If the Turkish people are in such agreement about a multi- breed classification for their dogs, why don they educate the rest of the world about their dogs?
That process is underway. In October 1996, there was a Turkish Shepherd’s Dog symposium held at Selcuk University in Konya. It was organized by the veterinary faculty at the University, in conjunction with Turkish government breeders and researchers from around the country. They invited an equal number of foreign speakers from the US, England, and Holland to speak about various aspects of Turkish dog breeding and function outside Turkey. There were over 200 participants, and the media coverage was good. The purpose was to get together and share the “state of the art” with regard to the classification, breeding, training, genetics, and health of Turkish LGDs. The view of all the Turkish participants, and most of the foreign speakers, was clear: there is more than one breed of livestock guardian dog in Turkey, and the standards and names for these dog breeds should reflect Turkish views. Read the statement by Dr. Tekinsen, Dean of the Veterinary Faculty at Selcuk and principle conference
