How to Post an Akbash Wanted Ad and Get Replies in the United States
To post an Akbash wanted ad that gets replies in the United States, say what the dog will guard or that it will be a family companion, describe your animals, acreage, predators and fencing, name the health tests you expect, and give your budget, location and how far you will travel. The Akbash is rare in the US, and the few breeders and owners who have one want a home that understands a livestock guardian, so a specific ad gets serious answers.
A wanted ad works best alongside your own search. This guide covers what to write, a realistic budget, and how to stay safe when replies arrive.
Key points
- Lead with the job: guard named stock, or live with an experienced family.
- Describe your fencing; Vetstreet recommends a solid fence at least five or six feet high.
- Ask for the parents' OFA or PennHIP hip results and OFA heart and thyroid results.
- Budget realistically: Adopt a Pet puts breeder puppies at about $800 to $2,500.
What kind of Akbash should you ask for?
- Puppy or adult: a puppy can grow up with your stock, but needs months of supervision. A settled adult, rehomed from a farm, may start sooner; see how to take in a rehomed Akbash.
- Working or companion: be honest. Akbash Dog Rescue Inc. has written that the breed belongs in quiet settings on acreage with a guarding job.
- Size: Vetstreet gives 28 to 34 inches at the shoulder and about 90 to 130 pounds; females are smaller.
- Papers: say whether you want UKC registration. The AKC does not register the breed, so "AKC Akbash" papers are a red flag.
- Breed or type: say whether you would consider a white Anatolian Shepherd, a Great Pyrenees or a guardian cross, so sellers know what to offer.
What should you put in an Akbash wanted ad?
| Detail | Farm example | Family example |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Guard 60 sheep and lambing ewes | Companion and watchdog on 5 acres |
| Animals and land | 40 acres; coyotes and stray dogs seen | Two horses, one older dog, no small children |
| Fencing | Woven wire perimeter, locked gates | 6-foot solid fence around the house yard |
| Experience | One guardian dog already working | Owned a Great Pyrenees for 10 years |
| Health tests | Parents with OFA hips, heart and thyroid | Parents with OFA hips, heart and thyroid |
| Budget and travel | Your upper limit; will drive 300 miles | Your upper limit; will drive 200 miles |
Write a clear title, for example: wanted, Akbash puppy to guard sheep, within 250 miles of Billings. Add when you can take the dog home.
How much should you budget for an Akbash?
- Breeder puppy: Adopt a Pet puts Akbash puppies at about $800 to $2,500, depending on the breeding.
- Rehomed adult: Adopt a Pet suggests a reasonable dog rehoming fee is often around $50 to $150.
- Fencing: price a solid five- to six-foot fence before the dog arrives if you do not have one.
- Emergencies: Embrace Pet Insurance estimates bloat treatment at $1,500 to $7,500; Vetstreet names gastric torsion among the breed's problems.
A purebred Akbash puppy offered far below these figures, with papers from a registry that does not list the breed, is a warning sign, not a bargain.
How do you post your Akbash wanted ad?
- Choose the wanted listing type and set the breed to Akbash Dog.
- Write a specific title and add your location.
- Describe the job, your animals and land, your fencing and the tests you expect.
- Give your budget and how far you will travel.
- Add a photo of your pasture or fence if you like, but no personal documents.
Posting on PetzLover is free: post your Akbash wanted ad, and keep your phone number out of the ad text so replies come through messages first. While you wait, browse Akbash listings and save the search to get an alert when a matching dog is listed.
How do you avoid scams when replies come in?
- Insist on a visit or a live video call with the dog, and for a puppy, with its parents and their stock.
- Ask for the parents' registered names and look up their hip, heart and thyroid results on the OFA website.
- Reverse image search the photos a seller sends.
- Refuse to pay by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a cash-transfer app; the FTC says a credit card gives you the most protection.
- Be wary of a young puppy offered from abroad: the CDC requires dogs entering the US to be at least six months old and microchipped.
- Walk away if new fees for shipping, crates or insurance appear after you agree a price.
What should you check before you take an Akbash home?
- The dog matches the photos, and its microchip number matches the paperwork.
- Copies of the parents' health results, which you have checked on the OFA website.
- How the dog behaves with stock, children and strangers, seen with your own eyes.
- A written contract or rehoming agreement with a return clause.
- A puppy at least eight weeks old; about 28 states and Washington, DC set a minimum sale age, usually eight weeks.
- Your fence checked and gates locked before the dog arrives.
Owners who answer your ad may check you as described in how to respond to an Akbash wanted ad. To compare breeders, read how to buy an Akbash puppy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an Akbash wanted ad say?
Say whether the dog will guard livestock or live with a family, describe your animals, land and fencing, and give the health tests you expect, your budget and how far you will travel. Specific ads get serious replies.
How much should I budget for an Akbash puppy?
Adopt a Pet puts Akbash puppies from breeders at about $800 to $2,500. Add fencing if you need it, plus food and vet care for a giant dog.
Should I ask for a puppy or an adult Akbash?
A puppy can grow up with your stock but needs months of supervision. A settled adult from a farm may start sooner, though it still needs time to accept new animals and a new fence line.
Which health tests should I ask for?
Ask for both parents' OFA or PennHIP hip results and OFA heart and thyroid results, as Vetstreet advises. Look the results up on the OFA website yourself.
Where else can I look for an Akbash?
Embrace Pet Insurance points buyers to the breeder list kept by the Akbash Dog Association of America, and some Great Pyrenees and livestock-guardian rescues list Akbash dogs and Akbash mixes. Save a search for Akbash listings so you hear about new ones quickly.
Can I get an AKC-registered Akbash?
No. The AKC does not register the Akbash. The United Kennel Club recognizes the breed, so ask whether the parents and puppy are UKC registered.
Helpful guides
Pet WantedHow to Respond to an "Akbash Wanted" Ad in the United StatesBefore you answer an Akbash wanted ad, learn what the dog will guard, check the fence, stock, neighbors and experience on a live call or visit, and refuse overpayments and shipping offers.
Pet for SaleHow to Buy an Akbash Puppy in the United StatesBefore you buy an Akbash puppy, see both parents with their stock, get their OFA or PennHIP hip results plus heart and thyroid checks, and have a solid fence of five to six feet ready.
Pet for SaleHow to Sell Akbash Puppies in the United StatesSell Akbash puppies from health-tested adults, keep them until at least eight weeks, raise them with stock and place each one on a contract with a home that has a solid fence and a real job.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed Akbash in the United StatesBefore you take in a rehomed Akbash, learn whether it guarded stock or lived in a house, how it treats strangers and other dogs, its health records and escape history, and have a solid fence ready.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your Akbash Responsibly in the United StatesRehome your Akbash by calling your breeder first, disclosing barking, escapes, behavior and health honestly, screening for a solid fence and acreage, and handing over in person with a signed agreement.