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Akbash

Turkish breed of dog From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Akbash
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The Akbash (Turkish: Akbaş) is a traditional Turkish breed or type of flock guardian dog from western Anatolia.[3] The word akbaş means 'white head', and thus distinguishes this dog from the Karabaş, or 'black head'.[4]:33 It was recognised by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2006; it is under the tutelage of the Köpek Irkları ve Kinoloji Federasyonu, the Turkish dog breed society, but is not recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.[3][5]

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History

The Akbash is a traditional breed of livestock guardian dog, used to protect flocks from predators in the rugged terrain of western Anatolia.[2]:90 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.[1]:7[6]:5

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.[6]:5[7][8]:8[9]

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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.[1]:7 It is a large and powerful dog:[10]:406 mean body weight is approximately 45 kg (100 lb), and mean height at the withers just over 75 cm (30 in).[1]:6

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.[11]:70[10]:406 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.[10]:406 There is considerable feathering behind the legs, and the tail is heavily feathered.[11]:70

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References

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