Akbash

File:Akbash dog on guard.jpg

Guarding sheep in California

The Akbash (Template:Langx) is a traditional Turkish breed or type of flock guardian dog from western Anatolia.Template:R The word {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} means 'white head', and thus distinguishes this dog from the Karabaş, or 'black head'.Template:R It was recognised by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2006; it is under the tutelage of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, the Turkish dog breed society, but is not recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.Template:R

History

The Akbash is a traditional breed of livestock guardian dog, used to protect flocks from predators in the rugged terrain of western Anatolia.Template:R It is distributed mainly in the provinces of Afyon, Ankara, Eskişehir and Manisa; some are present in the provinces of Ağrı, Konya, Sivas and Tunceli.Template:R

A standard was published by the Turkish Standards Institution in 2002, and in 2006 the Akbash was recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; it was added to the list of recognised native breeds and types, and the breed standard was published in the Resmi Gazete, the official government gazette.Template:R

Characteristics

The Akbash is a flock guardian dog, providing protection from predators to shepherds and to their sheep; it does not have any herding ability.Template:R It is a large and powerful dog:Template:R mean body weight is approximately Template:Convert, and mean height at the withers just over Template:Convert.Template:R

The coat may be either long or of medium length; it is always double, and is usually white, though there may be some shading towards a biscuit colour.Template:R As with other white-coated flock guardian dogs, the white coat makes it easy for the shepherd to distinguish between the dog and a predator, even in the dark.Template:R There is considerable feathering behind the legs, and the tail is heavily feathered.Template:R