#6 Anatolian Shepherd – 31 Inches
image source: wikipedia.org
This 6,000 year old breed of dog originated in Turkey. They have a thick coat of fur that makes them look even larger than they actually are – which is already pretty big! The Anatolian was further developed as a breed in America, and stands at 31 inches tall on average, and weighs a massive 150 pounds.
They were originally bred as a farm dog that would be protective of their livestock charges. They’re incredibly independent as well as intelligent, able to watch over a wide range of livestock over miles of land, being able to move their charges out of harm’s way and act independently over own instruction in the best interest of their livestock.
Because of their independence, making the Anatolian into a family dog requires early socialization with people during the formative years as a puppy.
