I have two full time companions from the dog world and they are undoubetly the best buddies I could have asked for. The older one is a stunning Rhodesian Ridgeback called Goldie, and the younger one (by about 6 months) is a beautiful Anatolian Shepherd called Melek. For those who are new to these breeds, I am adding a short descrioption of them along with a bit more about my dogs as well.
Rhodesian Ridgebacks were bred in Rhodesia to bait lions and they are known to be one of the most fearless of dog breeds. The largest of only three KC recognised dog breeds in the world with a ridgem they are capable of looking a lion in the eye and walking towards it. A feat that few in the animal kingdom can stake a claim on. Capable of running alongside horses for 30 miles and practically immune to insect bites, one would thiknk that these dogs might be quite full of themselves. Nothing could be more untrue though, they are absolutely adorable and friendly additions to a family and are extremely gentle yet fiercly loyal and protective. And I am lucky enough to have a partner in Goldie who is right at the top of all these traits and also is extremely kind and pure at heart.
Anatolian shepherds are an even rarer and lesser known breed, which is amazing when one realises that they are one of the oldest dog breeds known to man. Similar dogs have known to have existed in Turkey all the way back to 6000 years ago and they are believed to have descended from hunting dogs in Mesopotamia. True to this fact, their inherent nature is to be highly aloof but aware of whats going on. They tend to protect herds of cattle and sheep in the anatolian mountains by perching themselves at high vantage points and looking out for threats. The characteristic difference between them and other shepherding breeds is that ATs will proactively attack a potential threat like wolves and bears as opposed to most of the dog breeds in the category which tend to be detterents. Again, these are extremely beautiful and affectionate dogs although one needs to appreciate that they are not necessarily very physical about showing their emotions. Having said that, I think a bit of Goldie's love for life has entered Melek as she is one of the most cuddly and affectionate dogs one can find. And with her size (80Kgs plus) when fully grown, she is a lot to handle. And I love every bit of it.
One of the things I am exploring is potentially breeding KC registered working lines of RRs and ATs in India. At least, based on my experience and assessment, they are highly suited for Indian conditions and are particulary well setup for being family pets as well as guard dogs in city and rural settings respectively. Also, I believe that they could be a great addition to govt. institutions that need protection and guard dogs for various reasones across urban and wildlife settings. I will share more on this plan in the future as I take it forward one step at a time.
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