A Kangal is huge. A fully-grown one is about as tall as a Labrador's back is from the floor - around 80 cm at the shoulder - and can weigh up to 65 kilograms. That is more than some grown-up adults. Their coats are short and pale-coloured, and they have a black 'mask' on their face.
They don't herd sheep the way a sheepdog does. Instead, they live with the flock. They walk among the sheep, sleep among them at night, and grow up thinking of the sheep as their family. If a wolf comes anywhere near, the Kangal will stand between the flock and the danger and bark a deep, rumbling warning that can be heard miles away.
Kangals are surprisingly fast for their size. They can sprint at about 50 km/h - faster than most pet dogs - and have huge endurance, walking with the flock all day across the Anatolian plains. They are also very independent thinkers, used to making their own decisions out on the hillside.
Despite their size, with their own family they are calm and patient. Many shepherds describe them as 'serious' dogs - they don't waste energy on play-barking. They save it for the moments when their flock really needs them.