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Alp: Profile of an Anatolian Shepherd

by Jennifer Floyd

Alp is my beloved Anatolian Shepherd; he is a friend, companion, livestock guardian, and show dog. The Anatolian Shepherd is a dog of many talents; his ancestral talent is that of guarding livestock, but this breed has known success as a companion, an obedience competitor, and at conformation shows, as well as many other pursuits. Few, however, have achieved recognition for an individual in as many different categories as ASDI, ASDCA, RBKC Ch. Shahbazin Alp Arslan C.D., P.C., C.G.C., V.C.C.X.; otherwise known as Alp.

When I was looking for an Anatolian Shepherd puppy in 1990, I was looking for a pup who would not only be a good guardian for my fancy poultry, but would also be a good obedience prospect, and hopefully, be able to be championship titled in conformation as well. While I had four older Anatolians who were great stock guards and companions, they all had physical problems that excluded them from competition or breeding. My mother had recently acquired a young Anatolian female, Kara, (Masallah Karakehribar C.D.) who I was quite impressed with. When her sire, Turk Pala Simsek of Sivas T.T., a young import from Turkey, fathered a second litter, I corresponded with their breeder in Oregon, and ended up visiting the litter. The dam was from stock guardian lines, and the pups were all black masked fawns, some with white markings. Well, I went home to San Diego with the boldest, liveliest pup of the litter - it was difficult to tell what his conformation would turn out to be like, but his parents looked impressive, and he certainly seemed to have the energy for obedience! As his breeder avowed that raising a litter of large, active puppies was a one-time experience for her, I registered my new pup under my kennel name, and he became Shahbazin Alp Arslan. Although I had actually meant to pick a bitch rather than a dog, I chose Alp because he was very special.

Alp at 8 weeks

At that time, I was finishing courses for a teaching credential; Alp spent his nights sleeping on a bed littered with textbooks, notes, pencils, and puppy toys - he never chewed the wrong thing - and his days being baby-sat by his older half-sister, Kara. He also spent time learning a few basic obedience lessons. Alp followed me around in the mornings and evenings when I fed and cleaned the livestock (horses and chickens), and learned to watch the experienced stock guards and behave around the animals as they did. He also learned how to dig holes that were large enough that both he and Kara could go completely out of sight in them! In between all of this activity, Alp also began going to training classes.

I had done basic training with my older dogs, and I had gone to a few shows and matches with one of them. However, puppies need to spend a lot of time being socialized and learning about the world away from home, so Alp started out in a group training class that met in the evenings once a week. This class ran for eight weeks - meanwhile, Alp was also enrolled in another once a week class, but this one was a class that taught handling skills for conformation shows. We also started entering a few fun matches. As Alp's first birthday approached, he had won his first major with a Best of Breed win, and had competed successfully in his first National Specialty, with a Best of Opposite Sex Puppy and Winners Dog awards. At 13 months he had his first leg for a Companion Dog title, but after a particularly creative obedience performance at a fun match, I realized that I needed to improve our training program if we were going to do well consistently. I needed more help than group classes or books could give me, and I started looking for an obedience instructor who taught small group or private lessons. I wanted to find someone who was currently competing, open-minded to new training ideas, and who was willing to give a 'non-traditional' obedience breed a chance. By asking people at local matches whose performances I admired, I found a trainer who was affiliated with a local all breed training club (All Breed Obedience Club of San Diego), who was teaching small classes with obedience competitors in mind. Within the next two months, Alp and I not only improved our heeling techniques, but we were learning how to train for the really exciting exercises - retrieves and jumps! I also discovered that, while Anatolians are completely lacking in retrieving instincts, it just takes longer to train the exercise; Alp did eventually become a happy, consistent retriever. Jumping, on the other hand, he took to naturally, although we only trained over low, step- over type jumps until he was over 18 months old and his joints had matured. From his second birthday until his third, Alp and I also attended private training lessons.

By then, Alp was maturing into a handsome fellow with a terrific personality. While a perfect guardian at home, he is very outgoing in public, and loves to be the center of attention. At 30 inches tall, and 130 pounds, he is quite noticeable! At 18 months, Alp finished his first breed championship, his Companion Dog title, and his Perro Companero title. Over the next couple of years, he also finished two more breed championships, was certified a Canine Good Citizen, and, for his accomplishments, health screening (OFA, CERF), and my activity in dogs, received a Versatile Canine Companion Excellent award.

Alp at 3 years

Alp is now the proud sire of a litter of fawn and brindle puppies, out of Maranda's Zebir of Yassipinar, a brindle from unrelated Turkish lines. Two of these pups, Maranda's Gezme of Shahbazin, and Maranda's Garnizon of Shahbazin, have joined their sire; they are co-owned by my husband, Mark, and myself. We hope to begin showing these pups this fall, in both breed and obedience; eventually, Gar and Gez may take over livestock guarding duties from my oldest stock guards.

Alp is a really terrific companion and competitor, equally at home in the pasture, show ring, or curled up on the couch. However, like most dogs, training has enhanced Alp's already stable and outgoing personality, and has made him a joy to be around, rather than an overbearing nuisance. Training has also enhanced my awareness of how to communicate with my dogs, and has helped me to become a better dog handler and owner. In order to have a truly great dog as a companion, the genetic component has to be there, but it is through your training and socialization that his potential can be realized.