This is my favorite Dog !
Need I say more ?
I Love this f&^%ing dog !
Smartest, bravest, best nerves out here. He’s the only dog out here I won’t go to make a point with empty handed, and he’s the gentlest and most graceful around young kids, two or four legged; a lotta heart, a lotta grace… equals class.
He’s something special, he’s something to build on. More on him later, for now I just want to get some photos up.
Oz’s Penn hip ( exceptional also .28 .28 )
Oz at just over two.
2 years old
Ever wonder why dun with a black mask is the default color of so many creatures ?
Oz at 14 months
Oz at 14 months
Oz under a year here, all arms and legs. The Boerboel is an honest 160lb. good looking bastard, that I never used cause he’s not even close to right temperamentally or mentally ( he’s retarded )
Every time I look at the photo below I’m reminded of the earnest scolding I got from a well educated and worldy Turk in Istanbul who was adamant that Kangals simply die if taken from their dry native Eastern Turkey region ( chuckle ) Urban Turks, turns out, often know even less about dogs than urban Americans, and spout all manner of proud and often foolish gibberish about their National dog the Kangal.
Below Oz risks sure death in one of the ponds in my woods
Oz at 8 months
5 months
Oz here at 5 months, witnessing his first kidding. Most people that deal in livestock guardians would scold me for even allowing a pup this age unfettered access to this, but I was willing to lose a kid to see for myself if there was any real truth to the claims. And sure enough, as rambunctious as was at that age with the big goats, all he wanted to do was lick this kid. He never needed teaching from an older dog or to be separated till he was older; that’s probably not a fair expectation to set, but it’s true of him. Now as an adult he’s the teacher and I rotate young dogs/pups into a pen with him and young kids, said young dogs and pups promptly get hammered by Oz if they even think about getting rough with the young goats.
Oz here around 10 weeks, shortly after we made it back.
Oz here at about 8 weeks, in Istanbul
O
8 wks again, with me in Istanbul, preparing for the final leg of our great adventure
Livestock Guardian X Family/Farm Guardian
AKA
The Olympic Farm dog
Ghengis Afrikracker: my Kangal x Boerboel keeper from Oz and Tallwater
click the link above to see an example of this cross in Ghengis.
This is a cross I expect to be a regular on the Olympicdogs Menu. A pure livestock guardian may be best for some applications involving vast expanses of terrain, bitter cold, huge flocks, long periods of isolation; and not subject to such concerns as, neighbors, imperfect fences, etc. But the need for a more versatile, less independent, more obedient, stock guardian is an obvious one on many a smaller Ranch or Farm.
This cross is meant to be an all purpose guardian, as good with children as livestock, as inclined to obey as to protect; as suited to being in the home as out. And equally inclined to stick with livestock or children as the moment may require. A dog with enough coat to be comfortable outside in winter, enough sense to be welcome indoors with guests, and enough smarts and spine to meet challenges in a variety of circumstance.
That would be pretty ideal for me. It is meant to be the type of dog I would have, if I could only have one; that is what I’m shooting for. And having done it already I now also have the ability to go back either direction, as opposed to just splitting the difference.
The limiting factor in the usefulness and flexibility of a Kangal, as with most livestock guardian dogs, is that they are incurably and genetically independent. Independent thinkers, independent operators. Consider them the opposite of biddable. They don’t need your affection, nor are they inclined to jump through hoops or become annoying trying to get it. But they are also more inclined to roam, to ” expand the territory” they call home, and to simply disobey, than many who traffic in them are want to admit. Wicked smart dogs mind you, just not yes men.
The boerboel is very nearly exactly the opposite in several key aspects. A good Boerboel is extremely biddable. And everyone I’ve come across is as devoid of roam, as inclined to stick by its people, as any example of any breed I’ve known. Personally, I find they can be almost annoying in their desire to please and have one’s attention, needy really, under your feet, perpetually waiting or positioning themselves for the next command or pat on the head.
And this worship of owner is also their limiting factor as livestock guardians, as they are unlikely to follow herbivores if it takes them farther away from their people ( might not be a problem if they can see everything they need to guard from your porch ) So on those temperamental scores we split the difference in a Kangal x Boerboel cross.
Physically I believe they complement one another as well. The Boerboel, like most mastiffs, suffers from eye problems ( entropion and ectropion ) And, having observed so many fail to differentiate humans at relatively close range without a cooperative wind, I believe many do not see particularly well even when they don’t have extreme eye problems.
Anyone that’s had the pleasure to travel Turkey will agree the rolling vistas in the herding country are vast and the flock guardians vary vigilant in their scanning. I’m amazed at what my kangal can see! His vision is clearly superior to any of the other dogs. So that is an area that the Kangal can help the Boerboel.
The mean Penn hip scores on the Kangal ( .45 ) suggest better hips than that of the boerboel mean ( .59 roughly the same as all mastiffs ) another area the Kangal might improve the Boerboel. And my Kangal male has .28 .28 which would help most any mastiff.
