KangalDogs

:I never would have dreamed that I would one day have the honor and pleasure of developing a friendship with a few people 'across the pond', who share a mutual love and admiration for what some would call a "dog"...but whom I call a rare and personal journey with one of God's amazing creations.

I first met Sheila Reed online at a message board that we both frequented. She had at that time, recently given a presentation sharing her personal experience and journey with the Kangal Dog over in the United Kingdom. I was absolutely fascinated with her story...the history about an animal that was captivating peoples lives long before I ever found out about them. I remember asking her a few questions in regard to what she had shared and then our paths went our seperate ways for several years.

In 2011 our paths crossed again and I had the honor of speaking with her on the telephone. Life had changed drastically for me...I had left the suburbs and moved to the country.

I can't tell you how much it meant to be able to ask someone who had decades of experience with this breed, questions that take time in walking the journey with a Kangal, to know. She is an asset to this breed and I admire all that she has done. The fact that I genuinely like her as a person is just icing on the cake. She's always been upfront and honest with me...qualities I cherish in others.

I had always loved reading her history with the Kangal Dog and was very honored and appreciative when she agreed to let me share it on this site. It is an important history and one that deserves to be preserved and shared.

Michael Thomas is a gentleman from Wales who I also met online and through the months and almost 2 years now, has become a very cherished friend. His love for this breed, his dedication to preserving it in the UK, is what caused our paths to cross. They must have had him in mind when they wrote that song,

"There ain't no mountain high enough

Ain't no valley low enough

Ain't no river wide enough

To keep me from getting to..." the Kangal.

lolol (how much would you like to bet I'll get a phone call when he discovers I've written all this lolol).

Needless to say, he personally escorted 3 stunning, much loved Kangal puppies from my farm all the way across the pond, back to his home in the UK. The journey that we travelled together from that first call till the moment the paws of those 3 pups hit the ground over there is a rich and heartfelt journey that holds great meaning to me.

Without the Kangal Dog I would have never come to know these 2 people. That would have surely been a loss, indeed.

Country of Origin: Turkey

Group: Guardian Dogs (United Kennel Club).

Use today: Guardian, national dog of Turkey

Life Span: 12 to 15 years

Color: Cream to light tan to gray in a sable pattern with a black mask.

Coat: Short double coat, neither wavy nor fluffy.

Grooming: Brush weekly.

Height: 28 to 30 inches for females and 30 to 32 inches for males.

Weight: 90 to 110 pounds for females and 110 to 145 pounds for males.