Akbash

The Akbash is the white flock guardian of western Turkey — a tall, lean dog quite distinct from the heavier Kangal of the east.

History

It has guarded sheep and goats on the Anatolian plateau for a very long time, and its build is unusual among guardians: it carries sighthound length of leg along with mastiff bone, which Turkish shepherds valued for covering ground fast. The white coat is deliberate — it lets a shepherd tell dog from wolf at distance and helps the dog pass among the sheep.

Temperament

The breed is known for being calm, independent and profoundly protective, bonded to its flock and household and suspicious of everything else. It assesses and acts alone.

Care and training

It needs space, genuinely secure boundaries and early socialising, and it is unsuited to town life. Exercise needs are steady rather than intense. The coat sheds heavily.

Health

Generally robust from working selection, with hip dysplasia and bloat among the known concerns for a large deep-chested breed. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.