The Akbash dog breed is native to Turkey and is one of the oldest known breeds that have remained intact to this day. There are those who date its birth in western Turkey around 700 B.C. There are in fact documents that testify of a breed similar to the present Akbash already in the era of the first Turkish civilizations.
The name of this dog comes from the Turkish word Akbash which means “white head”, in fact their main characteristic is that of a completely white coat. Unfortunately it seems that this breed is almost completely extinct, in fact it is difficult to find specimens of which one is absolutely sure that they belong to this breed.
In Turkey this dog was used to protect the flocks of sheep. It is in fact a perfect shepherd dog, fearless, autonomous and very protective of the flock. The characteristic white color of its coat, would seem to be a selection made over the centuries, by shepherds, who aimed to diversify this breed as much as possible from strays and such as to make it more recognizable even in the middle of the night.
The akbash is the largest of the Turkish guard dogs, it is similar to a bear in size, in fact the male can weigh over 60 kilograms, it has always been appreciated for its strength and is not afraid of anything.
The Akbash were introduced in the United States around 1970 by Judith and David Nelson, who were conducting research on white-coated dogs from the regions of western Turkey. They brought about 40 specimens to the United States and began a breeding program in the territory, but at this time the number of specimens is unknown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture beginning in the 1980s began employing these dogs in its predator control program.
Character of the Akbash dog
It is not a dog suitable for everyone, in fact to be able to train one it is necessary not to be at the first experience and it must be able to immediately make clear the roles, because the dog must absolutely identify its master as leader of the pack. It must be trained from an early age and with it you must be authoritative but not authoritarian. Therefore it is a difficult dog to train, indeed one of the most difficult. Later on we will talk about training.
As far as their character is concerned, they are very brave dogs, strong and very independent, capable of making autonomous decisions, regardless of the guidance of man. So much so that shepherds often entrust them with their flocks and livestock counting on their ability to make decisions on their own.
It is a dog that is very faithful to its owner and to its family, it protects its members even at the cost of its own life, and it can become fierce and very violent if it notices a dangerous situation for its family. In fact, if properly trained, it is an excellent guard dog. They are also very intelligent dogs and are capable of sniffing out danger even when everything seems to be quiet, with the danger however that following their own instinct they act autonomously without listening to their master.
Unfortunately it does not react well to the presence of other dogs because of its nature of pack leader, especially with big dogs. In the same way it does not have a good relationship with people it does not know, unless they are introduced to it by the owner, in that case there are no problems, because the dog trusts its human. If, however, it has been accustomed from an early age with other animals and also with children, it develops a strong instinct of protection for them.
It is absolutely not a dog to be kept in an apartment, it needs a lot of space, if confined in small places, or not very big fences it could try to escape. It is not a companion dog even if it becomes very attached to its master. It is purely a guard dog, and it would be advisable to keep it far enough from urban centers, possibly in the countryside and in isolated places.
Training of the Akbash dog breed
Speaking of training, it is useful to remember that in 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. published an updated version of the list of dogs of particularly dangerous breeds, and the dog breed Akbash is among them. Therefore, the role that the dog will have to play and especially its training will be essential for the success of the relationship.
As already said they are also very difficult dogs to train, therefore it would be a good idea to lean on an experienced trainer to facilitate this task. Akbash must be trained almost immediately, generally in the first 16 weeks of life, in the period in which they are more receptive and more malleable to the teachings of the master.
The training of this breed requires a lot of time and patience and it is absolutely wrong to have aggressive or violent attitudes with them, because this dog always tends to react and can become aggressive even towards the master, you should never raise your voice nor try to scare him, because this dog just reacts, he never pulls back and is not afraid of anything. For this reason, its reactions can be even more dangerous given the large size and robust musculature that it possesses.
So the training of the Akbash can only be as a guard dog or as a herding dog. It is also a very active dog and needs to move around a lot, so the ideal for them would be just guarding a herd, especially those that move at various times of the year to look for better pastures. And as shepherd dogs they are really good, they have a natural inclination to protect the herd and will never leave it alone to run after a wolf or other predator, which it will only try to ward off. It is tireless and will keep the herd under full control.
Appearance of the Akbash dog breed
This dog has been selected, as well as other similar dogs such as the Abruzzese Maremma Shepherd and the Pyrenean Shepherd, to sport a completely white coat. A dog of this color, is easily recognizable from the shepherd in the dark moments and therefore also at dawn and at dusk, can hardly be mistaken for a wolf.
The height of the male at the withers varies between 75 and 86 centimeters while the female is smaller. The ideal weight is around 60 kilograms. This dog is physically very strong, a muscular body hidden under a coat of thick white fur. It has strong, tapered paws characterized by thick claws, a long tail curled at the top, very thick. It can hold its head and fend off predators of various kinds.
The head is longer than wide and massive, the ears are V-shaped with rounded tips, usually go down. In Turkey. often, in shepherd dogs, the ears are cut off. The eyes are almond-shaped and well spaced and are brown with a gradation ranging from light to dark brown.
The coat is very thick and has a double layer of hair, useful to resist low temperatures. The first layer is sparser and longer, the second is much thicker and shorter. The color of the coat; strictly white.
Health and care of the Akbash dog breed
The Akbash is a strong and sturdy dog with a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years. As a purebred, it is a dog that generally enjoys excellent health, less prone to disease than other dog breeds. Like many other large dog breeds, it can suffer from hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, dilated cardiomyopathy and gastric torsion.
As far as the feeding is concerned, it is common as for other breeds of molossoid dogs, generally they eat once a day in an abundant way, in the cold season it is better to divide the meal in two times, one in the morning and one in the evening, however they need to do physical exercise every day.
As for the care of the coat, it should be brushed at least twice a week to avoid knots and during the moulting period, as it loses a lot, even twice a day. It is normally washed once a month.
