Stud Selection
Selection of Pups
Kangal (Karabash) Dog pups may be obtained in two ways: purchasing from breeders,
and selection from an existing litter.
In order to purchase from breeders outside Turkey, the key to finding the right
stud dog or puppy and the right breeder is to first find out as much as you can
about the breed yourself. Do not rely on the breeder to provide this information,
as there may be many dishonest breeders. Real purebred Kangal (Karabash) Dog
Dogs are rarely if ever found through newspaper advertisements or at pet stores.
Every dog has faults. The goal of a good breeding programme is not to produce
the perfect dog but to create the least imperfect dogs.
In Turkey you may purchase purebred Kangal (Karabash) Dog pups directly from
villagers (köylü in Turkish), who do not, however, keep formal written records
or pedigrees for their dogs. Alternatively they may be obtained from the state
operated kennels at Ulas and Kangal in Sivas province, or the Veterinary Faculty
of Seljuk (Selçuk) University in Konya.
Purchasing a Kangal (Karabash) Pup from Breeders
The following are the key points in purchasing Kangal (Karabash) Dog pups from
breeders:
1. The climatic and geographical conditions of the place where the pup was born
and the place where it will live, should be similar. This relates to the points
on adaptation ability explained in
article of
Behavioural
Characteristics.
2. The pup to be purchased should be 2-3 months old preferably. There are a
several reasons for this: a) A pup should be suckled by the mother for at least
the first two months. This means that that pup is likely to be healthy and
resistant to disease. b) It is possible to observe breed characteristics such as
a curled tail in a 2-3 months old puppy but not in younger ones, or in the
newborn with closed eyes. c) We cannot receive correct responses from tests
applied to a younger pup or a newborn with closed eyes, but a 2-3 month old pup
will give the correct responses or reactions. For instance, a 2-3 months old
Kangal (Karabash) Dog pup should not yelp or whine when we grasp it from its
back coat or neck and lift it up. If it does so, it should not be chosen. d)
Some faults cannot be recognized in younger pups. For instance, a fault in the
legs cannot be seen if a pup cannot even stand on its legs. e) The age of 2-3
month old canines resembles the age of 2 year old human babies. Both puppies and
human babies become slimmer and taller at this age. In contrast, a plump, well-fed
pup only a few weeks old will seem more attractive. In this situation people may
be led by their feelings and consequently purchase a poor quality pup; f) a
breeder will not want to sell a pup which will have very good stud
qualifications when it reaches maturity whatever the price you are ready to pay,
or he may ask an excessively high price.
3. The other key point is always to purchase pups in pairs, one male and one
female. However, they must not be siblings or near relatives, and must be
purchased from different breeders, or chosen from different litters. If the dogs
are kept in an enclosed area, they will not be able to find mates from another
litter and at maturity will have no other choice but to mate with each other. If
they are siblings this is genetically disadvantageous. Various illnesses and
hereditary faults may result and courage decrease. The breeders of Kangal (Karabash)
Dog Dogs know well that the pups of a sibling mating lose their breed
characteristics, for instance they shrink from fighting with wolves.
Criteria for Selecting Turkish Kangal (Karabash) Shepherd Dog Stud Pups
The following are the criteria for the selection of a 2-3 month old stud pup in
order to minimise mistakes during purchasing or choosing from your own litter.
1. The first point to be given utmost attention is to examine whether or not the
Kangal (Karabash) pups possess the main breed characteristics (see Chapter 12)
which are essential. For instance, if a pup having all the main breed
characteristics, such as the black mask on the muzzle and around the eyes,
dropped ears near to the skull, a curled tail etc., is not selected because it
has no dewclaws, it means that this selection is not a good and correct one.
This is a Kangal (Karabash) Dog pup whether or not it has dewclaws. On the
contrary, if a pup is selected only on account of having dewclaws even though it
lacks one or more of the main breed characteristics, this selection is not a
good and correct one either.
2. In general appearance, the stud puppy must be active and interested in its
environment, and all parts of its body must be in harmony with each other. No
part of its body should appear unattractive. It must be heavy boned, with a
large head, thick legs, and large pads. Its appearance from the side must be
regular, and its head must be upright. Viewed from the front and back, its legs
must appear normal, and it must take proper steps when it walks. It must have a
muzzle and eyes edged with a black mask, dropped ears close to the skull, and a
curled tail. The hairs of its coat must be shiny, alive and smooth. They should
not be rough or mixed. The coat must immediately return to its normal position
when ruffled up. Its ears must also immediately return to their normal position
when you hold and squeeze them and they must be warm.
3. The stud pup must rush eagerly towards food put in front of it, try to impede
the other litter mates, and gobble it as if it is going be deprived.
Selection of a Stud Puppy through Scoring (Assessment)
Since scoring is generally based on the subjective assessments of individuals it
should be made by several experienced persons rather than just the purchaser or
the one who will choose the pup, and the result achieved by taking the average
of all scores. It should be carried out carefully and specifically. Thus, a
better result may be obtained. Assessors should be well-versed in the breed
specifications, and should have had substantial experience in examining dogs.
