Livestock Protection Dogs – Akbash
The Akbash (Turkish: Akbaş), is a traditional Turkish breed or type of flock guardian dog from western Anatolia, Turkey. word akbaş means “white head”. Akbash dogs are a rare breed outside of Turkey. The Akbash, also called the Coban Kopegi, the Akbas, or Aky, is an ancient large to giant dog breed from Turkey dating back from 3,000 years ago. It was brought to North America in 1970.
The Akbash is a flock guardian dog, historically providing protection from predators to shepherds and to their sheep in the rugged Turkish terrain. The breed was imported to the United States and since then generations of Akbash dogs have been socialized to protect from poultry to large livestock. It does not have any herding ability although there are anecdotal accounts of Akbash dogs herding livestock out of an overwhelming desire to please their master which is a personality of the breed. They are intelligent, loyal fiercely independent and brave. The akbash generally has an independent and watchful temperament. The breed has strong protective instincts and will bark at, and potentially become aggressive with perceived threats.
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. 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. There is considerable feathering behind the legs, and the tail is heavily feathered.
