The Kangal Dog is found in the high rolling plains country of central Turkey. The approximate geographic center of the region is Sivas City. The Kangal Dog has historically been associated with the town of Kangal­a district town within Sivas Province. While much of the landscape is rolling plains, the region is cut by the Kulmaç Mountains and the Tecer Mountains running approximately NE/SW. The Uzun Yayla southwest of Kangal is a major Kangal Dog and sheep producing area. The Kızılırmak River runs through the province. A karst topography dominates the northern part of the province.

Although Sivas Province is the center of Kangal Dog breeding, good examples of the breed can also be found in parts of the neighboring provinces of Kayseri, Yozgat, Tokat, Erzincan, and Malatya, where they border on Sivas Province. The precise regional boundaries for the Kangal Dog cannot be defined, but the demarcation between true Kangal Dogs and other dogs is usually abrupt.

Kangal. A name well known to the people of Turkey! Its very name evokes the romance and legendary aura of this land so steeped in history. This ancient breed springs forth like a lion from its epicenter - the Kangal District - a region in east central Turkey located in what is known as the Anti-Taurus. While Turkey has more than one indigenous dog breed, the Kangal is the most famous of them all. This breed's status is manifested by its portrait on a national Turkish postage stamp. If any dog breed can be characterized as the national dog of Turkey, that breed is the Kangal Dog.

http://www.toursguideturkey.com/fauna.htm

They really are huge but soooo lovely. Would love one as a friend for my whippet

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc74/qiuseppe/kangal_.jpg

I was offered to take a one of these dogs in last week,
A turkish friend of my partners has one, he is 1 yr old but his wife is pregnant now and she didn't want the dog to stay there.
I would of loved to bring the dog home, they are so big and beuatiful. A great guardian for the children too.
Unfortunaltly, I can not keep the dog at the moment as I am looking to move home soon.
It would of been so nice
Maybe when I have my new home and after I am married, we can get a puppy then

it will be difficult in london..They need a huge space..

Something interesting you might not know about the Kangal is that they were likely brought to Turkey by the Celts around 279-8 BCE. Their name still refers to this;"canis" Latin for dog, as in kanine, and "Gal" referring to the Galatians. Galatia became a region settled by three tribes of Celts at that time, in central Anatolia.

In a 1997 tourist information booklet produced by the Ministry of Tourism, there is mention of the Kangal Dog: "Kangal, 68km south of Sivas, is the home of Turkey’s most famous breed of dog – the Kangal (dog of the Galatians, with whom they came in the 3rd cent. BC). Used as sheep dogs, these golden-haired animals have proven themselves in police and security work".

It is commonly assumed in Turkey that the Kangal dog accompanied the Oghuz Turks, fleeing from Genghis Khan as working dogs on their long journey from Central Asia to Anatolia in the 11th century. Dogs similar to the Turkish shepherd dogs can be found in rural communities along this historic route.


There are several opinions about Kangal Dog's roots which can be counted as a rumour. According to the I. International Kangal Dog Symposium, Kangal Dog's were brought from Türkistan during the Big Turkish Migrations.

it is also said kangal dog comes from a dog sent as a gift to sultan selim by the shah of India. sultan selim took this dog when he went on a war and the dog got lost somewhere near Kangal district of sivas. Later, other dogs derived from it..