Kangal Shepherd Dog Breed Health, Care & Facts

Kangal Shepherd Dog Personality

When talking about the Kangal Shepherd Dog’s personality, many people like to call them gentle giants. These dogs are really big, and they love to protect their family. They can also become close friends with the people they live with.

But, it’s important to know that Kangal Shepherd Dogs can sometimes be a bit independent and stubborn. So, it’s crucial to teach them how to behave and be social right from the beginning. Training should continue as they grow up.

Taking care of a Kangal Shepherd Dog means making a big commitment to training and looking after them, but if you do it right, your dog will be a super loyal part of your family.

Coat Color And Grooming

The Kangal Shepherd Dog has a brown or fawn coat, sometimes with a few black markings. Its fur is short to medium-length, straight, and thick. To keep it neat, you can brush the dog’s coat once or twice a week. But when it’s shedding season, you might need to brush more often.

The Kangal Shepherd Dog is a dog that can handle different types of weather. In the hot summer, it’s important to give them plenty of fresh water to stay cool and hydrated.

Feeding

A Kangal Shepherd Dog’s diet should be designed for a big dog with medium energy levels. If they don’t get enough exercise, these dogs can easily gain weight. To keep them healthy, measure their food and feed them twice a day instead of leaving food out all the time.

Like all dogs, a Kangal Shepherd Dog’s food needs will change as they grow up and get older. It’s essential to talk to your vet for advice because each dog is different – they can have different weights, energy levels, and health conditions. So, your vet can give you the best plan for your Kangal Shepherd Dog’s diet.

Kangal Shepherd Dog Health

Kangal Shepherd Dogs are usually healthy, but like all dogs, they can have some health problems. Not all of them will have these issues, but it’s good to know about them if you’re thinking about getting this breed.

Here are some common health problems for Kangal Shepherd Dogs:

Tumors: Tumors are strange growths of cells that can be good or bad. They can show up in different body parts and cause health problems. How they’re treated depends on what kind they are, where they are, and how bad they are. Treatment could involve surgery or medicine like chemotherapy.

Hip Dysplasia: Another thing to watch out for is hip dysplasia. It’s a condition passed down from parents where the hip joint doesn’t fit into the hip socket well.

This can bring pain, trouble walking, and arthritis. Managing it includes watching the dog’s weight, not letting them do too much exercise, giving medicine, and sometimes even having surgery like hip replacement.

Entropion: One issue is called entropion. It happens when the eyelid, usually the lower one, turns inward. This can bother the eye with eyelashes rubbing against it, causing redness, discomfort, and too many tears. Sometimes, surgery is needed to fix it and stop more harm to the eye.

Kangal Shepherd Dog Care

The Kangal Shepherd Dog enjoys having a big outdoor area to explore and play in. It’s good to give them around an hour of outdoor fun every day, including training and using smart toys to keep them thinking. These dogs like to keep an eye on their surroundings, so having a safe outdoor space is important for them.

Taking care of a Kangal Shepherd Dog involves keeping their teeth and nails in good shape. Brush their teeth a few times a week to keep away tartar and bacteria. Doing it every day is even better. Check their nails monthly and trim them if needed.

If your Kangal Shepherd Dog spends enough time outdoors, their nails may stay healthy on their own. Don’t forget to check their ears regularly for any dirt or debris.

The Kangal Shepherd Dog usually gets along well with kids in the house. But it’s important to introduce them to different things early on and set rules for everyone. When playing with very little kids, especially because this dog is big, always keep an eye on them.

This dog has a history of protecting livestock, but it might not be the best choice if you already have other pets at home. When a new dog meets your existing pet, be sure to watch over them.

Early socialization is key for this dog. Remember to reward them for being good and follow a proper training routine.

Rescue Organizations for Kangal Shepherd Dogs

Finding a rescue specifically for Kangal Shepherd Dogs might be a bit tricky because they are not very common. But don’t worry, you can explore shelters that focus on other guardian breeds like Great Pyrenees, Maremma, or Anatolian Shepherd. Your local shelter or a rescue for all dog breeds could also be helpful. Check out these resources:

1. Great Pyrenees Rescue of Atlanta
2. National Anatolian Shepherd Rescue Network
3. Kangal Dog Rescue Project
4. Angels Among Us Pet Rescue

Kangal Shepherd Dog Breeds Organizations

When you’re picking a place to get a new dog, choosing a good dog breeder is super important. Good breeders care a lot about making sure their puppies are healthy and friendly.

They check their parent dogs to make sure they’re healthy, they help their puppies get used to being around people from when they’re little, and they’re there to help you with your dog for its whole life.

But some breeders just want to make money. They don’t really care about making sure their puppies are healthy or friendly.

They might not check the parent dogs for health problems, and they might not help the puppies learn to be around people the right way. So, dogs from these breeders might have more health issues and behavior problems.

Key Facts