Şanlıurfa’s Guregh dogs in demand

ŞANLIURFA

Guregh, a special breed of shepherd dogs locally known as “Kurtboğan” due to their strong and large size, are bred in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa and have become popular after winning awards in competitions held nationally in recent years.

In Şanlıurfa, one of the important cities of small cattle breeding in Turkey, shepherd dogs are one of the indispensable parts of herds with thousands of sheep. Known for their strong and large size and as the loyal friend of shepherds, Guregh dogs have also made a name for themselves with the awards they won in the festivals and competitions organized throughout the country in recent years.

These dogs, also called “Kurtboğan” by the locals, are bred in private shelters opened by enthusiasts, especially in the city’s Karaköprü, Hilvan, Bozova, Suruç and Viranşehir districts.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Şanlıurfa Guregh Shepherd Dogs Association President Yunus Emre Kılıç said that they have been working hard for years to protect this breed.

Explaining that Guregh dogs are valuable, Kılıç stated that this breed finds buyers between 10,000 and 30,000 Turkish Liras, depending on their pedigree.

Kılıç stated that they formed an association to protect the Guregh breed, which he has been interested in from an early age, and that they recently applied to Harran University to carry out the work together.

Stating that there is a lot of interest in Guregh dogs from abroad, Kılıç said: “There is a great interest in these dogs abroad as well as in the country. Many people who contact us from abroad want to buy these dogs. We are offered money, but we do not sell them because this breed needs to be protected. Our priority is to protect and maintain this breed.”

Kılıç noted that this breed adapts to the conditions of the region they live in within a short time. Therefore, they are in demand from different European and other countries in the world.

Stating that these dogs, whose lengths range from 80 to 100 centimeters, are very athletic and practical animals despite their large size, Kılıç said: “Dogs of this breed are very successful animals in the herd. They protect herds very well, especially against wolves and wild animals. We established a farm two years ago for the protection of this breed. On our farm, we have 20 Guregh dogs that we found in difficult conditions. Harran University is planning to start a study on this subject. Just like Sivas’ kangal dog, Aksaray’s Malaklı and Eskişehir’s Akbaş dogs, we have Guregh dogs.”