Description

This solid white flock guard dog is equipped withkeen hearing and superior strength. Their white, weather resistant, double,short to medium length coats are coarse and non-matting, with very little doggyodor. The Akbash has a massive head and powerful jaws. The v-shaped ears are sethigh with the tips slightly rounded, flat to the skull, and are carried pendant.Imported Turkish dogs may have cropped ears. Their almond shaped eyes are setwell apart and distinctly oblique. Eye color varies from light golden brown tovery dark brown. The neck is strong and muscular, medium in length and arches atthe crest. It has strong, large, well-arched toes. The nails are blunt andeither gray, brown or white. The pads are thick, hard, elastic and normallydark. The tail is long, reaching to the hocks. There is an elastic, springynature to the gait.

Temperament

The Akbash Dog is a primitive guard dog breed,requiring owners who understand canine behavior. The dogs are a combination of:submissive posturing to livestock, and dominance aggression - to stand upagainst bears and wolves. They require owners dedicated to constantsocialization if it is kept as a companion. They are naturally dog aggressive. Intown with sights and sounds everywhere, barrier frustration-aggression iscommon. This is a serious working breed and is best placed where it can have ajob to do. They are opportunists for taking over control so they are best placedwith children over eight years of age, when the child can participate insubmission exercises, with an adult, on the dog. Barking and patrolling is theirprimary means of defense and so they will bark if out at night. Trouble usuallyoccurs when friends come over and aren't supervised by someone the dog knows. Asa guardian/guard dog breed, the trained and socialized dog will defer to theowner when the owner is present and will be friendly and happy to visitvisitors, however they consider unsupervised people as suspicious. This is anintelligent, courageous, and loyal dog. Completely dedicated and devoted totheir owner and any livestock in its charge. Independent with strong protectiveinstincts. The Akbash is a natural guardian that even at a very young age willbond strongly with the livestock it is protecting. It has such strong maternalinstincts, that sheep will often allow this dog to sniff and clean their newbornlambs and will flock behind their guardian when threatened. Because of theirstrong maternal instincts, they are usually good with infants. The dog'sindependent nature allows it to respond swiftly and without guidance in anemergency. There is no difference in guarding ability between the male andfemale. Some of the animals the Akbash Dog has guarded include sheep, goats,cattle, horses, poultry and exotic birds, deer, alpacas and  llamas. Oncebonded, these dogs will not hesitate to risk their own lives to protect theircharges. The Akbash Dog has even been used by American ranchers to ward offbears and coyotes. Because of its strong independent nature, it thinks twiceupon receiving commands.  Not recommended for first time dog owners, orpeople who do not wish to have a serious guard dog. Companion dog owners shouldbe prepared to spend a fair amount of money on good fencing and a lot of time onsocialization and maintaining the humans pack leader status over the dog. The Akbash dog needs a firm, but calm, confident, consistent owner.

Height, Weight

Height- 28-32 inches (71-81 cm.) Weight- 90-130 pounds (41-59 kg.)

Health Problems

Although cases of hip dysplasia and OCD haveoccurred, as with any large, rapidly growing breed, the breed as a whole doesnot seem to be afflicted with these conditions to anywhere near the degree ofmany other large breeds.  Buy only from OFA hip certified stock.

Living Conditions

Akbash Dogs are not recommended for apartmentlife, regardless of the amount of on-leash exercise provided. They arerelatively inactive indoors and do best with a minimum of a 1/4-acre and atleast a 5' tall fence. They should live in a semi-rural or rural settings. Thisbreed is quiet and clean in the house.

Exercise

They are a low activity level dog, but also anextremely athletic dog requiring along daily walk, and lot of space to run around off it's lead.

Life Expectancy

About 10-11 years

Litter Size

Average of 7 - 9 puppies

Grooming

The hard coat is clean, non-smelling andnon-matting but does require brushing to help the shedding process. They areabove average shedders.

Origin

Also called the Coban Kopegi and the Akbas, theAkbash Dog is an elegant, rare breed from the area we now call Western Turkey.It was developed 3000 years ago, by shepherds who selectively bred forwhite-colored guarding sheepdogs, perhaps to differentiate them from predators.The Akbash is a probable relative of the other great white herd guarders ofEurope such as the Komondor, Kuvasz,Tatra Mountain Sheepdog, and even distant PyreneanMountain Dog. The name Akbash come from the Turkish word "akbas"meaning  "white head."

Group

Flock Guard

Recognition

NKC, UKC,CKC, ADI, ARPI, ACR, DRA (Akbash Dogs International)Akbash Dogs International requires OFA hip certification on all breeding stockthus having a much lower incidence of hip dysplasia than dogs from the generalpopulation.