Male and female Kangal (Karabash) Dogs reach
their adult weight at the age of 2. Growth is slower in the second year. The dog
gains its height during its first year and tends to fill out in the second year.
Heat (oestrous) Cycle
A female Kangal (Karabash) becomes sexually mature (has the first heat) between
10 to 12 months of age if she is fed correctly and receives good care. However,
the Kangal (Karabash) bitch should not be permitted to mate when she is 12
months of age because she will continue growing until 18 months and even
sometimes 2 years of age. Mating at 12 months of age is termed the 'Constant
Environment Factor'. This leads to a lower weight both in the mother Kangal (Karabash)
and her pups.
The Kangal (Karabash) bitch in heat displays abnormal behaviour. She seems
restless and tries to escape if in a confined area, scratching the door and
trying to climb out of the windows if the place is a closed room. She does not
obey orders. Her sexual organ (vulva) swells and turns red, with a transparent
secretion at first and then reddish bleeding with a particular odour coming from
the vulva. This odour called pheremone attracts males from far distances. The
bitch also urinates frequently to spread her scent for the males. The oestrous
cycle is approximately 10-21 days.
Mating
Male and female Kangal (Karabash) Dogs are kept in adjacent pens for a few days
prior to mating (proestrus) to become familiar with each other if the male is a
stranger. The bitch is observed, and they are allowed to mate after the 10th day
from the first appearance of the bloody discharge from the swollen vulva. The
vaginal discharge is more yellowish than bloody during oestrus. Kangal (Karabash)
Dogs do not breed sibling-to-sibling, dam-to-son or sire-to-daughter unless they
have no other choice. Near relative mating can be seen only when the male dog
feels driven instinctively to continue the race if it cannot find any other
bitch for mating. They are extremely selective about their breeding. They do not
normally mate with any other dog breed even when they are free.
Dogs prefer places out of sight or night-time for mating. Copulation lasts about
15-30 minutes. The middle of the male dog's penis has a swollen section which
matches a cavity in the bitches vagina. These sections are interlocked during
mating. The dog penis does not deflate immediately after ejaculation. Therefore,
the male cannot withdraw its penis. In order to do this, erection must
terminated, in other words the penis must soften.
The vagina inside the bitch is not a straight tube, and has a very strong ring
of muscles. Once the male has entered the vagina, the bitch tightens these
muscles to hold the penis in place. Once this tightening action has occurred it
is necessary to wait until the female relaxes the muscles and breaks the tie to
release the male. The tie ensures that the seminal fluid does not leak back out
and the slower sperm have a chance to swim up the fallopian tubes. Attempting to
pull the pairs apart will cause serious pain, damage and injury to the male dog.
This is because the dog penis differs from numerous other living creatures, in
that it contains a long bone called the os penis, which may be broken if a
mating pair is forcefully separated. This is very painful for a dog and if he
wishes to mate again he will not be able. In case of a broken penis bone, and if
the dog is intended for breeding, it can be treated by having a vet put the
broken os penis in a plaster cast.
The bitch will be calm and will not permit subsequent matings if she has been
impregnated.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in a female Kangal (Karabash) Dog lasts about 63 days ie 9 weeks. This
period varies from dog to dog depending on factors such as age, number of
pregnancies, nutrition, working and climatic conditions, and season. No change
in the physical appearance of the bitch is seen during her first month of
pregnancy but at week five, she starts to become rapidly thicker and broader and
her teats grow large and pendulous. More attention is paid to her from this time
on. A special section in a quiet area that is easy to keep warm is allocated to
her in order to avoid being disturbed by other pets, dogs and people. She must
not be exposed to excessive heat or cold, or expected to work much. She does not
need a special diet but care must be paid not to give her stale, cold or
excessively fatty food.
Labour and Delivery
The whelping area must be a clean, warm, draft-free nesting spot. In villages it
must at least be disinfected by whitewashing, and provided with litter. Clean
newspaper is a good litter material because it is easily disposed of. The
pregnant bitch is very irritable during the last few hours of gestation. She may
even attack people who disturb her. She does not welcome the presence of anyone
from the household, even her master. It is best to leave the pregnant bitch
alone in her whelping nest. If she lives in a village and no place has been
allocated for her, she finds a quiet place and digs a den in the ground large
enough for her and the prospective puppies. She frequently walks around and
returns to the den. This means her labour has started. Delivery takes place 2-3
hours after these signs.
In general, delivery passes easily and necessitates no intervention. Normally
pups are delivered at an average of half hourly intervals in a clear thin
membrane (sac) full of a jelly-like liquid, with the placenta attached by a cord.
Instinctively, even if it is her first whelping, the dam Kangal licks and cleans
the newborn all over, after gripping the sac with her teeth, tearing it and
eating it together with the placenta. This is a perfect food for her full of
protein.
The newborn pups have a wet coat, near black in colour. The coat colour starts
to lighten from 1-1.5 months after birth. Their eyes and ears are sealed. The
eyes continue to develop, and begin to open from 9-10 days after the birth,
becoming fully opened from 12-14 days after the birth. The ears begin to hear at
approximately the same time.
The remnant of the umbilical cord dries and falls off spontaneously within a
week. In villages, all cords of puppies should be tied with a clean string and
cut close to the navel, leaving an umbilical stump of about ¼ in length. This
should be done immediately after delivery in order to protect the puppies from
infection. The mother Kangal (Karabash) is very jealous during 2-3 days
following delivery, and she will not permit anyone to approach the puppies.
Disturbing the tired dam Kangal should be avoided.
In rural conditions, so-called 'summer puppies' are considered more desirable
than those born in winter in most areas in Anatolia. However very little
genotype difference exists between the dogs born in the two seasons. The main
difference is that the dam Kangal (Karabash) which whelps in winter has less
milk and thus the pups cannot be fed properly. In addition, the pup's body is
not able to ensure heat regulation within its first month in winter, and many
deaths occur. Breeders and dog lovers who are seeking Kangal (Karabash) puppies
are recommended not to purchase 'winter puppies' from villages.
Number of Puppies in a Litter
The Kangal (Karabash) bitch gives birth to an average of 8 pups per litter.
Since it is a heavy breed it is included in the category of 'multi whelping
breeds'. In a study carried out by Robinson on 76 breeds,it was found that the
average number of puppies in heavy, medium and small size breeds is 7-8, 5-6,
and 3-4, respectively.