Archive for the ‘Akbash Dog’ Category

Latest Akbash Dog

2011 Akbash Dog:

The Akbash Dog is one of the “shepherd” dog breeds of Turkey. Unlike the “shepherd” breeds of the West, the Turkish shepherd dog breeds are not herding breeds. Instead they are livestock guarding breeds much like those described by ancient Roman writers. In ancient times, the Roman writer Varro described two types of guard dogs. The first was a white shepherd’s dog like that in this rendering of a frieze of a Greek shepherd and his dog found in The German Shepherd Dog written by Capt. Max v. Stephanitz, who is considered to be the creator of the German Shepherd breed. The shepherd’s dog lived with the sheep and protected them from wolves and bears. This mature male Akbash Dog may well typify the type of shepherd’s guard dog described by ancient sources.

Akbash Dog Image:

The second kind of dog was a dark colored guard dog that protected his master and his master’s property from intruders, two-legged or four-legged. The color of the dogs was an important part of their function. The white dog was accepted by the sheep and could easily be distinguished by the shepherd from a darker colored predator. The dark dog, on the other hand, was useful at night when he was hard to see and could surprise human intruders. These dark colored dogs were also the dogs used by the military, for they were less visible.

Latest Akbash Dog:

Hundreds of years later, it seems as if Varro had been describing the Turkish guard dogs as they existed then and as they still exist in their native country, for the ” sut beyaz” or milk-white Akbash Dog and the dun colored, black-masked Kangal Dog differ not only in regional origin but also in conformation. With its long-legged and “tucked-up” appearance, the Akbash Dog shows signs of greyhound or gazehound influence. The heavier, blunt muzzled Kangal Dog, while not nearly as exaggerated in proportion as many modern day mastiff breeds, is reminiscent of the early mastiffs with their pendant ears, moderately shortened muzzles, powerful chests, and broad skulls. Both breeds are often seen in their native land wearing an iron, spiked collar, often with a piece of cloth underneath it to protect their necks and sporting  “cropped” ears as are seen here on this mature male Akbash Dog in the Sivrihisar region.

White Akbash Dog:

This Akbash Dog picture has been submitted to GotPetsonline. For privacy reasons we are unable to provide any additional contact information about this picture. The pets in this picture gallery are usually not for sale. However, in some cases the pets shown in these pictures are for sale through the GotPetsOnline classifieds section. If you wish to view the pets that are for sale, check out the classifieds ads in the Pets For Sale section.Akbash Dogs is derived from a Turkish word meaning “white head.” The Akbash Dog is a white livestock guardian breed native to the plains and mountains of western Turkey. Even as the origins of the Akbash Dog are unclear, it is known to be an ancient pure breed. In Turkey, Akbash Dogs are owned and bred by villagers and shepherds to protect their sheep from wolves and other predators.

Akbash Dog:

The Akbash Dog (Turkish: Akbaş) is native to western Turkey in the region known as the Akbaş, and it is primarily used as a livestock guardian dog. The name comes from the Turkish word meaning white head.The Akbash Dog is thought to be the Turkish equivalent of other white guardian breeds found in and around the northern Mediterranean Basin. The Akbash Dog has its unique combination of molossre and sighthound qualities. This breed was developed at least 3,000 years ago; their white color distinguishes them from predators.

New Akbash Dog:

Archeological evidence suggests that the earliest civilizations arose in the parts of the world currently occupied by Syria, Iran, and Turkey 10,000 years ago and began to domesticate animals and cultivate (or domesticate) plants. In short order there would have been a need for livestock protection dogs to care for the livestock. The white breeds of livestock protection dogs include the Great Pyrenees of the Pyrenees Mountain area in France and Spain and the Maremma of the Maremma Mountains of Italy. A reasonable but not in any way proven hypothesis is that white (Akbash) dogs were developed in Turkey and spread.It is a large dog, but it is leaner than other Turkish guard dog breeds, and has a distinct white coat, long legs, and feathered curved tail. It possesses characteristics of both mastiffs and sight hounds. The breed is often referred to as a sheep dog, but it does not herd its charges. Instead, it is designed to live with the flock and act as a guardian.The supposition of fact is that the Akbash and the Kangal were originally distinct, natural and pure breeds and that they were combined to create the Anatolian Shepherd Dog.

The Akbash is not shy. When used as a guard dog, it is not personable with humans, although the breed is not hostile by nature. The Akbash can be used as a companion dog, and if trained appropriately can be personable with any creature. The Akbash has been bred to be independent and dogs of this breed might think that they know better than their owners during training. The Akbash is a relatively low-energy breed. Because it is in their nature to lie with the flocks they guard most of the day, they do not possess tremendous endurance or energy. That does not mean that they can be confined to small spaces. It is still very much a working breed and is happiest when given a task to complete. These dogs are known for their intelligence, bravery, independence and loyalty