Meet Sultan

Sultan's Story

Sultan is a three-year-old Kangal with a remarkable story of resilience and transformation. He came to us when we were living in Serbia, after a desperate call from a breeder’s daughter. Her father, a Kangal and Pomeranian breeder, was threatening to shoot three unsold male Kangals after a tragic incident. With no time to waste, we stepped in and took them in.

Sultan arrived at our sanctuary at a year and a half old, wary, shut down, and lacking confidence. He wasn’t aggressive, but he also wasn’t sure if he could trust the world. Over the past year and a half, he has slowly but surely come out of his shell, learning to embrace life and even enjoy human affection.

Now, Sultan thrives as the ‘big boss’ of our sanctuary kennels, where he loves overseeing the pack and greeting visitors. While we remain mindful of his size and strength, he has become a friendly, playful dog who adores belly rubs, butt scratches, and his newfound freedom. He no longer needs to be handled on a leash at all times, and he enjoys interacting with the other dogs.

Sultan is still food-aggressive, which is typical for his breed, but he continues to grow and adapt every day. One of the last steps in his journey is castration, as we allow all of our dogs to fully mature before undergoing the procedure.

Sultan’s story is a sad one, in large part because we have three of his siblings and none of them suffered a similar fate.  We rescued Sultan after his breeder threatened to shoot him and his brothers… the daughter called us begging us to take them before her followed through.  We already had two of their siblings, and didn’t hesitate to take these on.  Sultan’s siblings are all super silly, happy, well adjusted dogs.  They love people and walks and belly rubs and all the things.  

But Sultan came different.  He was shut down, nervous, and reluctant to be handled.  We’ve spent a fortune trying to get him to a healthy weight because his anxieties just melted it away.  We used to drive by the breeders and see him chained in the yard while all the other Kangals there ran free together.  I have no idea what he did that resulted in such punishment, but it created a dog who has always held up his walls.

For ages now, our volunteers have been chipping away at Sultan’s fears.  Little by little, he’s become a part of the kennel pack, playing and running and making friends.  And from there, he started to interact with people too, first for bum scratches, and now even belly rubs.  He even very occasionally does some tricks when he can deign to be bothered.  Walking on a leash and leaving the kennel area seemed to be wishful thinking though - after being chained, his terror of being held was very real.  But time and love truly are the ultimate healers.  And through their persistent gentle care, our amazing volunteers have succeeded in not only leashing Sultan, but taking him out on walks away from the kennels.  Earning this dog’s trust was HARD, and I simply can’t thank our volunteers enough for not giving up on this guy, and showing him that there’s a whole wide world out there full of fun, and love, and adventure. 

By sponsoring Sultan, you’re giving him the care, training, and stability he needs to continue thriving in the life he now loves. Your support ensures he remains safe, healthy, and happy in his forever home.