Akbash Dog

Country: Turkey
Weight: 80-140 pounds
Height: 28-34 inches
Coat: Smooth or long, both double coat; thick, with fringing on tail and back of legs, and often a slight wave.
Color: Solid white (a bit of light biscuit around ears is not to be penalized); complete black pigment of eye rims, nose and lips preferred, but dark brown acceptable.
Group: Flock Guard

As one of the oldest breeds of the flock-guarding group, the Akbash Dog still carries the same physical and mental traits that characterized these dogs thousands of years ago. They were probably brought to the yaylas (mountain pastures) of Turkey with migrations of people from the East. Since sighthounds, mastiffs, and flock-guard dogs accompanied these Oriental migrations, all could have contributed to the gene pool. Turkey (Asia Minor) was on the migratory routes between West and East, and stories have been told and records kept of these guardians from very early times.

Lucien G.M. Columella, a first-century AD Roman author wrote: "Sheepherders wish to have white dogs in order to avoid confusing them with wild animals, since, when the wolf attacks in the twilight, it is important that there be a color difference between the dog and the wolf; otherwise the sheepherder might strike his dog, thinking he was killing a wolf."

A Phrygian civilization (Asia Minor, 750-300 BC) graffito shows a large guarding dog wearing a spiked iron collar. Turkish flock-guarding dogs still wear huge iron-spiked collars as added protection for the vulnerable neck area against predators.

The Akbash is a fleet-moving dog, with acute hearing and eyesight. Natural and owner culling has developed strong, sturdy animals. These dogs are bred to be animal-oriented, rather than toward people. Their independence is sometimes misunderstood by the uninformed as stubbornness or stupidity. They are bred to think, rather than obey with robot precision. A strong tendency to natural suspicion fosters development of the proper guarding attitude.

Proper bonding with sheep requires calm, quiet, steady temperament. Livestock guardian candidates are never brought inside the home or made into pets. They need to be introduced to their future animal at a tender age.

If pups want to play with sheep, trainers cure this by adding an "old cantankerous ewe or feisty ram...to discipline the overly exuberant puppy," so they learn not to injure the young lambs in rough play.

In modern society, the Akbash usually accepts other farm animals (i.e., dogs, cats, horses and other domestics), if reared with them from puppyhood, and is sometimes protective of them. When raised with children, the dogs are good with them. Pets should be confined to an area, rather than being chained which intensifies aggression.

Matings are not readily accomplished. Dogs are so attached to the flock that they are not easily sidetracked, even for affairs of the heart. One bitch owner had to rent an entire flock and the shepherd to convince its guard dog to cooperate. The animal refused to leave his flock!

Double rear dewclaws are often seen on Akbash Dogs and may be removed. In conformation, the smooths, without padding of coat, falsely tend to appear slighter in build than the long coats. Many Akbash Dogs have the ranginess, fleetness, and arch to the loin that give just a hint of the running hound in their background. In the past, the ears were cropped like many breeds of this group to diminish the ability of a predator to grip and hold. Thus many imports have the ears lopped off. Ears on modern dogs are usually left natural.

The handsome Akbash has been successful in USA flock-guarding programs, and American breeders are determined to preserve the working qualities. Their active American-based Akbash Dog Association International promotes the breed for guard work, obedience and exhibition at rare breed shows, as well as for livestock protection on farms and ranches. In addition, the Akbash Dog is showing up in more and more activities, such as therapy dogs and independence dogs (aiding the handicapped).

All the information here was taken from "The Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World" - written by Bonnie Wilcox, DVM and Chris alkowicz.