Scoring is made in 6 main categories and over a total of 100 points. The points
scale is as follows:
1. General Appearance
20
2. Body
20
3. Head and Neck
30
4. Feet and Legs
10
5. Tail
10
6. Secondary Breed Characteristics 10
Total 100
1. General Appearance (20 points): Assessment is made in 4 categories: a)
Harmony (5 points): Body shape as if a lioness. Head in harmony with other body
parts with no unattractive element ; b) Structure of Skeleton (5 points): Heavy-boned
structure. No thinness, excess roughness, curvature or distortion; c) Coat (5
points): Dun and single colour. Orderly, smooth and bright hair. Alive and
gleaming coat returning to its normal position when held and pulled up; d)
Liveliness (5 points): Alert facial expression. Eyes following activity in the
surroundings..
2. Body (20 points): Assessment is made in 2 categories: a) Body
Structure (10 points): Higher shoulders than hindquarters. Large chest, thin
loins and well-arched abdomen. Muscular and powerful body; b) Genital Organs (10
points): Normal external appearance both in male and female. Descended testicles
in place. In female, 8 or 10 teats. All of healthy appearance.
3. Head and Neck (30 points): Assessment is made in 6 categories: a) Head
(5 points): Large and majestic resembling that of a lioness. Large, high
forehead; b) Mask (5 points): Eyes, muzzle and ears edged with black mask; c)
Jaws and Teeth (5 points): Strong jaws meeting in a scissors bite. Large evenly
spaced white teeth; d) Neck (5 points): Short, thick, muscular and powerful; e)
Ears (5 points): Triangular with rounded tips of pendant ears as if adhering to
its skull. Velvety and fleshy to the touch. Returning immediately to their
normal positions after handling; d) Eyes (5 points): Small in proportion to its
head, deep-set, lively and bright. No inflammation, leakage or erythema. No sag
of lower eyelids and inside of eyelids not visible.
4. Feet and Legs (10 points): Assessment is made in 2 categories: a) Legs
(5 points): Strong structure and thick. Viewed from front, straight. Strongly
placed on the ground. Sound and muscular shoulders; b) Feet (5 points): Large,
rounded in shape with healthy and well-cushioned pads. Strong nails.
5. Tail (10 points): Assessment is made in 2 categories: a) Structure (5
points): Thick at the base, long and strong. 2/3 length of body; b) Shape (5
points): Reaches at least to the hock when the dog is in repose, and carried in
a curl over the back when the dog is alert.
6. Secondary breed characteristics (10 points): Assessment is made in 10
categories: a) 1, 2 or 3 additional toe nails on hind feet (4 points); b) White
blaze on the chest (1 point); c) White spot on the tip of tail (1 point); d) A
few black spots with long bristles on the face, sometimes on the tail (1 point);
e) White socks or stockings on the lower sections from the knees of forequarters
(1 point); f) A black area on the palate (1 point); g) Toes webbed (1 point).
Any puppy receiving fewer than 50 % of points in any of the categories above
should not be chosen as a stud puppy, even though it receives full points from
the other 5 categories.
Selection of Mature Sire and Dam Stud Dogs
The following criteria should be kept in mind when purchasing a mature sire or
dam stud dog, or choosing a pair from among a number of available stud dogs.
1. Basic breed characteristics
2. Healthy appearance in all organs
3. Normal appearance of genital organs. Number of teats in the female should be
8-10. No additional teat should be seen between two teats. Testicles should be
in place.
4. Good character and calm nature.
5. Refusing food from a stranger.
6. No hereditary imperfection or widespread sickness in the district. This point
should be investigated even though not reported by the owner.
Judging Dog Age from Teeth
In dogs the number of deciduous (baby) teeth is 28, and the number of permanent
teeth is 42. The distribution of baby teeth in one jaw is as follows: 6 incisors
in front; 2 canines, one on both sides of the incisors; 6 premolars behind them.
There are 14 in each jaw, 28 in total.
The distribution of permanent teeth in one jaw is as follows: 6 incisors in
front; 2 canines, one on both sides of incisors; 8 premolars behind them; 4
molars in the upper and 6 molars in the lower jaw. There are 20 in the upper, 22
in the lower jaw, 42 in total.
The incisor teeth between the canines are used for judging dog age from teeth.
The 6 incisors have names: 2 are the middle incisors, 2 are the incisors next to
the middle, and the last 2 are the outer incisors (pens, ara and köşe
respectively in Turkish). These incisors are divided into three lobes like a
cloverleaf. Judgement of age from teeth is made according to the amount of
erosion of these teeth.
A puppy is born without teeth. When it is three to four weeks old, 28 deciduous
teeth will begin to break through the gums, and all are in place at six weeks
old. At 4-5 months the permanent incisors, 5-6 months its permanent canines, and
6-7 months its last molar in the lower jaw is in place, namely it will have 42
brand new teeth.