An ancient and rare breed, perhaps 6,000 years old, these Central Turkish guard dogs have a commanding presence. In the 1950s first imports to the USA occurred. The AKC registry accepted the breed in 1998.
They were resident in a harsh environment, withstanding temperature extremes to carry out flock protection against large predators. This led to a hardy, large working dog that could endure long days of work.
Height at Withers: female 27" (68.5 cm), male 29" (73.5 cm) minimum.
Weight: females 80-120 lb (36.5-54.6 kg), males 110-150 lb (50-68 kg).
Coat: Two coat variants exist; the Short and the Rough. Rough is about 4" (10) cm in length, while Short is 1" (2.54 cm). The undercoat is dense. Some feathering may be present. Color or markings are not limited in this breed, but fawn with a dark mask is common.
Points of Conformation: They possess a rugged build, large body frame with heavy muscling and bone, the head is large and the skull has small furrow in the midline. The flews are dry. Eyes are dark brown to amber and almond in shape, palpebral margins dark. Blue or odd irises are not allowed. The ears are triangular, the apex is rounded, and they are folded along the head. The muzzle is square, the nose is dark (brown or black), the neck is moderate in length and musculature, and with a ruff of skin and fur. The topline slopes down towards the croup, Thorax is deep and the ribs are well sprung, and an abdominal tuck up is present. The tail reaches the tarsi, and is high set. At rest, the tail is curved along the back of the legs, and when active it is up high and moves to do a "wheel" movement. Limbs are straight, metacarpals heavy, oval feet have thick pads, and are compact. Some specimens have double dewclaws in back. Dewclaws front and back may be removed. Gait is smooth and long in stride, ground-covering with significant agility.