Kangal Dog Club of America

Thinking of Buying a Kangal Dog?

 

Before you buy a Kangal Dog, please consider these points:

1. Read Is a Kangal Dog the Right Dog for Me?

2. Check out the breeder. If in North America, is she or he a member of the KDCA? Do they offer a written contract and a health guarantee? Can they give you references?

3. Check out the sire and dam. Are they both UKC registered Kangal Dogs? If not, why not? Are the pups eligible for UKC registration? If you have any questions or concerns about this, contact the Single Registration Committee for advice before you buy. (contact us)

4. Have the sire and dam had their hips certified by OFA or PennHip?

5. Can you meet the dam and sire to assess their temperament? Can you visit siblings? If you can’t meet the sire and dam, do you have clear photos of them at maturity, both standing and moving?

6. If you are buying a Kangal Dog as a livestock protector, does the breeder have experience with working LGDs? Is the dog born and raised with stock? Are the sire and dam working dogs? Or, can the breeder give you referrals to owners of successful working dogs from previous litters? Has the breeder recommended your dog to work with stock?

7. Beware of buying a puppy from people who tell you that they don't believe in registering their dogs, or people who say that their dogs are Kangal type Turkish dogs. Just because someone calls their dog(s) a "genuine Kangal from Turkey," it means very little unless they have the paperwork to back it up. There are many different kinds of dogs in Turkey, mixed and purebred. The only way to make sure it is a Kangal is to make sure it is registered with the United Kennel Club, the only reputable registry in the U.S. that registers Kangal Dogs.

 

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Importing a Kangal Dog

 

Just as with buying something online or from a catalog, purchasing a dog direct from Turkey can be a mixed bag: the result can be a wonderful puppy with the potential to be a great family or working dog, and potentially a valuable contributor to our growing gene pool, but the experience can also be fraught with danger, expense, anxiety, and misrepresentation.

 

1. Know your source, and be sure about the sire and dam of your import puppy. Even people who thought they had excellent contacts in Turkey have been disappointed to find out later that the pup they bought and imported has disqualifying mismarks, lack of breed type, and/or lack of documentation to prove that the dog is a purebred Kangal Dog and cannot therefore be registered.

2. Develop contacts and mentors. Get in touch with KDCA members who have “been there and done that.”

3. Do your homework. Read up on various breeders, their kennels, their dogs and if possible check out other imports already in this country from related lines.

4. Check with the KDCA Single Registration Committee (contact us) to make sure you will be able to register the dog after it is imported.

5. There currently are legal restrictions concerning the export of Kangal dogs from Turkey. People who are considering bringing Kangal dogs out of Turkey need to be aware of this, and check with local contacts to ensure that they will not run into problems at customs.