Overview
The Rize Koyun is a sheepdog from the Rize province of north-eastern Turkey, where the climate is damp and the hills are steep. It belongs to the family of Anatolian livestock guardians, bred to live with the flock and see off wolves and thieves without being told to.
Almost nothing about the breed has been written in English and you are very unlikely to meet one in Britain. If you do, assume the typical guardian temperament until the owner tells you otherwise: calm, independent, bonded to its family and unconvinced by everyone else.
Exercise and walking needs
An hour a day in two steady walks is about right for a mature guardian dog. These breeds spend most of their working lives lying down and watching, so what they need from a walk is to move, sniff and survey rather than to run themselves tired. A long, slow loop with places to pause suits them.
The Black Sea coast is wet and cool, and a dog from this background will shrug off rain that sends other breeds home. Warm days are the ones to watch.
On the walk
- Recall: Do not plan around it. Guardian breeds come back when they have finished deciding, and a walker they have known for a fortnight has little say. Lead on, unless the owner shows you a secure space.
- People: A stranger walking straight at the dog, or reaching over it, may be read as a threat. Keep the dog on the outside of the pavement and step off the path for groups.
- Other dogs: Unknown dogs approaching the dog or you may be warned off. Avoid nose-to-nose meetings and skip group walks until the owner is confident it mixes.
- Strength: A large dog that chooses to brace cannot be towed. Use a well-fitted harness or the collar the owner provides and keep the lead short near traffic.
- Fences: Guardian breeds patrol boundaries. If the dog is allowed into a fenced field, check it is tall and sound before unclipping.
Tips for professional walkers
- Arrange a handover walk with the owner so the dog sees you as part of the family circle before you take the lead alone.
- Stick to quiet times and quiet routes for the first few weeks and widen out slowly.
- Move at the dog's pace. Patience gets you further than any amount of lead pressure.
- Carry water and look for shade in summer; a thick guardian coat traps heat on a mild British day.
- Note how the dog reacts to the first cyclist and jogger so you can plan around it.
What to ask the owner
- How does the dog treat strangers, and what warning signs does the owner want you to act on?
- Has it ever been off the lead safely, and is there a secure field the owner trusts?
- How does it get on with other dogs, both at home and out and about?
- Does it guard anything on a walk, such as the owner's car or a particular bench or spot?