Mastiff d'Anatolie

The origin of the Anatolian Mastiff is unclear. The Malaklı is said to be the result of a modern cross between the Mastiff and the Anatolian Shepherd Dog to obtain a better fighting dog. Indeed, the Anatolian Shepherd Dog is poor for fighting because it stops the fight after any sign of submission, unlike dogs such as the American Staffordshire Terrier. For others, it would be a war dog breed originating from Mesopotamia existing since ancient times. However, according to Orhan Yilmaz and Selim Derbent, specialists in the Anatolian Shepherd, the first thesis is more plausible because if we consider the second thesis true then the Anatolian Mastiff was miraculously unknown for centuries. The Anatolian Mastiff is said to have developed in the province of Aksaray, a region of central Anatolia with cities such as Konya and Niğde. Thus, it is sometimes called the Aksaray Malaklı. It is recognized by the Turkish Canine Federation (KIF), an associate member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

The Anatolian Mastiff is courageous, intelligent, independent, close to its masters and wary, even aggressive, with strangers. Above all, it is a guard dog and therefore cannot be used as a companion dog except in exceptional cases.

The Anatolian Mastiff is of strong build, well-planted and powerful in construction. It is a guard dog with a large and strong head, equipped with a double and dense coat. It must be both large and vigorous. It can be fast. It is characterized by its coat, which is more mixed than the Anatolian Shepherd Dog. It is a mountain-type molossoid. Unlike the Anatolian Shepherd, it has drooping lips. In Turkey, it may be subject to ear and more rarely tail docking.