Introducing Moses

We finally found the perfect little guy to help our Ruby out since Otis passed away. He's a 9 week old Anatolian from a breeder up in Nunn (and she has 6 more puppies if anyone needs a livestock guard dog - I wanted to bring them all home!). We named him Moses (not in the biblical sense but in the big-bouncer-at-a-strip-club sense). We brought him home Sunday and so far he's adapting well and is pretty darn funny to boot. I'm quite smitten. He'll grow into the name - should wind up between 125 and 150 lbs.

His new domain in the barn aisle:


The ride home:

Gawd is he cute! That little pink tongue! I know, won't be little for very long! Glad you found Ruby a companion and "student "

Thanks, mummydog. Ruby's putting up with him quite well, but I'm pretty sure she'll be very glad when he's bigger and not shadowing her every move. I found him yesterday lounging in her "favorite" spot and she was across the aisle but didn't look too put out. She's being very tolerant indeed. On our end, he's such a freakin' lovebug! He definitely likes people, which is good, and we'll do a lot of socializing with him but so far that doesn't look like it'll be a problem at all. (Ruby loves people too as long as she's been introduced, so I'm sure he'll take his lead from her there as well.)

He is just gorgeous. I want to smell that puppy breath and puppy paws.

Congrats on your new pup! He looks like quite a character and it sounds like he has a great mentor in Ruby. I really like the large breeds and a pup that age has to be a real hoot to be around! I really like this breed and maybe someday, a long long time from today, after the Wundermutt passes on to the afterlife I'll be in the market for a new pup.

I don't know if you have had Rottweilers or Black Labs; Wundermutt is a mix of both and I have to say he has been one of the best dogs I have ever had. I'm curious to know about the temperament of the Anatolian in contrast with the Rotties and Labs. I have done some reading on the topic and some of what I have read indicates that an Anatolian is more likely to see him/her self as the alpha and in some situations not listen to their humans; the Wundermutt has selective hearing too but when it counts I can call him off of a hot pursuit of any furry four legged interloper. Any insight you can share about the Anatolians will be greatly appreciated!

Hoot Owl, the puppy breath is great, but the paws have been tromping through the muck pile- might want to give those a miss.

Otis, Anatolians are great and incredibly smart, but definitely a working breed and need a job, preferable guarding livestock which is their instinct. They have a great temperament, normally very mellow but always alert, but will definitely be stubborn if a threat is perceived and then feel they know more than you do and won't be called off until the threat has disappeared. Other than that situation, they do see hubby as alpha and I'm considered second in command.

They're great with kids and people if properly socialized, but I wouldn't recommend them as a pet or house dog - they really are not happy if there's no job involved. The training we do when they're pups is more along the lines of behavioral (no jumping on people, getting comfortable riding in a car, being on a lead when necessary like for a vet visit, socializing, etc.) but the guard instinct just naturally kicks in. They don't like to leave their property or herd and if you walk them off the property they tend to think that extends their turf and therefore the area that needs to be protected. Normally see other dogs as a threat to the herd (which in the case of alpacas, they are), but have been introduced to the dogs across the street that run loose between the two properties and are ok with meeting them at the fenceline.

As giant breeds go, they tend to live a long life, 12 to 14 years is considered normal. They also are very minimal barkers, unlike some other LGD's like Pyr's. Usually if Ruby barks it means we need to take a look. (Although lately she has a new trick of looking up at the sky and barking at thunder - that's new.)

I love Rotties and Labs both, but definitely different behaviors than the Anatolians just because the livestock guard instinct is so deeply ingrained - they're a breed that's been around a very long time and only in the last 7 or 8 years become AKC recognized (which I'm not sure is a good thing). Hope that gives you some basics. I absolutely love the breed, but they're not for everyone.

Thanks for the feed back, I'll need to hold off getting an Anatolian until I have some more land and stock for the dog to guard. I appreciate that the breed needs a job to to do and I like the idea that they can attend their flock/herd without people helping do it. I'm always amazed that dogs like the Anatolian have the intuition and knowledge to guard from birth, they are truly remarkable dogs!

Hey Sal.... Of course you KNOW how I feel about Ruby have a protégé
HURRAY!!!!!!!!!

You'd better come meet him pretty quick, Ang - he's growing like a weed!