Anyone know anything about Anatolian Shepherds?

My soon-to-be inlaws have a pyrenees/anatolian mix. From what we've read, they're pretty similar to pyre's personality-wise. Someone correct me if that's wrong--I'm not terribly well educated on the topic. Quite a few ranchers in our area like anatolians or anatolian mixes as flock guardians because they seem to tolerate our hot Texas summers a little better than some of the others.

just want to say that rotties are herding/drover dogs. they are bred to be independant and one man dogs. they also have curly tails.

do you have any other pictures of her? hard to get a look at her there.

[linkhttp://dogbreedinfo.com/anatolianshepherd.htm]http://dogbreedinfo.com/anatolianshepherd.htm[/link]
we had one at the shelter that I work at a while back, he was very protective of people, but also as sweet as can be. Very active, he needed a LOT of exercise.
I haven't seen too many around, so for them to be in a mix does not seem right to me... but I could be very wrong!
Shadow, our Anatonlain
 

It'd have to have something else in tehre, too- anatolians are all the masked yellow color genetically, and don't carry the b/t recessives AFAIK. 

That looks more like a Malinois mix to me, more than GSD or Ana, but I've not met many Malinois or Anatolians.  The body is wrong and of course the ears aren't prick, but the mask and reddish coloring looks quite a bit like...

I've met a few purebred anatolians in person and...well, I don't think you could easily mistake a real one if you met one because THEY ARE GINORMOUS! Way bigger than any shepherd/malinois or shep mix you'll meet. They are really powerful, imposing dogs. The impression I usually get when I've met them is "Is that a dog or a bear?"

ORIGINAL: houndlove

I've met a few purebred anatolians in person and...well, I don't think you could easily mistake a real one if you met one because THEY ARE GINORMOUS! Way bigger than any shepherd/malinois or shep mix you'll meet. They are really powerful, imposing dogs. The impression I usually get when I've met them is "Is that a dog or a bear?"

I have the same impression...but that's also closely followed by the way they carry themselves.  They are confident and calm.  The ones I've seen and met don't seem to have a care in the world.  It's as if they are saying "I'm big and I can handle myself, no worries."

ORIGINAL: houndlove

I've met a few purebred anatolians in person and...well, I don't think you could easily mistake a real one if you met one because THEY ARE GINORMOUS! Way bigger than any shepherd/malinois or shep mix you'll meet. They are really powerful, imposing dogs. The impression I usually get when I've met them is "Is that a dog or a bear?"

The only ones I've seen have been at shows, but I have to agree.  They're HUGE!  They don't look so huge in most pictures, but in real life, they sure are.   As Xerxes said they seem very intelligent and cool and collected.  They weren't hyperactive like some breeds.  They simply stood there and watched the show around them intently.  They're really neat dogs.  I've only gotten to talk to a couple handlers and pet a couple of them, but all in all I really loved them. 

They have a different body structure than a malinois or a gsd and a different head type.  I really think the dog posted up above looks most like a german shepherd mix or possibly a malinois mix.  Something about that dog's head shape in the first pic looks GSD to me.

I seriously considered one a while back and joined an E-list and learned quite a lot. Very similar to Akitas in temperament as far as being independent....non clingy...protective...potentially tetchy with other dogs they're not raised with...and wary of strangers.
 
I did not get one because of the barking issue...they are like many LGD's night barkers...even indoors at times...and that they might present a real hazard to dogs of the same sex if perceive a territory infringement etc, they also tend to like to wander and escape if given the chance to make the entire neighborhood their "territory to patrol" LOL.
 
Not the breed for me right now...but I really do like them a bunch.
 
Now that I've strayed...back to NDR...LOL.

Something about that dog's head shape in the first pic looks GSD to me.

Yeah I agree.  I think that the masking pattern (seen better in the second pic) and the reddish color are way more Malinois than GSD, but GSDs are more popular, so....

GSD, Mali, or Ana.....she's a fine looking dog!

OK, I dug up a few pictures that might help.  I'll have to get some with her standing when DH comes home, most I have currently, she's laying down or sitting.

Gina, you described her to a "T" - she's quite independent, not clingy at home anymore, but in public she stays at our side as she does NOT trust strangers.  She's pretty friendly with other dogs, but that may be because we socialized her at a young age.  Form what I've read, that's important with Anatolians (IMHO it's important with all breeds). 

