Anatolians bond with the livestock at a young age and are extremely protective of their charges. If the flock is threatened it will defend them ferociously; however, the Anatolian Shepherd will not hunt predators or chase them over a large distance and leave the flock unguarded. Usually a battle with a predator is unnecessary though, as the dogs’ imposing presence and warning bark is enough to keep most of them at bay.
Farmers who have Anatolian Shepherd Dogs report a drastic reduction in loss of livestock. Those who previously lost 30-40 sheep per year are now only losing 1-5 per year. From a conservation perspective, using a dog instead of traps increases the chance of survival of small mammals on private land. This is good for the genetic pool of park wildlife, as the animals interbreed across land borders. Finally, fewer small mammals entering and leaving the Namaqua Park, will be killed by traps and this benefits the whole of the Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot.