first like a sheep, behind and slightly apart from the rest, is, in fact, a Kangal Dog plodding steadily along in the dust behind its charges.

The Kangal Dog is a large, powerfully-built animal, cream to greyish fawn in color, with a black mask and ears.

Its coat is short, dense, and weatherproof and an unmistakable characteristic of the breed is its long, slightly bushy tail, carried in a circle above the back when the dog is alert and low with a slight curl at the tip when relaxed.

From a distance, in the dog’s natural environment, the high tail carriage is often the only way to distinguish the dog from the flock.

A Kangal is quite likely to be standing among its sheep, which are of comparable size and – especially with a good coating of Anatolian dust – similar in color. The sheep meanwhile will be completely unperturbed by the dog’s presence.

General appearance

Identity of the Kangal Dog

Kangal dog is large and strong livestock guarding dog with an awe-inspiring stance and balanced proportions.

The head is large; ears are medium-sized, black and pendant; a black mask covers nose and muzzle; coat color varies from sand to pale grey; the short, dense, double coat and the tail carried in an open curl over the back forming a circle, when the dog is alert, are the typical characteristics of the breed.

Head and Skull

The head is mesocephalic, a large head but in good proportion with the body in general. The ratio between the muzzle length and top skull (stop to occiput) is 1:2.5.

The head of a male resembles that of a lion, while bitches have more refined heads. The ears are set well apart. The stop is moderately defined.

The face always has a characteristic black mask covering the muzzle, which may extend over the head. Ears are often black.

Eyes

The eyes are somewhat small in proportion to the head, oval, and deeply set. The eye rims are always black. Hazel to dark brown is acceptable in eyes. No eye haws should be visible.

Nose and Muzzle

The nose is large and black, with large nostrils. When looking at a closed mouth from the side, the muzzle shape is blunt.

Teeth are large and well-placed, with scissors or level bite. Jaws are strong. Lips are black and somewhat pendant.

Ears

The ears are medium-sized, triangular in shape, rounded at the tip, flat to the skull, and carried a pendant.

The ears are level with the line of the top skull but may be carried slightly higher when alert. Black ears are preferred, to complement the hallmark black mask.

Neck

Moderate in length, powerful and thick, slightly arched. Slight dewlap, especially noticeable in males.

Body

The body is well-proportioned, with a strong topline that flows gently from the withers to a strong back and slightly arched croup. There is a slight arch over the muscular loin.

Chest is deep to the point of elbows, ribs are well-sprung, with moderate tuck-up. The body is well-muscled without any fat. The ratio of height at withers to body length is 9:10.

Legs

The fore and hind legs are well-muscled and strong-boned. The forelegs are straight to the ground with the elbows close to sides, when viewed from the front.

The strong and muscular hindlegs have moderate angulation which balances the front angulation. ‘The hocks are set well apart, straight to the ground and parallel when viewed from the rear.

Feet

Feet large and strong, especially in males, with well-arched toes Claws black or grey; white permissible with white feet. 

The pads are well-cushioned and strong. Dewclaws can be seen in some individuals, but not a hallmark in the breed.

Tail

The tail is long, reaching at least to the hock. The hair on the tail tends to be longer than on the body.

When relaxed it is carried low with a slight hook. When alert, the tail is carried in an open curl over the back, forming a circle.’ It never falls to either side of the hip.

Coat

The Kangal Dog has a double coat which is short and dense, flat, close-lying, neither wavy nor fluffy. The outer coat has harsher guard hair while the undercoat is thicker and softer.

The hair on the neck and shoulders is slightly longer than the body hair. No feathering on ears, legs, or tail.’

Colour

The Kangal Dog has a solid overall body color, ranging from cream through fawn, beige, pale tan, dun to steel grey.

It is a whole-colored dog with a characteristic black mask. White on the chest, a small patch of white under the chin, and white stockings are acceptable.

Gait and Movement

The Kangal Dog has a relaxed even gait with strides of moderate length, giving the impression of power and agility held in reserve.

The back remains level, and the front and rear legs on each side move in a parallel fashion. The head, neck, and body maintain a straight line in a relaxed gait.

As speed increases, however, the width between the legs decreases, and the tendency to single track increases. Pacing at a slow gait is acceptable.

Weight Range

  • Males 110-140 lbs; Height 30-32 inches.
  • Bitches 90-130 lbs; Height 28-31 inches

Temperament

Kangal Dog Temperament

The Kangal Dog is a livestock and estate guardian breed. He is known for providing instinctive protection for goat and sheep flocks. He guards the flock rather than herding it.

He maintains a balanced and protective bond with the stock. The Kangal Dog must be capable of acting independently from the shepherd when tending to the flock.

He is very loyal to his master. He expresses his emotions not only with his body language but also through a range of barks. Kangal Dogs are tolerant of children and tend to avoid direct aggression against humans.

Protective behaviour

Protective behaviour of Kangal Dog

Away from the village, a Kangal on duty out on the mountainside will usually station itself on a high vantage point overlooking its flock and simply watch and listen.

In the full heat of the day the dog will dig itself a cool hollow in the ground and settle into it, becoming almost invisible to anyone approaching.

Many an unwary stranger has been taken by surprise by a great dusty Kangal Dog suddenly hauling itself to its feet to bark a warning.

Novice dogs are sent out in the company of older ones to learn their technique by experience; in the process, the recruit will also learn where it stands in the hierarchy of dogs.

A steady, experienced Kangal Dog is the shepherd’s most valuable asset, for the job of training the new generation will largely be done by the dogs themselves.

Very often the dogs will work in pairs, or teams for a larger flock, taking up positions around the sheep and changing shifts from time to time.

They do not waste energy by running around needlessly and in the daytime are content to lie still and quiet. The night watch however is a different matter, for it is then that they actively patrol along a wide perimeter, sounding their presence from time to time as they go.

The behavior of the Kangal Dog, when its suspicions are aroused, is fascinating to watch. First of all, it will stand full square with tail up and ears erect, listening.

Then there will be a quiet ‘wuff’, just enough to signal to the sheep that something is up, followed by the sharp bark that is the signal to the other dogs and the shepherd to get into position.

The sheep, who have learned to trust the dog, will bunch together and – far from moving away, as would a flock used to being driven by a herding dog – they will tend to gather towards their protector.

The Kangal’s first instinct is to place itself between the perceived source of danger and its sheep or master and will trot back and forth across the line of approach, gradually coming closer to them.

This is a very powerful instinct and one that can be observed in Kangal dogs that have never seen active service but live in a domestic setting in other countries: faced with a stranger, they will stand across their owner’s path until assured that all is well.

With the sheep safely behind it, the Kangal Dog can then go out to confront the intruder and the bark becomes a full-throated roar, an unmistakable threat.

Choosing a puppy

Choosing a Kangal puppy

A good-sized puppy will weigh nearly 2 lb (900 g) at birth and by the time it is ready to go to its new home at seven weeks it is likely to have reached 22 lb (10 kg).

Its coat color, a surprisingly dark grey at birth, will have started to clear to almost the adult fawn and will be thick and dense with a distinctive velvety texture.

At this stage, even the most experienced breeder finds it hard to spot the future show winner, but there are a few points it is worthwhile bearing in mind when making your choice.

A good breeder will allow you to see the puppies’ dam; if the sire is not from the same kennel, then ask to see good photographs and find out as much as you can about him from his owner and the owners of other pups he has sired.

The more you know about the temperament and conformation of the parents, the better you can predict the likely character and type of their progeny.

Watch the puppies together as they play, for clues as to dominant or shy, placid or vivacious individuals, and be alert to any sign of aggression.

If this is your first Kangal, choose a placid puppy, and possibly a bitch rather than a dog; in inexperienced hands, a big, boisterous, adolescent male can be quite a trial.

Pups of this age are so loose-limbed and have so much growing to do, that it is hard to predict how they will shape up as adults. Pay attention to the hindquarters and watch for any difficulties in getting up onto four paws.

Cow hocks, which may occur in larger pups, are unlikely to straighten later. Feet may turn in slightly at this stage and will probably improve as the limbs grow and muscles develop with exercise, but turned-out feet might not.

Coat color and texture are important. While a little white on paws and chest is acceptable, there should be no patches of white on the face or body; sometimes puppies are born with a slight white ‘smudge’ on the nose but this disappears within the first two to three months.

A dark strip down the back and black on the tail are indicators of good pigmentation. A black mask and ears are breed characteristics, but a black muzzle and shaded ears are acceptable. There is a tendency for the mask to fade at around six months but intensify again in the mature dog.

Early Learning

Early Learning for Kangal Puppy

Kangal litters are often large, averaging six to ten pups. There is no way that a shepherd and his family could afford to raise such large numbers to adulthood and the litters are culled to retain only the biggest and strongest specimens.

Bitch puppies are kept only if there is thought to be a need for new breeding stock, although, in fact, females make excellent working shepherd dogs, being fast and alert.

Promising puppies are fed well on a diet supplemented with offal, eggs, and milk. They may be passed to friends or relatives in neighboring villages as a valued gift or exchange.

The general strength, soundness, and size of the adult dogs seen working in Anatolia must be attributable to this early rearing – and the generations of selection for robustness – for by the time they are a year old working Kangal Dogs are on subsistence rations.

As the pup grows, its mother plays a major role in its character development. She will tease it to come forward and play-fight with her, often rolling it over and nipping its throat and then rolling over herself to let the pup imitate her.

She will teach it to stalk and pounce, and not to take liberties with its elders – all part of the unique training of a good working dog.

Later, the shepherd himself will take a hand in the learning process, encouraging the pup to worry about a stuffed wolf-skin. It is at this point that he will single out the bravest of the litter for work; the less forthcoming will be discarded or stay as watchdogs around the village.

Training and environment

Training And Environment for Kangal Dog

Some owners experience problems with over-dominant adolescent Kangals. Bullying tactics by the handler do not overcome this behavior, but instead, result in a resentful and potentially aggressive adult dog.

It is important to maintain a calm but superior position to your pup from day one: for example, do not allow it to sit on your furniture, keep your eye level above that of the dog’s, always lead the way through doorways.

Remember, pack leaders do not respond to attention-seeking behavior so, hard as it may be, learn to ignore demands for attention so that treats and affection are always given on your terms.

These are large, active dogs that need plenty of living space. Kangal Dogs will guard as far as they can see and hear.

They are not suited to city life and will soon become frustrated, noisy, confused, and even destructive if closely confined.

You cannot rely on a Kangal Dog to ignore an open gate – this is a naturally inquisitive breed – but it is cruel to keep it tethered or chained and dogs can be injured if they become entangled in a running chain. A large secure garden or yard is ideal, with plenty of walks on the lead.

As soon as vaccinations are complete, make a point of gradually introducing everyday sights and sounds, take your dog to puppy playgroup, and for short rides in the car to visit friends, go shopping, or do the school run.

It might take some time to get over travel sickness, so be prepared. Make a point of introducing visitors who come to your home rather than separating your dog from them. This kind of socialization pays dividends and will not compromise the dog’s natural guarding instinct.

It is a good idea to start early with examining teeth, ears, tail, paws, so that later visits to the vet do not come as a shock. Above all, keeping a calm, relaxed attitude will help develop the same traits in your dog

Feeding and exercise

Feeding and exercise of kangal dog

It is a tribute to the genetic well-being of the working dogs in Turkey that they can thrive on the poor diet they receive.

No one would recommend raising dogs on the same diet in an environment where more nutritious options are easily available.

Whether you opt for a homemade fresh/raw diet or one of the better-quality complete manufactured feeds (avoid the cheap ones), moderation is the key.

Growing puppies need plenty of protein, but adult Kangals do not need or benefit from a high-protein feed.

Slow, steady growth is much safer for good bone and joint development than allowing pups to gain a lot of weight quickly from too much carbohydrate. This can result in strain on the joints and deformation at the growth plates.

Dietary supplements are best avoided unless you are a veterinarian – with a dog of this size it is too easy to make mistakes by overestimating what is safe. Don’t listen to folklore: if you are concerned that your dog is not receiving enough of anything, get the opinion of a good veterinarian.

Bones and joints are vulnerable in the growing dog so exercise should be carefully controlled in the first two years especially (no hurdling or galloping up and downstairs!).

Regular short walks on the lead are fine, building up to longer distances after the first year, with the occasional romp about off the lead in a secure space.

Unless your dog has been thoroughly socialized with other dogs from puppyhood, off-lead exercise in a public place is inadvisable.

Bearing in mind the reluctance of most Kangals to respond to the recall, a free-running dog could get itself into trouble by harming another dog or, simply by its sheer size and weight, frightening a child or elderly person.

Bear in mind also that only a Kangal raised with livestock will know how to behave with farm animals; you cannot rely on instinctive behavior without experience. An untrained dog of any breed is likely to chase sheep if allowed among them off the lead.

Rearing Kangal Dogs in Turkey

Rearing Kangal Dog in Turkey

Working dogs have to be very resourceful to survive. The shepherds feed them a plain barley mash, supplemented with whatever food scraps and bones they have leftover.

Meat is normally available to dogs only in the form of what they can catch, usually rodents living in the desert or around the village, or the odd bird or hare. Male dogs tend to get preferential treatment and so the females have to learn to live by their wits.

Despite the apparent informality of the village environment, matings are usually planned, in the sense that a shepherd will have his eye on a particular stud dog for the next generation.

Bitches tend to come into season only once a year – some would say out of self-preservation – with the alpha bitch in the village giving the lead to the others.