She LOVES to bark, right from the moment we brought her home.  Anything that she perceived threatening, she'd bark at.  Even inside, her favorite place is in front of the patio door so she can see out.  She'll snooze, but if something catches her eye, she bolts onto the patio barking.  Night time isn't a real problem, we tell them "nite-nite" and they go into their crates to sleep; later they roam the house.

Last year, I had a real problem with her digging out under the fence and "patrolling" the neighborhood.  She got to know my schedule, so when I came home, she was sitting at the doorstep.  Smarty!  Nothing I tried stopped her atrols, finally, we installed invisible fencing.

She accepted Draico without any problems, maybe because they met at my friends first, and he's a neutered male.  At the park, she's quite friendly with the dogs, but if they try to hump her too many times, she'll snap.  She even goes up to certain people on her own, but cautiously.

Currently, she'd 78lbs.  From what I've read, female Anatolians go from 80 to 120 lbs.  I don't think she'll go beyond 80, personally.

Erica, this website [linkhttp://dogbreedinfo.com/anatolianshepherd.htm]http://dogbreedinfo.com/anatolianshepherd.htm[/link]  was one of the first places DH visited.  Once we read the behavior description, we both agreed that it fit Peanut.  Very mellow, laid back dog, but a "don't mess with me attitude."  She barks to warn who/whatever taht she's there and ready to do what she has to to protect her home & family (us).  She loves to play fetch with the chuck-it & walks.  She tolerates the heat a lot better than Draico, our GSD.  I'll open the door to let them out when they ring their bell, she'll go outside in 98*F temps; Draico looks at me as if to say "are you nuts!  It's too hot out there," and turns around back into the house.

Her color pattern, we just figured that she has the rottweiler pattern, since our vet called her a rotti mix.  The curly tail, we thot fit the Anatolian because most rotties we've seen have docked tails.  Bottom line, doesn't matter what she is, we rescued her from the HS and gave her a forever home.  We love our furkids!  
Here's some pics from a different angle.



I'm not sure this one will help any.


This one may give a good comparison of her next to our GSD.


This one shows her backside, esp the curly tail (daily romp at the fence with the neighbors dogs).

Here's a few more pics:






These 2 give a pretty good view of her body.  Currently it's the next best thing I have to a standing profile.
 
 


This is another view of her backside.
 
Her coat is easy to care for.  She sheds twice a year, summer more prominent than winter.  I take the love-2-pet, furminator side to her and give her a good brushing 2-3 times, she's done.  She has a double coat, with the "downy-like" hairs beneath that are fawn colored.  Her black top coat makes it impossible to see.  Her feet are smaller than Draico's, the foot pads are not as "meaty" as his, even tho she's taller and weighs more than he does.  And her legs are more slender than his.
 
Having had a Great Dane previously, I was after another XL or giant breed, but DH wasn't too keen on it.  Personally, I'd have gotten another Great Dane, Great Pyrenese, or a Polish Tatra dog (similar to a Great Pyrenese).  But, I've always loved GSDs, so that was fine by me too.  HS listed Peanut as a shepherd mix, so I thot GSD mix.  Then we got Draico, another rescue, pure GSD.  He's almost 2yrs now - best guess, and only 67lbs.  I was hoping he'd be at least 90, he may reach 75. 
 
 

ORIGINAL: Xerxes

They are confident and calm.  The ones I've seen and met don't seem to have a care in the world.  It's as if they are saying "I'm big and I can handle myself, no worries."

Even tho she's 0nly 80lbs, fluctuates between 75 & 80, she carries herself in that manner.  She's very confident and calm, but cautious if a starnger approaches her. 

Last visit to the vet, he tried to take the leash from me to weigh her, she was NOT happy and let him know it!  She wanted mommy to hold her leash and all I had to do was tell her "step up,"she got onto the scale, "sit," she sat for me.  In the exam room, vet was able to approach her because I shook his hand.  Examined her, no problems, no reaction to having her blood drawn either.

When we first introduced her to friends, we got comments like "what a mellow dog" or "she's really relaxed."

I know very little about their temperaments... a cousin of mine had one years ago and still claims that she was the "best, most confident" dog she's ever had.  That would mirror what others have said re: their dispositions. 
 
Physically... I was young the last time I saw an Anatolian in person, but my overriding memory is "small horse" [] - they are imposing.
 
Fun pictures I found: