02/24/2015: Yashi and her sister, Ashk, have come such a long way since they have been at PRBJ. At first they were so scared; then, after about 2 weeks, they have become 2 different dogs, personality wise. Now, they will both rub up against you to be petted and given affection. They are dedicated, friendly, and housetrained. If they were able to sit by your feet all day and be petted they would be in heaven. They love to go for walks together and are are also great on a leash. They play with all our other dogs. Sometimes, I believe they think they are lap dogs.
Ashk and her sister, Yashi, were surrendered to us from the same owner. They have been together since birth and have quite the attachment to each other. For the past couple of years, Ashk and Yashi have grown up as working dogs. Their job was to live in the pasture and guard the sheep. Because of this, they are not as social as they could be. They want attention and seem to enjoy it very much although it does take them a few minutes to warm up to people. With time and TLC, we feel sure they will realize their working days are over and will be oh so happy living in the comforts of a home! Are you willing to open your home to these beautiful girls?
NOTE: These two bonded sisters must be adopted together. We would also like to find a family with breed experience.
FUN FACT: When we first saw that her name was Ashk, we figured it must be a typo! Actually, it has a very special meaning. The name Ashk means love in Turkish!
According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the Anatolian Shepher Dog is native to Asia Minor. It protects flocks and serves as a shepherd's companion. On the high Anatolian Plateau, where summers are hot and very dry and winters are cold, the Anatolian Shepherd Dogs live outside all year round. For centuries the ancestors of the Anatolian Shepherd were used as a combat dog in war and for hunting. It was particularly valued for the victorious battles it could fight with wolves. As a sheepdog, it was bothered by neither fatigue nor bad weather. Today it is still used as a sheep dog as well as a guard dog. The Anatolian Shepherd is very closely related to the Kangal Dog and some people even declare all Turkish shepherd's i.e. the Kangal Dog, to be one breed, the Anatolian Shepherd, however the true Turkish Kangal Dogs are said to be a separate breed from the generic Turkish shepherd's dog. The isolated historical conditions of the Sivas-Kangal region has resulted in the development of the Kangal Dog as a distinct breed, which has been declared the National Dog of Turkey and a national treasure. The true Turkish Kangal Dogs are first and foremost still primarily working shepherds. The export of pure Kangal Dogs from Turkey has been controlled and now is virtually forbidden. The Kangal Dog Club of America continues to work to ease import restrictions. Imported dogs are considered to be extremely valuable for their potential contribution to the genetic pool in the United States. Anatolian Shepherds are not recommended for apartment life. They are relatively inactive indoors and will do best with at least a large yard. This breed is very suspicious of strangers, and it is therefore necessary to provide a secure, fenced yard. This breed needs a lot of exercise. They do best when they can run free in their own fenced-in yard, but still need to go on long daily walks. They have a life expectancy of 12-15 years.
More about Ashk
Good with Dogs, Good with Kids
Ashk must be adopted with her sister, Yashi (adopted).
Other Pictures of Ashk (click to see larger version):