Turkey has provided us with some of the oldest dog breeds in the world, and one of them is a dog whose name in Turkish, “Akbaş,” literally means “white head.” The Akbash Dog is at least 3,000 years old ago, but what makes the breed particularly interesting is that of all the livestock guardian breeds, the Akbash shows the greatest influence of a sighthound ancestry.

A molosser heritage is evident in the breed, but keen eyesight, long legs, a tall, lean, “tucked up” and flexible build, along with speed and agility comes from the sighthound, possibly the Tazi (it’s said the breed can jump over an obstacle as high as a man). In fact, the Akbash even shares a similar genetic intolerance to barbiturate-based anesthesia as do modern day sighthounds.

You can read an earlier post about the Akbash Dog here.

Image found on Pinterest and happily credited upon receipt of information.