A Kangal bitch will usually do her best to give birth to her puppies underground, out of reach of other dogs and interlopers, so she will most likely dig herself a tunnel under a rock or building ending it in a round chamber which becomes the nest.

It is astonishing, given their poor diet, that Kangal bitches are able to produce milk at all, but they generally succeed.

They are often helped by other, usually related, bitches in the community who will come into milk despite having no pups of their own and act as welcome wet-nurses as the pups grow.

Sadly, little human support is offered to the lactating bitch; her welfare is largely ignored and she is seen as simply a means to an end.

The process of weaning starts at around three weeks when the bitch begins to regurgitate her own meal to feed to the pups, who devour it ravenously. Small wonder, then, that by the time the pups are weaned the Kangal bitch is herself at quite a low ebb

Beginnings Of Kangal Breed in other countries

Kangal Dog a Good Companion

Kangal dogs have become established as working dogs in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and southern Africa, where they are able to function in much the same role as they have in their homeland.

After some initial false starts in successfully bonding the dogs to their flocks, farmers have become experienced in the use of livestock guardians and have made significant reductions in losses of sheep and goats to coyotes, dingoes, feral dogs, and rustlers.

The first Kangal Dog was imported into the USA by Mr. and Mrs. Nelson in 1985 and the breed is supported by an active and dedicated breed society, the Kangal Dog Club of America.

The Livestock Guard Dog Association and Oregon State University, USA, have carried out extensive comparative trials and published the results of their research, using Turkish dogs and shepherd dogs from other parts of Europe.

However, in attempting to breed an all-purpose livestock guardian, this program has crossed the various breeds, a policy that has not been welcomed by the breed societies.

At the same time, the dogs have found little difficulty in adjusting to a more domestic setting in other European countries where, given sufficient space and understanding, they are content to devote themselves to family and property.

They have become particularly well established in Germany and Holland as a result of Turkish guest-workers bringing their dogs with them and forming a network of owners. Unfortunately, suitable conditions have not always been provided for these dogs and they have fallen foul of anti-dog legislation in some German states.

Kangal Dog a protected breed

Kangal Dog Protected Breed

In recent years Turkey has become aware of the need to protect not only certain native species of wildlife but its domestic animals, among them the Kangal Dog.

With the explosion of interest in the breed during the 1980s, when several dogs were exported to American researchers and European breeders, the Kangal suddenly became a fashionable acquisition for affluent Turks, most of the city dwellers in the western towns.

Government officials had the authority to commandeer dogs from the Sivas area for their own purposes.

The Army decided to train the breed for work already being done by German Shepherd Dogs and Dobermanns, only to discover after several years and numerous failures that this breed, which instinctively works on its own initiative and has a quite different character from other ‘sharper’ breeds, was not a good candidate for obedience.

Horror stories of whole lorryloads of Kangal Dogs being shipped like livestock out of central Anatolia are, sadly, well-founded. Numbers declined alarmingly, exacerbated by the arrival of parvovirus, which swept through the area.

Eventually, many dogs were turned out onto the streets or abandoned outside cities when their owners could no longer cope with a full-size, headstrong, often confused Kangal Dog in a confined space. Today the dog is still a status symbol, but thankfully the initial mania has subsided.

Today the Kangal Dog is protected by the Turkish government as part of the national heritage. The export of Kangal Dogs to non-Turkish nationals is now illegal.

Government-controlled breeding centers have been established at Kangal town and Ulas, where every dog’s breeding, development, and health record are charted, whether the animal is kept at the centers or based in a village and used for work. Pedigrees are recorded, and certificates of origin issued to owners of genuine Kangal Dogs.

Research on Kangal Dogs

Research on Kangal Dog

A number of universities have embarked on studies of the breed, notably Seljuk University in Konya.

The university has its own breeding program and held an International Symposium on Turkish Shepherd Dogs in October 1996.

The University of Uludag in Bursa, already well known for its work on the rescue and rehabilitation of bears that have been exploited for entertainment.

The Kangal Dog Breeding and Research Centre has been established in association with Sivas Cumhuriyet University to study the breed.

This University, The Governorship of Sivas province, and the governorship of Kangal District have to date jointly hosted two international symposia specifically on the subject of the Kangal Dog.

Kangal Festivals

Kangal Festivals

Every year in July the town of Kangal holds its annual festival, which includes a celebration of the Kangal Dog.

Hundreds of dogs are brought by their owners to be exhibited at the festival. Most of them are working dogs used by the local shepherds. Others are from further afield and maybe guardians of livestock or their owner’s family and property.

Visitors converge on this small town from countries all over the world, including the USA, Russia, Australia, and many European countries to admire the very best examples of this striking breed.

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