But they also share common ground. The Boerboel literally translated from the Afrikaans means “big farm dog” and I believe they have been not only to tolerate, but guard livestock. Conditioned properly they can be left alone with stock. All of mine can be trusted left alone with goats, not to mention newborn goat kids,
And let there be no doubt a boerboel will defend against any predator foolish enough to trespass, much less threaten stock in their presence. In fact the only shortcoming they have as livestock guardians, in my eyes, is that their want and need to please and be with their humans ( that which makes them biddable ) also renders it unlikely they will ever choose to accompany livestock if it takes them farther away from their humans.
What I have observed in an f1 Kangal x Boerboel cross, unsurprisingly enough, is a dog that splits these differences. My keepers from the first Kangal x Boerboel litter; GHENGIS AFRIKRACKER and SINEAD, seem equally inclined to stay with stock or wait by the door. It really just depends what inclosure they are in. Both are very good with stock. Neither as needy as a Boerboel, nor as independent as a Kangal. Beyond that it’s a bit early to speak to their adult temperaments yet as they are both just over a year as I type.
In any event, as with any f1 cross, there is always the possibility of breeding back to one breed or the other until one gets the desired result. If I was a betting man, I’d anticipate a 3/4 quarter boerboel, 1/4 Kangal would be about perfect as and all around farm and livestock guardian for me. But no two farms are alike, no two owners have the same ideal dog in mind, and THAT is the beauty of crossing the lines and breeding to suit.
Click here on Oz x Negrecha to see pups from this breeding or Kango Lefty to see how my keeper turned out.
aka
THE KANGO
aka
THE OLYMPIC SCHIZOPHRENIC
aka
THE OLYMPIC BI-POLAR
aka
THE OLYMPIC PARADOX
aka
THE SUEDRIC
That last title reminds me that I should give proper respect to the president of the KDCA ( kangal dog club of America ) Cedric Giraud ( simply suedric to those that know him for the man puppet he is to that evil genius behind the dark labyrinth that is the KDCA, Sue Kotcher ) without whose inspiration I may have never actually considered such an unlikely marriage. And no, Suedric, I will not register the ones with white as anatolians, stop asking.
Jesting aside, I’m actually fascinated to see what I get out of this. I don’t do it just to curry favor with the Kangal and Dogo communities, no sir. These are the two dogs, of all I have, that I would pair if I was to throw all the theory out the window. This male, this female, are the two I would want by my side in a fight. This male is my favorite dog, this bitch is my favorite bitch. They are both smart, they are both tough, they are as close to fearless as I have.
But they are extreme opposites in two very important realms.
1. Independence
2. Prey drive
Regards the matter of independence: I think most people, myself included, would prefer a balance. Although I have no real qualms with my Kangal’s self sufficient nature, it does narrow his range of use. And a Dogo is just as needy, by nature, which I personally tire of. Nor is a Dogo a dog you can ever really trust around stock ( don’t believe the hype ) which is a definite drawback around here. I’m not claiming or expecting to get a dog that magically combines only traits I want and vanquishes those I don’t, mind you. That’s no more likely than one that mixes in the worst of all possible ways.
But It will be fascinating to see what we get regards “independence” from two dogs diametrically opposed in that regard. One might even be tempted to draw some inferences about the dance of dominance on that score.
Having done extreme crosses regards independence before in crossing the ultimate rebel ( akita ) with the ever needy Dogo, ( see Migraine ) and observing a nice splitting of the difference ( he was named, with a wink to the naysayers, at birth :) I’m not too concerned with the frankenstein theorists. But I am hoping to get as much feedback as I can on this mix, from those who raise them.
Regards prey drive: a flock guardian and a big game hunting dog ??? A dog you can trust left along with the most helpless little bite size newborn goat kids and one you really can’t leave alone with stock of any size. Suffice to say I won’t suggest this mix to anyone looking for a stock guardian, or a hunting dog :) But I think for everyone else…. or anyone else that can handle a 150 lbs. of fearless, dog aggressive, willful beast anyway; have at it, you might get the best dam dog you’ve ever owned.
Physically I always like to point out to the Dogophiles that, as inbred as they most certainly are, crossing them is really the only humane thing to do. Be interesting to see what sort of coats we get in terms of cold tolerance. Dark is clearly dominant, many are brindle, white as usual is sparse. I’m expecting good eyes, I’m expecting 30 plus inches at the shoulder. Have to wait on structure, but having done Kangal x Boerboel crosses and produced dogs that could almost pass as kangals ( see Ghengis ) I suppose I should perhaps expect the Kangal’s appearance to hold sway.
I’ll be keeping a pair, at least, with an eye towards a personal favorite— a personal pet. I’ve got more hope of finding a dog that makes that cut from this litter than I have from any in a long time, maybe ever. No kidding. But I’m a bit of a paradox myself.
To fast forward and see what we learned from our keeper, click Kango Lefty
