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Turkish ‘lion’ sheepdogs attract worldwide interest
Turkish ‘lion’ sheepdogs attract worldwide interest
A Turkish dog famed for its shepherding skills and people-friendliness is now making its mark all over the globe, said a breeder of canines. Here are some photos of this great friend of humans...
So far the Aksaray Malaklısı sheepdogs, known as the “Anatolian lions,” have been sold to customers from 32 countries, entrepreneur Birol Başyiğit told state-run Anadolu Agency.
With an investment of nearly two million Turkish Liras (nearly $450,000), Başyiğit started to breed the helpful dogs with his friend Kaan Bilgiç in the northwestern province of Balıkesir.
“The dog is hailed for its large size, agility, and friendliness towards people,” said Başyiğit, adding that he has had customers from countries including the United States, China, England, Norway, Greece, Germany, Indonesia, Cameroon, Italy, South Korea, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Qatar and Peru.
In the modern dog farm, two veterinary doctors take care of 40 breeding dogs with other caretakers, officials, Başyiğit and Bilgiç, before sending them abroad.
“NBA stars, kick box champions, bureaucrats and politicians show great interest in this species of dogs. Right now we have dogs in 32 countries. It makes us proud to make Turkey renowned with these dogs because they have good relations with children. They don’t hurt other animals in the farm like the sheep, ducks or chickens. They are protective at night in their house. They are always on guard against foreigners. After the kangals, the whole world has learnt about the Aksaray malaklısı dogs. Dogs like them, which are fast but are huge and weigh around 90 kilograms, are very rare in the world,” he said.
“These are among the most beautiful breeds in the world. They are purebred. Poyraz, one we have bred, is three years old. It weighs 94 kilograms. Its shoulder is 90 centimeters long. It is among the biggest dogs in Turkey. It is an A-quality dog without any health problems and physical deformations. We have 40 breeds in our farm. We produce the best quality animals possible. We give them the highest quality service. We work with professional veterinarians for their food and health,” he added.
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