| Akbash Dog
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| Country of origin
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| Turkey
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| Classification
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| Breed standard (external link)
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| UKC
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The Akbash Dog is native to western Turkey in the region known as the Akbash, and it is primarily used as a Livestock guardian dog.
Appearance
It is a large dog, weighing between 90 to 130 pounds (41 to 59 kg), averaging 90 pounds for the female and 120 (54 kg) for the male, 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 Akbash was combined with the Kangal to create the Anatolian Shepherd Dog.
Temperament
The Akbash is not shy. When used as a guard dog, it is not extremely personable with humans, although the breed is not by nature hostile. The Akbash can be used as a companion dog as well as a working breed, and if trained appropriately can be extremely personable with any creature no matter the size or age. 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 require tremendous endurance and little energy. That does not mean, however, that they can be happily confined to small spaces.
External links
