Akbash Dog

The Akbash is a traditional Turkish flock guardian from western Anatolia, described as a breed or a type. Its name means “white head” in Turkish, which sets it apart from the Karabaş, or “black head”, the dog now known as the Kangal. It lives with sheep and their shepherds and protects both from predators. It does not herd.

History

The Akbash has long guarded flocks in the rough country of western Anatolia. Most are found in the provinces of Afyon, Ankara, Eskişehir and Manisa, with some in Ağrı, Konya, Sivas and Tunceli.

The Turkish Standards Institution published a standard for the dog in 2002. In 2006 the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recognised it, added it to the list of native breeds and types, and printed the standard in the official government gazette. The Turkish dog breed society, the Köpek Irkları ve Kinoloji Federasyonu, looks after the breed. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale does not recognise it.

Appearance

The Akbash is a large, powerful dog. Average weight is about 45 kg (100 lb) and average height at the withers is a little over 75 cm (30 in). Males are given as 60 to 85 cm tall and 45 to 65 kg, females as 50 to 75 cm and 35 to 55 kg.

The coat is always double and may be long or of medium length. It is usually white, sometimes with a little biscuit shading. As with other white flock guardians, the color lets a shepherd tell the dog from a predator, even in the dark. The backs of the legs are well feathered and so is the tail.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.