Truly loyal giants, Aksaray Malaklısıs draw huge interest from people seeking a reliable guard dog, even if the breed isn't quite as well-known as the legendary Kangal. In the central Turkish province of Aksaray, where the breed gets its name, the tall dogs enjoy a good life in the hands of skilled breeders.
The dog, strikingly similar in appearance to the Kangal mostly bred in Sivas, another central province, shares similar traits as well, including its enormous size, calm demeanor and protective instincts, which gave it the reputation as a "wolf killer" since it serves as a major deterrence against wolves attacking herds.
"Malaklı" in its name refers to the dogs' droopy lips and is derived from "malak," a word for "lips" in the local dialect.
Nevzat Tunçbeden is among the top breeders of the dog and runs a breeding facility he established with an investment of $121,977 (TL 2 million) on an area of five acres some five years ago. The owner of 30 stud dogs, Tunçbeden says he strives to respond to the high demand for the dogs both from across Turkey and other countries, including Germany, Britain, Netherlands, Romania and Russia.
Tunçbeden, who took interest in dog breeding in his childhood, says it is a difficult job. "You have to feed them properly first. Every morning, at the same hour, they are given food and water. We feed them with chicken bones, milk, dog food, barley flour and offals. Then, they are groomed, cleaned.
"Every dog gives birth once every six months, and they usually give birth to 10 puppies at once," he said. The Aksaray Malaklısı breed has three sub-breeds: gök karabaş, ala malaklı and boz karabaş. Tunçbeden said the dogs are distinguished from other breeds due to their skeletal system. He added that a genuine Aksaray Malaklısı can be distinguished from "hybrid" breeds by their white ankles, larger heads and droopy eyelids.
"We see people selling Aksaray Malaklısı on the social media, and people express huge interest but most of them are "fake" dogs. They have nothing to do with Aksaray Malaklısı," he told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Friday.
Male puppies are sold for $304 (TL 5,000), while female puppies are sold for $243 (TL 4,000). Once they are old enough, between 12 months and 24 months old, they are sold at far higher prices, sometimes climbing to $4,268 (TL 70,000). "A customer had offered his house in exchange for a dog I raised. The dog weighed more than 110 kilograms, but I turned down the offer. I want to keep some select stud dogs I have. You cannot find more like them," Tunçbeden recounted.
Aksaray is home to seven modern farms and smaller venues operated by 15 breeders of the guard dog. "These dogs are the most trusted companion of shepherds," said Muammer Tıpırdamaz, head of an association for preserving the breed. "They also work as guard dogs in residences. We have seen a rising interest in Aksaray Malaklısıs during the COVID-19 pandemic as more people sought to live in secluded houses with courtyards. Interest is still high. Every year, up to 500 puppies and up to 100 grown dogs are sold here in Aksaray," he said.