JenikaArt
Akbash Dog Stamp

This was commissioned by Coyote Tangent for a 2007 wall calendar called “Wish You Were Here”. No, it’s not a Pink Floyd reference (unfortunately!); each month features doggy postcards from around the world and accompanying ’stamps’ to go with them. My stamp was featured in July.

The Akbash dog is a Turkey native sheep-guarding dog. Akbash means “White Head,” and any Akbash dog that is not pure white (light fawn on the ears and nose is permissable) is considered Disqualified by AKC standards. Shepherds needed their dogs to be white so they could distinguish them from wolves who would attack the flock at night, and not accidentally shoot their own dog. Prize Akbash dogs were given Spiked Iron collars to protect their throats from a wolf’s bite.

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