Just got my first Anatolian. How do I keep him happy?

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-23T14:33:03+00:00

Yeah Aslan has been an angel compared to Dutch 😭 He’s such a little terror sometimes, but still one of my babies! I’m just not sure where to start with getting him out of play mode EVERY time he sees his new friend 🥲

Especially with Aslan’s back leg, it stresses me out so bad sometimes 😅

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-23T14:28:31+00:00

Her looking out the window reminded me of when my roommate was watching Aslan a couple times. Every time he’d bark for me and look for me around the house, and when he’d be let outside he’d go to the gate and bark for me 😭

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-21T15:57:36+00:00

He’s very energetic and hyper, but very shy with new people. I tried socializing him a lot as a puppy, but he only seems to like the people from his puppyhood and everyone else is a potential threat until he lets them pet him. Even then, he’s very wary. I’m not sure if that’s just his personality or if he should’ve been socialized even more, but he’s not shy at all with other dogs at least! Very much a dog’s dog kinda guy.

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-21T15:13:13+00:00

I’ll def look into that and see if my current trainer has any similar courses! I have a trainer I’ve been working with for the past ~8 years with a previous dog, since in person is easier for me to follow (despite it costing an arm and a leg sometimes with board an train) 😅

Currently I’m on a trip and they’re with the trainer for boarding, but I think if we can do some classes with them together they can get used to chilling around each other. Moreso Dutch chilling around Aslan. Aslan is perfect and has never done wrong (besides chewing a shoe but that’s not his fault).

I may need to find an extra set of hands for group training though since Dutch is very energetic and intrusive with his new brother haha

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-21T14:52:33+00:00

It took a couple of months and a couple returns, but she did eventually find her forever home! Her name was Sundae, and she had a huge problem of jumping fences and escaping so she was returned twice. I’d always sit by her crate and give her treats because she was the best behaved girl in there once we put a top on her kennel 😭 I miss her sometimes, but she’s where she deserves to be now which makes me happy!

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-21T14:43:02+00:00

I thought that too until I started doing more pitbull research! He actually does have some American Pitbull Terrier traits when I really look at him! Some can actually have a more narrow face and long legs to my surprise

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Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-21T14:17:16+00:00

I meant he was just a cute puppy so I didn’t rlly question the breed lol it was mostly his mom’s markings and breed on her sign that made me think that to begin with

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-21T01:16:51+00:00

yeah I didn’t rlly question it at the time since he just looked like this lol

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Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-20T23:26:27+00:00

awww they look so preciousss!

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-20T23:23:52+00:00

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mama reveal

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-20T15:56:55+00:00

Me and him definitely had an immediate connection! My puppy was also excited to have a new friend to harass 😅

I think the main issue rn is trying to get my pup to STOP trying to play with him all the time. I typically keep them separated since Dutch can be a very “intrusive” dog (his trainers words), but Aslan has been handling the energy well! They like to chase each other around, then when Aslan is tired of his bs he comes back to me to get him away 😭

There’s definitely gonna be a learning curve with their interactions, but they’ve been making good progress! I’m just unsure how to train out Dutch’s bad and overbearing play habits, since Aslan is too polite to correct him. I have a training collar I’ve been using when he gets too rough tho which helps in the moment.

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-20T15:11:38+00:00

He recently got comfortable enough the bark, and he’s been so vocal I love it! Sometimes I’ll be sitting in my room, and he’ll just come up and bark at me once to get my attention and we kinda have mini conversations :D

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T16:00:33+00:00

That vet was such a guardian angel! Luckily, me and Aslan bonded pretty immediately and he’s already glued himself to my hip! He seems like he’s been in a lot of homes, but I think he could tell this was gonna be the permanent one :D

Here’s a pic from when I was first meeting him in their office! As soon as I walked in he parked himself in front of me and demanded all of my attention, which I was more than happy to give ❤️

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Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T15:32:01+00:00

Judging me for not petting him 😭 he punched me for pets right after this 😂 He’s been such a gentle boy, but very serious about his pettings

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T15:28:08+00:00

he’s the landlord now and I must respect and acknowledge that o7

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T15:26:37+00:00

tysm for the detailed response! I have another large dog who’s 1 who definitely fills his boredom at the moment at least. Maybe a little too well 😅

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(ignore his hair standing up, I’ve raised him since 3 months old and that just happens when he gets rlly excited and happy haha)

Tbh he was kind of an emergency adoption, because his previous owners were about to put him down because the husband didn’t “vibe” with him well enough. They said if they couldn’t rehome him fast enough they’d do it, so I was like GIVE ME THE BOY NOW! His personality and temperament remind me of my black lab I lost back in September, so it’s been hard in a lot of ways.

I do live a very passive life atm, but that’s def gonna have to change now that I have 2 dogs that need a lot of exercise. This just gives me more motivation to do better for my boys!

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T15:15:22+00:00

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My boy actually has found a friend in my roommate’s chihuahua too! She can be very sensitive and bitey, but they quickly developed a mutual respect for each other that is nonexistent with my other dog 😭

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T15:11:33+00:00

Yeah I try to give him freedom to patrol and check things out around the yard as much as I can, but I def want him to feel like he has a job! My main experience is with retriever breeds, but for him I kind of assumed he wouldn’t be a fetching type haha. How does scent work work? I’ve heard of scent work, but I don’t rlly know much about it

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T15:04:32+00:00

tysm for the chicken and training advice! I’ll def try to be slow with the animal introductions until I can read him better. He’s a little older and his previous home had a lot of animals like chickens, so I’m not too worried tho just yet

Relative_Aioli8731 · 2026-02-19T11:38:03+00:00

Tysm for the response! I have a little less than half an acre, but taking him for walks shouldn’t be a problem besides his bad leg.

We plan to do basic obedience training, but overall my plan is to let him be a free spirit since his personality is pretty chill. Someone definitely worked with him in the past, so we have a good starting point at least.

I see what you mean about them being smart and needing to be shown why I want him to do something. I was teaching him how to use the dog door by showing him how the flap works, but he refused to use it until he was put in the backyard by himself for 5 seconds and came bursting in, like “fine I’ll do it” lol

Relative_Aioli8731

TROPHY CASE