Setting Expectations & Boundaries: The key to a successful Anatolian ownership

  Why do you want an Anatolian? This is a question we believe everyone should ask themselves before purchasing one. In this article, we will be exploring why this question is so important through learning about how expectations and boundaries are important for all Anatolian owners. 

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Why Set Boundaries and Expectations?

 Setting boundaries and expectations is important for 3 reasons; so you know what to expect, how to achieve success, and how to train effectively.  

 First off, setting expectations for your Anatolian forces owners to research the breed. This causes owners to learn more about the breed's strengths and weaknesses. Although it might seem pointless at the time, knowing your breed inside and out is very valuable.  This will enable you to sift through training techniques more easily since you already have an idea of what will and won't work. It can save you tons of failed training attempts and achieve your expectations quicker. If you figure out why you want an Anatolian you’ll be able to set an overall goal and some smaller ones along the way. Progress is by far the most rewarding part of training.

 This brings me to my second point, once you have goals in place you need boundaries to stay on track and prevent unwanted behaviour. We continually read stories online of owners selling their Anatolians (or about to). Why? We find it essentially boils down to 3 reasons. The first is due to a lack of knowledge about the breed and setting unrealistic expectations. The second reason is not having clear expectations or boundaries and flying by the seat of their pants. The last (and most common) cause is having clear expectations, but no boundaries to achieve their goal. In short, boundaries keep your dog on track and help you achieve your expectations quickly. 

 Lastly, training becomes less daunting when you set expectations and boundaries. When you know the breed, your expectations, and your boundaries, searching for training advice becomes easier. You’ll quickly be able to tell if the advice aligns with your expectations or doesn’t benefit you. Training will become fun and rewarding instead of frustrating and burdensome.

How to Set Boundaries & Expectations

 The first thing we would recommend is looking into what the breed is and isn’t capable of. It is incredibly difficult- if not impossible- to fight instincts. Learn about what the breed was originally bred to do. Learn about the strengths of the breed and their weaknesses. (We have written an article (here) talking about the Anatolian breed. We would recommend reading it if you haven't already:) For example, the Anatolian breed will instinctively guard- not herd. So expecting your Anatolian to herd sheep would be highly unrealistic. This is because they, by nature, want to guard and keep the flock safe and calm. However, expecting your Anatolian to be gentle with and protective of their family is realistic because the breed instinctively wants to bond closely to their flock/family and guard them at all costs. We've also received questions about whether Anatolians would make a good family companion and would go for walks and play fetch with their kids.  Once again, you would be very disappointed if this is your primary goal.  Anatolians will make great companions on walks, but they do not retrieve and are not very playful dogs, but their calm disposition is an incredible strength as a livestock guardians, which is what they were bred to do.

 Once you have a good understanding of what the breed can and cannot offer, I would then make a list of expectations for your dog. In other words, ask yourself, “Why do I want an Anatolian Shepherd?”. This is because training an Anatolian to be an LGD vs. a family guardian will be drastically different. This helps you to find suitable training advice, which will help you grow closer to your expectations, not further. 

 From here, look at what boundaries you can put in place to help achieve your expectations. Likely, you won’t be able to spot all the things you could prevent with boundaries but try to think of as many as possible. For example, if you expect your dog to stay on your land, ensure you have proper fencing to contain your dog. If you expect your dog to stay out on the pasture with the livestock, make sure the dog can't leave the pen and have them spend as much time as possible bonding with the livestock. If you expect your dog to guard livestock throughout the day and night, don’t allow your dog to hang out on the porch with you - stay consistent! Or maybe you have the simple expectation of your dog coming when called. Never allow your dog to ignore you! Have consequences in place when they overstep your authority (the boundary). You get the idea. Having a clear boundary and staying consistent with the boundary is key to achieving your expectations. 

In summary, taking the time to know your breed, set expectations, and set boundaries are building blocks for success, which will lead to success and help create the dog you need. 

Sources Cited: 

• “Anatolian Shepherd: A Comprehensive Guide To the Powerful Guardian From Turkey” by Jennifer Bove ‘Pet Helpful’ on November 19, 2024 https://pethelpful.com/dogs/anatolian-shepherd 

• “Behaviour Issues With Livestock Guardian Dogs” by ‘Freak on a Leash’ https://freakonaleashdogtraining.com/behavior-issues-with-livestock-guardian-dogs/#:~:text=Boundaries%20should%20be%20established%20early,the%20family%20or%20working%20environment.