08/30/2026
The next part in my series will detail the importance of Correct Feet and Pasterns in the Anatolian Shepherd.
This might be the longest post but the two do go "hand in hand"...or should I say foot in foot. 😉
Photos are once again included to show examples of proper feet/pasterns and incorrect ones.
I hope you find the information helpful and educational.
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Cat Foot, Hare Foot, and the Difference Between Correct Oval Feet and Splayed Feet:
When evaluating the conformation of an Anatolian Shepherd, the feet can easily be overlooked. They are small in comparison to the rest of this large breed, yet they are the final link between the dog and the ground and play an important role in stability, traction, endurance, and efficient movement.
For a breed developed to spend long hours guarding livestock over sometimes challenging terrain, correct feet are not merely a cosmetic consideration. They are functional equipment. The Anatolian Shepherd Standard calls for strong and compact feet with well arched toes ; oval in shape. As I see two distinct foot types in my breed, I personally interpret the Standard as a compact well arched foot to be a "cat" foot and oval to be a "hare" foot. Both can be correct.
The important consideration is not simply whether the foot is round or oval. The important consideration is whether it is properly constructed.
The Cat Foot:
The term cat foot generally describes a compact, rounded foot with well-arched toes that are held closely together. A correctly formed cat foot provides a firm and relatively compact platform beneath the dog. The toes are not excessively long or spread apart, and the arch gives the foot strength when the dog places weight on it.
A cat foot can be particularly advantageous when a dog needs to maintain stability while navigating uneven ground.
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The Hare Foot:
The term hare foot describes a foot that is more elongated or oval in shape than the compact cat foot.
A properly constructed hare foot can still have arch, tight toes, firm support, and excellent function.
The two feet may look different from above, but they can both provide the structural foundation required of a working Anatolian.
The difference is primarily one of shape—not whether one is functional and the other is not.
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The Flat, Splayed Foot:
A flat, splayed foot is fundamentally different from a properly formed hare foot. A splayed foot lacks the firm, well-arched construction desired in a working dog. The toes spread apart rather than remaining appropriately supported and together, and the foot may flatten considerably when the dog bears weight. This is not simply a different foot shape. It represents a loss of structure. A photograph of a correct oval foot and a splayed foot can sometimes be particularly useful because both may appear longer than a traditional compact cat foot. The difference becomes apparent when looking at the arch, toe placement, tightness, and weight-bearing structure.
This is the type of foot that should concern us in a working livestock guardian dog.
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The Anatolian Shepherd was developed to work—not simply to stand or move around a level surface for short periods.
A working guardian may travel considerable distances while patrolling a property or staying with livestock. It may climb hills, cross rocky ground, move through mud, navigate uneven terrain, and suddenly accelerate when responding to a threat.
Every one of those movements places forces through the feet.
The foot must provide both support and traction while also allowing the dog to move efficiently.
When the toes are properly arched and held together, the foot provides a more stable platform. When the foot is weak and spreads excessively, the dog loses some of that structural efficiency.
When breeding and evaluating Anatolian Shepherds, we should preserve the characteristics that allow the breed to remain capable of doing the work for which it was developed.
That means appreciating legitimate variation within the Standard while recognizing genuine structural faults. The Standard gives us a framework. Function tells us why that framework exists. For the working Anatolian Shepherd, correct feet are part of that foundation—literally and figuratively. The objective should be to preserve sound structure that allows the Anatolian Shepherd to remain the capable, durable working guardian it was bred to be.
🐾🇹🇷🐾🇹🇷🐾🇹🇷🐾🇹🇷🐾🇹🇷🐾🇹🇷🐾
The Importance of Strong, Correct Pasterns:
The pasterns are one of the easiest parts of an Anatolian Shepherd's structure to overlook, yet they play an essential role in supporting the dog. For a companion dog that spends most of its life walking on relatively forgiving surfaces, weakness in the pasterns may not become obvious immediately. For a working livestock guardian, however, the demands are very different. An Anatolian may spend hours patrolling pasture, traveling over hills and rocky terrain, moving through uneven ground, responding quickly to predators, and carrying its substantial body weight over thousands of steps every day.
That is why correct strong pastern structure matters.
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What Does It Mean to Be "Down in the Pasterns"?
A dog that is down in the pasterns may appear to have a weakened or collapsed front assembly. Instead of maintaining a strong, supportive alignment, the pasterns drop toward the ground under weight.
The Anatolian Standard calls for strong pasterns. Some angulation and flexibility are necessary. Excessive weakness is not.
The pastern is designed to have a degree of flexibility. It acts as part of the shock-absorbing system of the limb. The problem occurs when that flexibility becomes excessive and the structure no longer provides adequate support. A strong, properly constructed pastern can flex appropriately when the foot strikes the ground and then return to a supportive position.
When the structure becomes excessively weak or collapses under load, the limb may not manage those forces as efficiently.
This becomes particularly important in a large breed such as the Anatolian Shepherd.
The larger the dog and the greater the workload, the more important structural efficiency becomes.
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Weak Pasterns Can Change the Way a Dog Moves:
When the pasterns lack adequate support, the dog may alter its gait to compensate.This is particularly significant in a working dog because the compensation is not occurring for a few minutes. It may be occurring for hours every day.
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The Domino Effect of Poor Structure:
The body functions as a connected system.The foot does not work independently of the pastern. The pastern does not work independently of the carpus, and the carpus does not work independently of the elbow and shoulder.,When one portion of that system is not functioning optimally, the rest of the limb may have to compensate.
Over time, repeated abnormal loading can contribute to increased stress on muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.
This does not mean that every dog with weak pasterns will develop arthritis or a specific orthopedic disease. Genetics, age, body condition, activity, injury, nutrition, and many other factors influence orthopedic health.
However, chronic abnormal loading and joint instability are recognized contributors to degenerative changes. Merck Veterinary Manual notes that degenerative changes in ligaments can lead to ligament breakdown and joint instability, while secondary changes associated with joint disorders commonly include osteoarthritis.
For a dog expected to work throughout its life, that potential cumulative effect should not be dismissed.
The point is that the supporting structures of the lower limb matter, and excessive weakness should not be dismissed as merely an aesthetic fault.
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Why The Long-Term Concern of Breakdown Matters More in a Livestock Guardian Dog:
One of the biggest mistakes we can make when evaluating working conformation is looking only at what a dog can do today. Young dogs are remarkably adaptable.
A young Anatolian with mediocre structure may run, play, climb, and work without obvious difficulty. Its muscles can compensate for a tremendous amount. But muscles cannot permanently correct poor skeletal alignment or unstable joints.
As the dog ages, muscle mass and recovery capacity change. Previous injuries accumulate. Ligaments and other supporting tissues can also undergo degenerative changes.
This is when structural weaknesses that were subtle earlier in life may become more consequential. Joint disorders can result in chronic changes such as osteoarthritis, and osteoarthritis commonly persists as a lifelong problem once established. For a breed whose purpose is to remain a capable guardian throughout much of its adult life, longevity must be part of the definition of soundness.
Correct pasterns are not simply about creating an attractive silhouette. They are about creating a limb capable of carrying a large, powerful dog. We should therefore strive to breed Anatolian Shepherds with strong, functional pasterns—not because perfection in appearance is the goal, but because durability, efficiency, and longevity are essential components of a truly sound working livestock guardian.
A working Anatolian should not merely be capable of doing the job.
It should be built to do the job well—and to keep doing it.
