It is well-known that Turkmenistan is a home of alabays and tazys, which make influence on formation of many dog breeds in the Central Asia. Alabay is large, strong and physically fit animal, which characteristic features are reliability, fearless, openness, benevolent attitude to all family members and subjection to the master.
As most of ancient breeds, Turkmen alabays underwent the stage of universal use. Once, the dogs were divided into hunting, protection, shepherd and other breeds. By the end of the 30th of the XX century, the cynologists started paying special attention to the Central Asian shepherd dogs. At those times, the best representatives of this race were bred in Mary Velayat. The dogs were taken to military dog nurseries around former USSR for testing. By the specialists opinion, the alabays showed excellent results in search and protection skills, had very good scent and easy to be trained. They served protecting Turkmen part of the border and successfully fulfilled the duty.
Original breed of alabay is able to satisfy the taste of the most demanding dog breeder. Currently, there are many competitions in the world on sport training of the dogs, where Turkmen breed would be able to reveal its potential.
It is almost impossible to live in rural areas without alabay. First of all, this is a wolfhound, the reliable defender of the flocks from wolves. Brave large dog covered with thick hair is unpretentious in nomadic conditions. From the old days, the shepherds having large flock of sheep used to have few dogs, which managed to catch up with the horses. And as a necessity and tribute to the traditions, there is an alabay almost in every rural house. The breeders try to preserve and develop the best features of this race.
The scientists consider that the dog of such imposing size provides psychological support to the owner. The dogs are the only representatives of the fauna, which are able to accept the expressions of the human face, to react on the mood, to understand and execute the commands. They save people from anxiety and depression, help to support psych emotional stability in the family.
The dog is able to understand the mood and share the sorrow and joy with a human. The owner is literally the centre of the universe for his pet. The dog learns the world, leaving the owner but always comes back to keep the contact. Understanding everything what people translate by words, movements, gestures and thoughts, the animals surround the person with positive energy that able to heal spiritual wounds. Four-leg doctors are extroverts and most communicable animals among all existing ones. They make close contacts fast even with child and win the trust by their joyful and good character.
Source: Turkmenistan: the Golden Age Online Newspaper