The alabay dog
Loyal friend and fearless protector
This breed has several names. It is called the Turkmen alabay, or the Central Asian shepherd dog, or the Turkmen wolfhound. The experts believe that this is the oldest dog breed on the planet, the only breed that has not been influenced by other breeds and has preserved its ancient genotype. Alabai, as well as the Akhal-teke horse and the local hound – tazy, are considered by the Turkmen people as the national treasure
Historical sources and folk legends emphasize the courage and loyalty of the alabays, which are ready to risk their lives and save people
Archaeological findings in the most ancient settlements of Turkmenistan evidence that the breed has a history of several millennia. Thus, archaeologists have discovered a burial of a large dog with a massive head and powerful jaws dating back to the fourth millennium BC (!) in the settlement of Jeytun, located in Ahal Velayat. After many years of research, the famous archaeologist Viktor Sarianidi came to the conclusion that nowhere in the world is there such a large number of special dog burials as in Margiana in the third-second millennia BC. The alabay burials were discovered even at the royal tombs in Gonur
