{"data":{"slug":"kurdish-mastiff","name":"Kurdish Mastiff","url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/kurdish-mastiff","api_url":"https://techtools.cz/dog-atlas-api/v1/breeds/kurdish-mastiff","also_known_as":["Assyrian Shepherd","Pişder dog","Segî Pişderî"],"kind":"landrace","extinct":false,"group":{"key":"molosser","label":"Mastiff \u0026 Mountain","fci_group":2,"fci_group_name":"Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs"},"size":"Giant","origin":"Iraq (Kurdistan Region)","countries":["Kurdistan"],"height_cm":null,"weight_kg":{"min":67.0,"max":80.0},"life_expectancy_years":null,"temperament":["Protective","Fierce","Loyal","Powerful","Territorial"],"exercise_level":"Medium","wikipedia_views_60d":3772,"summary":"A huge livestock guardian landrace from the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, especially the Pişder region, valued by shepherds for protecting flocks from predators.","photo":{"url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/photos/kurdish-mastiff-0cf26dbd31-1280.webp","small_url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/photos/kurdish-mastiff-0cf26dbd31-640.webp","width":886,"height":766,"author":"Sarok komar","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","license_url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0","source_url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D8%B3%DA%AF_%D9%BE%DA%98%D8%AF%D8%B1_%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%DB%8C.jpg"},"updated_at":"2026-10-15T14:53:02Z","ratings":{"energy":3,"exercise":3,"grooming":3,"shedding":3,"trainability":2,"barking":4,"kids":2,"other_dogs":2},"coat":"Dense and weather-resistant, mainly tawny","colors":["Tawny"],"fun_fact":"In the Kurdish tradition of the nineteenth century, a shepherd's mastiff was valued so highly that it was treated as almost sacred.","sections":{"overview":"The Kurdish Mastiff is a traditional guardian dog of the mountainous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is especially associated with the Pişder area near Sulaymaniyah and is found in only a few thousand animals.\n\nIt is often compared with Turkish guardians such as the Kangal and the Akbash. It is a working dog shaped by its job rather than a show breed.","history":"The dog has lived beside Kurdish shepherds for generations, guarding flocks against wolves and other predators. A nineteenth-century veterinary writer described a mastiff-like dog of Kurdistan, prized by its owners, almost sacred, and tawny in colour.\n\nIt has never been developed to a written standard, and it remains a regional landrace.","appearance":"A tall, ponderous and well-proportioned dog with a large head and a long tail. Adults are very heavy, averaging around 73 kg and sometimes reaching 80 kg, with a body length of about 75 cm.\n\nOlder accounts describe the colour as mainly tawny.","personality":"This is a serious guardian, bonded to its shepherd and wary of strangers. Historically it was described as fierce toward outsiders and unwilling to adapt well to a change of country and surroundings.","care":"It needs plenty of space, strong fencing, and an experienced owner who understands guardian dogs. It is not a pet for flats or city life. Early socialisation, firm and fair handling and regular feeding of a large dog are essential."},"recognition":{"fci_number":null,"fci_standard_url":null,"akc_url":null},"sources":{"wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_Mastiff","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54869543","wikipedia_revision":1360868419},"profile":{"written_by":"AI model (Claude Sonnet) from the sources above","written_at":"2026-10-15T13:59:38Z"}}}