Rodney and Tanya Hollman are sold on the Turkish Kangal breed.
Kangals don’t give up on a predator until it’s dead, and can go up to 14 miles chasing an intruder such as a wolf, bear, or, in their native land, jackals. They’ve even been exported to deal with cheetahs and leopards in Africa.
But they are also very friendly.
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“The Kangals are bred to be sociable with people,” said Tanya Hollman. “They’re good with kids, and that’s where other livestock protection dogs sometimes fall short.”
Their dog, Marleigh, was born in January, while her mother was guarding cows in a winter feeding program.
“She stayed there all winter, so was integrated with livestock at an early stage,” she said. “When we first picked her up, she just crawled in the truck, laid down and slept for three hours. She’s been great with our three boys.”
A neighbour now has a male dog of the same type, so the Hollmans hope to breed Marleigh and raise pups.
