The existence of the various livestock guarding dogs, like that of the herding dogs, relies on man's continuing need for their services.
While herding dogs are famed for their ability to work under a man's control and their strong desire to control the sheep or livestock, the livestock guard dogs have the amazing ability to bond with the livestock, accepting the herd or flock as its "pack."
The early Greeks wrote about the "white shepherd's dog" that protected the sheep from predators. The Akbash Dog is thought to be the ancestor of the Greek sheep guard dog as well as that of the Great Pyrenees and the Kuvasz. A white livestock guardian, the Akbash Dog is native to the region of Turkey west and south of Ankara, an area where sheep were once common.
Today, however, changing lifestyles and farming practices have reduced the number of sheep -- and of Akbash Dogs -- in its native region.

Ironically, it was an American diplomat and his wife who fell in love with the tall, white, elegant Akbash Dogs while serving in Turkey in the 1960s. When they returned to the U.S., they brought with them some of those dogs, including their family companion who was carrying the first pups to be born in the U.S.
As a direct result of their importations, the Akbash Dog joined other livestock guarding breeds in a study conducted by the United States Dept. of Agriculture. The aim of this project was; 1) to evaluate the use of livestock protection dogs against the predators which cost livestock owners millions of dollars each year and, in the process, 2) determine if any breed or breeds were better suited for this purpose.
This decade long project determined that livestock guard dogs were effective and even financially beneficial to the livestock producer. It also determined that the Akbash Dog was one of the best breeds for protecting livestock against predators as fierce as bear and cougar. In addition, the Akbash Dog proved to be aggressive to intruding dogs -- free roaming dogs are one of the most serious threats to livestock in North America. These two traits, along with its non-aggressive attitude toward its owner meant that within a few years, the Akbash Dog had become the most sought after protector for farms and ranches.

Patteran Tex of Ashkabad is serious about protecting her herd.

At that time the Akbash Dog was still a dog not recognized by any dog registry in the world. However, the Akbash Dog Association of America, formed by Mr. and Mrs. Nelson to record the dogs they had imported, had begun to grow with more and more livestock producers breeding and using this native Turkish dog. Soon the beautiful white dogs were discovered by companion dog owners. With registration in ADAA, Akbash Dogs qualified to be exhibited in various shows sponsored by private organizations.
With an estimated population in the U.S. of over 2000, in 1999 the Akbash Dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club, the world's second largest dog registry. The UKC, recognizing the importance of genetic diversity and the importance of the Turkish dogs, accepts Turkish imports into its studbooks.
The result is that the number of Akbash Dogs in the U.S. is increasing, with breeders making a serious effort to preserve the disposition and conformation that has made it so popular among livestock producers and even suburban owners.

No one can deny that Akbash Dog puppies, like this long coated pup, are cute.

In the meantime, sources in Turkey report a serious decrease in the number of Akbash Dogs due in part to changing demographics and a marked decrease in sheep production in the region where the Akbash Dog was born. There is, however, heightened awareness of the breed in Turkey, with Selcuk University in Konya having undertaken a breeding program to help preserve this native breed, along with the Turkish Tazi and the Kangal Dog.
Ironically, breeders in the U.S. have benefitted from increasing interest in this magnificent breed from around the world. Akbash Dogs have been exported to Europe (Belgium, Spain, and Germany), Israel, the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, South and Central America. In these countries they serve primarily as livestock guardians but also as estate and ranch protectors. The breed is well known for being protective without being needlessly aggressive.

It is important to understand that some early importations from Turkey as well as later imports went to European countries. However, Akbash Dogs today in countries such as England, Belgium, and Germany have virtually no registry status unless they are registered with the United Kennel Club. Subscribing to FCI dictates, the dog registries in these countries refuse to accept the Akbash Dog as a breed.