President's Message

dianeWelcome to the Akbash Dogs International web site. ADI represents Akbash Dogs around the world. We have a strong liaison with the Turkish Akbash Dog club www.akbas.tk and strive to coordinate Akbash Dog-related activities, policies and education for the entire world. Akbash Dogs are rare, so our universal approach seems appropriate.

If you are plugged into social media, you may find this web site to be static. This is where ADI provides background information, shows photos, and has forms for registering dogs and other functions. If you would like to e-mail someone, there are links on this site. If you would prefer to get into active discussions, please visit the Turkish Akbash Dog site at https://www.facebook.com/groups/261828610665708/ . Any new items on this site will be here, in the president's message, or on the message board. Please check these two sites periodically for news.

ADI has its own registry, taking care of record keeping needs for Akbash Dogs. Ours is the most comprehensive registry, offering multi-generational pedigrees whenever possible. We currently have more than 1,500 Akbash Dogs in our registry. Our mandate is to preserve the working attributes of the Akbash Dog breed. On this site you will learn about working and companion dogs, our excellent rescue service and training ideas, but you won’t find information about conformation shows and related activities.

As you visit this site, you will learn about Akbash Dogs and the people who represent them. You will learn of the rich heritage this breed enjoys, and of the struggles a pastoral breed faces in an increasingly urbanized world. You will read about our pride and joy, the Akbash Sentinel, a quarterly news journal that is packed with photos, articles and plans for the future. Introductory material can be found this web site; the message board covers breaking news, and the Akbash Sentinel is where the in-depth coverage happens. People who are serious about livestock protection dog behavior and health ought to subscribe to the Sentinel.

April 2018 -
With board of director reformation completed (see the Message Board for details), this is an excellent time for reflecting on what Akbash Dogs International can offer to members, potential members, the world of LPD owners who do not have purebred Akbash Dogs, and the general public that may interact from time to time with LPDs. Our first priority will remain serving our members, but at the same time, representing a breed brings with it a mandate to care for all Akbash Dogs, even if their owners are not ADI members. We want to be seen as a transparent, ethical and responsible organization that reliably represents a wonderful breed of dog.

In January 2015 Akbash Dogs International achieved a milestone of significance, publishing volume 100 of the Akbash Sentinel. We have since added volumes 101 - 111 to the archives. We are currently accepting materials for upcoming volume 112 which will be the second edition for 2018. The Akbash Sentinel is published 4X each year, or as close to 4X as we can get. If you have photos, news, or other Akbash Dog-worthy material, please feel free to contribute.

Diane Spisak
President, ADI