“SIZE SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN PRECEDENCE OVER BALANCE, STRUCTURE AND CORRECT BREED TYPE.”
Variation in body structure is accept- able as long as height, weight and bone are in proportion to overall size. Size should not be given precedence over balance, structure and correct breed type. The skull is broader in dogs than in bitches. The head will also not have expanded to its mature broadness until after the age of four years. Certainly there are exceptions to every rule. The judge should not expect to see a dog that is covered heavily with extra flesh. The profile of the Anatolian Shep- herd Dog, when standing, should show a slight drop behind the withers (not a sway back or weakness in the topline) with gradual arch over the loin, sloping slightly downward at the croup. The topline of the Anatolian will appear level when gaiting. With proper ease of movement, the head will drop, the back will remain strong (no rolling), and the tail will rise. When these three elements come together, the leveling of the topline will become evident to the viewer. Approaching the Anatolian Shep- herd Dog should be from the shoulder and not “head on.” The handler should be allowed to present the bite. It is not in the best interest of the dog for the judge to over handle this breed during examination. This is a working dog and should be respected as one. The judge should make sure ade- quate space between dogs is available in the ring while the dogs are lined up for examination and insure that crowd- ing does not occur during gaiting so each dog’s movement can be seen to its potential. Gaiting should be light and fluid. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog exhibits good reach and drive and covers a lot of ground. There is con- verging toward center line as the gait
picks up. Crossing over in front or from the rear is not acceptable. Although the dog is capable of great speed, the breed instinctively conserves energy. Speed is not necessary or expected in the show ring. It is the desire of the Anatolian Fancy to have the dogs presented for confor- mation judging in their best light. Judg- es passing judgment on our Anatolian Shepherd should be looking for a dog that is large, powerful and impressive, with superior breed type, physically and temperamentally capable of guard- ing flocks from predators. Judges must consider the whole dog and not over- emphasize any one part. General bal- ance is more important than absolute size. An Anatolian Shepherd Dog that is most typical of the breed as defined by the breed standard is not exaggerated; he is the ideal; he is functional; he is perfectly balanced. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: What color is preferred? The AKC Anatolian Shepherd Dog Breed Standard allows for all coat colors and markings to be equally acceptable. There is no preference given to coat col- or. It should be noted that some colors create optical illusions. Often markings can create the appearance of illusion of a narrow head or an unusual ear set. Should the forearm be equal to or longer than the depth of chest? The AKC Breed Standard reads, “Shoulders should be muscular and well developed, blades long, broad and slop- ing. Elbows should be neither in nor out. Forelegs should be relatively long, well-boned and set straight with strong pasterns.” Specific measurements and proportions are not given. The overall
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