Good article about Kangal Dogs

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/kangal-soldier-of-the-steppe/

Kangal: Soldier of the Steppe

January 5, 2016 | 

Editor’s note: The kangal (pronounced khan-ghahl) is a breed of large livestock guarding dog originating from the city of Sivas in central Turkey. The breed is not used for herding, but to defend flocks of sheep from wolves, jackals and even bears. The kangal is such an effective guardian that it has been imported to the U.S for the purpose of protecting livestock from wolves, lessening the need for more extreme control measures such as wolf culls. In the piece below, Bernd Brunner, a writer who splits his time between Germany and Istanbul, explores the relationship between these fearless dogs and their Turkish masters.

The Kangal – also known as the “Anatolian Lion” – is Turkey’s national dog

The independence and courage of these hard-working animals is the stuff of legend, and exporting Kangals from the country is forbidden. The history of the dogs is intimately tied with the history of Turkey itself. But as the forces of modernity find their way into the furthest reaches of Anatolia’s wild plateaus, the role of the Kangals is changing, too.......

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/kangal-soldier-of-the-steppe/