The Anatolian Shepherd is loving with his family, including the children, with whom he's calm and protective. But because of his large size, he's probably better suited to families with older children. He's unlikely to respect young children as leaders, so all interactions between the Anatolian and children should be supervised by responsible adults.

As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. Teach your child never to approach any dog while he's eating or sleeping or to try to take the dog's food away. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be left unsupervised with a child.

The best chance of the Anatolian Shepherd accepting other dogs and pets is to raise him with them from puppyhood. As he grows, he'll naturally accept them as part of his "flock."

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