Who We Are?
About us
Welcome to Emerald Mountain Ranch, stewards of the fifth-generation legacy of Stanko Ranch established 1907. Nestled in the stunning landscapes of the Yampa River Valley and Emerald Mountain, we share the challenges, commitment, and satisfaction of ranching in the Colorado mountains. Meet our beloved animals and learn about our Amazing Loyal Hardworking Livestock Guardian Dogs, including Turkish Boz Shepherds. Join us as we celebrate our way of life and the enduring spirit of ranching.
The Stanko Ranch sits nestled on the western slope of Emerald Mountain, also known as Quarry Mountain, in the picturesque surroundings of Steamboat Springs. Originating from a humble 160-acre claim staked by Patrick’s Great Grandfather in 1907, the ranch has flourished over the years, expanding to over 600 acres. Throughout its history, it has been a hub of agricultural activity, cultivating crops such as wheat and potatoes, and raising livestock including cattle, sheep, and hogs.
Today, the Stanko Ranch remains a labor of love for the family of Jim and Jo (Patrick’s Parents), Patrick, and Jan. Their commitment to preserving the legacy of the ranch extends to the careful selection of livestock guardian dogs. In response to the proximity of wolves in neighboring Wyoming, Jan embarked on a quest to find capable guardians for their livestock. After thorough research, the family settled on Turkish Boz Shepherds, renowned for their effectiveness in protecting livestock.
At the heart of their operation is a dedication to producing top-notch working Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs), meticulously trained and exposed to various aspects of ranch life, from protecting cattle and sheep to safeguarding poultry. The Stanko Ranch stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of family farming and the timeless bond between humans and animals.
Emerald Mtn. Ranch
Emerald Mtn Ranch | 5th Generation Stanko Ranch Est. 1907 โข 700-acre Yampa Valley working ranch. Purpose-bred Turkish Boz Shepherds, raised and proven under real mountain conditions and predator pressure.
Advocates for LGDs, land & livestock
Follow Us ๐พ
๐๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ฌ… ๐ฆด
Iโve been doing some digging into the data for our breeding program, and I found something really interesting I wanted to share. Iโm definitely not an expert, but Iโm doing my best to learn so I can do my best by this breed and our dogs.
First off, if you arenโt familiar with ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐๐๐, itโs a bit different as it also requires that the dog to be sedated for the radiographs. It actually measures "laxity" basically how much play or looseness is in the hip joint. One of the coolest things about it is that you can have it done as early as ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ (๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ). For a breeder, that's a game-changer because you get a picture of a dog's hip health while theyโre still just pups.
For a long time, there weren't enough Turkish Boz Shepherds in the database to have their own breed category. Our dogs were just being compared to the "all canine" average (which ranges all over from .26 to .76).
Well, as of July 2025, they finally have enough Boz Shepherds in the registry to have our own breed data!
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ค๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ณ ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ซ๐
โซ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐: .๐๐
โซ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐% ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐: .๐๐ โ .๐๐
Itโs a huge step forward to have a specific benchmark for our breed. It helps us make much more informed decisions for the future of these dogs.
Correct me if Iโve missed something important here, but I thought this was a great step forward for the Boz community to finally be, on the map.
Next time lets discuss OFA ๐พ
#TurkishBozShepherd #LGD #PennHIP #EmeraldMtnRanch #HealthTesting #RegisteredBoz #LearningTogether
Woke up to a winter wonderland this morning
#EmeraldMtnRanch #bozshepherd #snowday #wintervibes #workingdog
๐ฐ,๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐… ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐. ๐๏ธโค๏ธ
We are honestly so humbled here at Emerald Mtn Ranch.
This ranch is a total family effort, from the grandparents' wisdom to our kids jumping in to help, including our daughter who overcomes so much to be part of it all. It means the world to have a community that "gets" the beautiful, chaotic reality of ranch life.
Beyond the daily chores, we are so passionate about our Turkish Boz Shepherd breeding program for the USDA and others that need them.
We are big advocates for all LGDs to be understood and respected for the work they do. ๐พ
Thank you for being here. If you enjoy our story, weโd love for you to share our page with a friend. Hereโs to the next chapter together ๐
#EmeraldMtnRanch #4KStrong #TurkishBozShepherd #LGDAdvocacy #FamilyLegacy #RanchLife