View source for Akbash

{{short description|Turkish breed of dog}}
{{for|the village in Iran|Akbash, Iran}}
{{infobox dog breed
| name           = Akbash
| image          = Akbaş cinsi köpek.jpg
| image_alt      = a large white dog sitting
| altname        = Akbaş Çoban Köpeği
| country        = Turkey
| weight         = 
| height         = 
| maleweight     = {{right|{{cvt|45|–|65|kg|-1}}{{r|bitlis|p=7}}}}
| femaleweight   = {{right|{{cvt|35|–|55|kg|-1}}{{r|bitlis|p=7}}}}
| maleheight     = {{right|{{cvt|60|–|85|cm}}{{r|bitlis|p=7}}}}
| femaleheight   = {{right|{{cvt|50|–|75|cm}}{{r|bitlis|p=7}}}}
| coat           = double coat{{r|tam|p=90}}
| colour         = white{{r|tam|p=90}}
| litter_size    = 
| kc_name        = 
| kc_std         = 
| kc2_name       = 
| kc2_std        = 
| fcistd         = 
| note           = recognised by the [[Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Turkey)|Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs]] of Turkey
}}

[[File:Akbash dog on guard.jpg|thumb|alt=a large white dog sitting among a flock of sheep|Guarding sheep in [[California]]]]
The '''Akbash''' ({{langx|tr|Akbaş}}) is a traditional Turkish [[dog breed|breed]] or [[dog type|type]] of [[flock guardian]] dog from western [[Anatolia]].{{r|kif}} The word {{Lang|tr|akbaş}} means 'white head', and thus distinguishes this dog from the [[Karabaş]], or 'black head'.{{r|hancock|p=33}} It was recognised by the Turkish [[Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Turkey)|Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs]] in 2006; it is under the tutelage of the {{lang|tr|italic=no|Köpek Irkları ve Kinoloji Federasyonu}}, the Turkish dog breed society, but is not recognised by the [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]].{{r|kif|fci}}

== History ==

The Akbash is a traditional breed of [[livestock guardian dog]], used to protect flocks from predators in the rugged terrain of western [[Anatolia]].{{r|tam|p=90}} It is distributed mainly in the [[provinces of Turkey|provinces]] of [[Afyonkarahisar Province|Afyon]], [[Ankara Province|Ankara]], [[Eskişehir Province|Eskişehir]] and [[Manisa Province|Manisa]]; some are present in the provinces of [[Ağrı Province|Ağrı]], [[Konya Province|Konya]], [[Sivas Province|Sivas]] and [[Tunceli Province|Tunceli]].{{r|bitlis|p=7|eaap|p2=5}}

A [[breed standard|standard]] was published by the [[Turkish Standards Institution]] in 2002, and in 2006 the Akbash was recognised by the [[Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Turkey)|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.{{r|eaap|p=5|tsi|agr|p3=8|gaz}}

== Characteristics ==

The Akbash is a [[flock guardian]] dog, providing protection from predators to shepherds and to their sheep; it does not have any [[sheepdog|herding]] ability.{{r|bitlis|p=7}} It is a large and powerful dog:{{r|mini|p=406}} mean body weight is approximately {{cvt|45|kg|-1}}, and mean height at the [[withers]] just over {{cvt|75|cm}}.{{r|bitlis|p=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.{{r|dk|p=70|mini|p2=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.{{r|mini|p=406}} There is considerable feathering behind the legs, and the tail is heavily feathered.{{r|dk|p=70}}

== References ==
{{commonscat}}
{{reflist|45em|refs=

<ref name=agr>Seyrani Koncagül, Canan Demiralp, Nermin Aksümer, A. Oya Akın, Mehmet Ertuğrul (2012). [https://web.archive.org/web/20120529055146/http://www.tagem.gov.tr/pdf/english_AnGR.pdf ''Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in Turkey'']. 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.</ref>

<ref name=bitlis>Orhan Yılmaz, Mehmet Ertuğrul (2012). [https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=77926597&site=eds-live&scope=site Determination of Akbash Shepherd Dog Raised in Turkey]. ''Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science & Technology''. '''2''' (1): 6–9.</ref>

<!---ref name=dic>[[Turkish Language Association]] - ''TDK Online Dictionary''. [http://www.tdk.gov.tr/TR/SozBul.aspx?F6E10F8892433CFFAAF6AA849816B2EF4376734BED947CDE&Kelime=ak ''ak'']{{dead link|date=September 2017 | bot=InternetArchiveBot | fix-attempted=yes }} , [http://www.tdk.gov.tr/TR/SozBul.aspx?F6E10F8892433CFFAAF6AA849816B2EF4376734BED947CDE&Kelime=ba%C5%9F ''baş''] {{dead link|date=August 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref--->

<ref name=dk>[Bruce Fogle] (2013). ''The Dog Encyclopedia''. London; New York: Dorling Kindersley. {{isbn|9781465408440}}.</ref>

<ref name=eaap>Orhan Yılmaz, Mehmet Ertuğrul, R. Trevor Wilson (2012). [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Wilson-19/publication/282005963_The_domestic_livestock_resources_of_Turkey_breed_descriptions_and_status_of_guard_and_hunting_dogs/links/5601253208aeba1d9f84ee54/The-domestic-livestock-resources-of-Turkey-breed-descriptions-and-status-of-guard-and-hunting-dogs.pdf 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.</ref>

<ref name=fci>[http://fci.be/en/Nomenclature/races.aspx?init=A FCI breeds nomenclature]. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Accessed February 2020.</ref>

<ref name=gaz>[s.n.] (2006). [https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2006/07/20060709-5.htm 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.</ref>

<ref name=hancock>David Hancock (2014). [https://archive.org/details/dogsofshepherdsr0000hanc/page/33/mode/1up ''Dogs of the Shepherds: A Review of the Pastoral Breeds''].  Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press. {{isbn|9781847978080}}.</ref>

<ref name=kif>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206030933/http://www.kif.org.tr/index_en.php?p=irklarimiz&detay=31 Akbaş Shepherd Dog] (in Turkish). Köpek Irkları ve Kinoloji Federasyonu. Archived 6 December 2013.</ref>

<ref name=mini>Andrew De Prisco, James B. Johnson, Kerry V. Donnelly, Paquita Kriens (translator) (1992). [https://archive.org/details/miniatlasdelasra00pris/page/406/mode/1up ''Mini-atlas de las razas caninas: más de 400 razas ilustradas y detalladas''] (in Spanish). Barcelona: Hispano Europea. {{isbn|8425509181}}.</ref>

<ref name=tam>Tamsin Pickeral (2014). ''Dogs Unleashed''. San Diego: Thunder Bay Press. {{isbn|9781626860681}}.</ref>

<ref name=tsi>[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.</ref>

}}

{{Turkish dogs}}
{{Livestock guardians}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akbash}}
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in Turkey]]
[[Category:Livestock guardians]]