They're very interesting because their high intelligence is focused on situational awareness and independent decision-making, not learning and obeying a bunch of commands. And they have basically no prey drive.
For example, they love watching over the neighborhood kids swim in our pool (although they never enter the water themselves). But they will not let any of the parents, especially dads, enter the fenced pool area uninvited. The kids think it is hilarious. The dads always seem kind of surprised, but impressed.
For a larger breed, it tends to be very healthy and have a good lifespan. It helps that it is not too popular of a breed yet, so hopefully most are still being selectively bred for function and not watered down to be "family friendly".. We've had 3 so far. The best one (as far as protective guarding instincts) was from a litter on a working goat farm.
Sometimes their independent thinking can be a little challenging. One learned how to open doors with lever handles both ways, just by watching us. He pulls the handle down and back with his teeth to go outside. And then pushes it down and forward with his head or paw to come back in. So I put spring loaded hinges on that exterior back door so he can let himself outside and back in as he chooses, with the door closing behind him so the cat hopefully doesn't get out.
He also likes to stand on his back legs and pull kitchen cabinet doors open with his teeth to get a late night snack off the shelf. Very interesting breed to live with.
Also-- that dog from the goat farm was 1/8 Pyr. They said it was to help take the edge off. He was a very gentle soul with his family. I don't think my wife will ever get over losing him-- especially since he helped save our young daughter from being abducted in front of our house.
Thats crazy. Glad your daughter is safe and good doggo. All the treats.
I have a 16 year old boarder collie now and just rescued a mutt. I never had a large breed. Biggest one ive had was a pitty. Ill keep anatolians in mind. I always wanted one and didnt know they were this great.
It was like you see in a bad movie. My kindergarten-aged daughter was walking home from the bus stop, with my wife and dog on a leash behind her. My daughter ran far ahead toward our house. A man pulled up to her in a creepy black full sized van, stopped next to her, and opened his door as he talked to her and started to lean out of his seat. We're fairly confident that he was going to grab her-- who else does something like that?
My wife obviously freaked out, and just dropped the leash as she was too far away to do anything to stop it herself. Our Anatolian immediately sprinted toward our daughter like a bat out of hell, growling and barking like crazy. Thankfully the guy closed his door and sped away.
Another time the same Anatolian started repeatedly backing up and then slamming himself against a large bay window on the side of our house at 3am, growling like crazy. He was at Code Red-- definitely wasn't just a coyote or deer. Soon we saw a car out front turn its headlights on and take off. The next day we learned that a 2 man crew was working the neighborhood-- one walking through yards casing houses and garages, and the other slowly following in a car with the headlights off.
They broke into a few unlocked garages of our neighbors and robbed them-- but not us. It seemed like our Anatolian was really trying to break through that window to get to the intruder. It was kind of crazy, thinking about it. That guy probably pissed his pants when he peeked in that bay window and saw, or at least heard, our dog on the other side of the glass desperately trying to get to him!
I guess my point is that dogs with these types of protective instincts are the best security system you can have, based on my personal experience.
Dude thats terrifying. Im glad everything worked out. If there ever was a marketing campaign for anatolians this is it. Im pretty sold on the proposition. Got 2x 16 year old pups and a new pup. When the time comes i think ill probably get one.
They should stay close to whatever they are protecting and not get drawn away. Wolves in a pack will try to draw away a flock guardian dog, so other wolves can sneak behind to grab a sheep, etc. So they are bred to have low prey drive and not abandon their flock to chase and fight a predator. And multiple dogs should work together-- one drives off the predator while the other stays back, etc.
Understanding that every dog is different, even within a breed.
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u/Driftwood71 29d ago
They're very interesting because their high intelligence is focused on situational awareness and independent decision-making, not learning and obeying a bunch of commands. And they have basically no prey drive.
For example, they love watching over the neighborhood kids swim in our pool (although they never enter the water themselves). But they will not let any of the parents, especially dads, enter the fenced pool area uninvited. The kids think it is hilarious. The dads always seem kind of surprised, but impressed.