Akbash
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 [5] 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][6]
| Akbash | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Akbaş Çoban Köpeği |
| Origin | Turkey |
| Notes | recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Turkey |
| Dog (domestic dog) | |
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 [7]: 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.[7]: 5 [8][9]: 8 [10]
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 large and powerful dog:[11]: 406 mean body weight is approximately 45 kg, and mean height at the withers just over 75 cm.[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.[12]: 70 [11]: 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.[11]: 406 There is considerable feathering behind the legs, and the tail is heavily feathered.[12]: 70
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Orhan Yılmaz, Mehmet Ertuğrul (2012). Determination of Akbash Shepherd Dog Raised in Turkey. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science & Technology. 2 (1): 6–9.
- ^ a b c d Tamsin Pickeral (2014). Dogs Unleashed. San Diego: Thunder Bay Press. ISBN 9781626860681.
- ^ a b (in Turkish). Köpek Irkları ve Kinoloji Federasyonu. Archived 6 December 2013.
- ^ Turkish Language Association - TDK Online Dictionary. ak[permanent dead link] , baş[dead link]
- ^ David Hancock (2014). Dogs of the Shepherds: A Review of the Pastoral Breeds. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press. ISBN 9781847978080.
- ^ FCI breeds nomenclature. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Accessed February 2020.
- ^ a b Orhan Yılmaz, Mehmet Ertuğrul, R. Trevor Wilson (2012). The domestic livestock resources of Turkey: breed descriptions and status of guard and hunting dogs. In: 63rd Annual Meeting of the EAAP, pages 27–31.
- ^ [s.n.] (2002). Akbaş Turk Coban Kopegi Standardi, TS 12891(=Turkish Akbash Shepherd Dog Standard, number 12891). Turk Standartlari Enstitusu/Turkish Standards Institution. Ankara: TSE Matbaasi.
- ^ Seyrani Koncagül, Canan Demiralp, Nermin Aksümer, A. Oya Akın, Mehmet Ertuğrul (2012). . General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policy, Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock, Republic of Turkey. Published as: Animal Genetic Resources/Ressources Génétiques Animales/Recursos Genéticos Animales. 50 (111–11). doi:10.1017/S2078633612000240. Archived 29 May 2012.
- ^ [s.n.] (2006). Yerli Hayvan Irk ve Hatlarının Tescili Hakkında 2004/39 No’lu Tebliğde Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Tebliğ (Tebliğ No: 2006/32) (in Turkish). Resmi Gazete 9 July 2006, number 26223.
- ^ a b c Andrew De Prisco, James B. Johnson, Kerry V. Donnelly, Paquita Kriens (translator) (1992). Mini-atlas de las razas caninas: más de 400 razas ilustradas y detalladas (in Spanish). Barcelona: Hispano Europea. ISBN 8425509181.
- ^ a b [Bruce Fogle] (2013). The Dog Encyclopedia. London; New York: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781465408440.