Kurdish Mastiff

The Kurdish Mastiff, Assyrian Shepherd, or Pişder dog is a dog landrace native to the mountainous Kurdistan Region in Iraq, especially the Pişder region in Sulaymaniyah Governorate. This dog is often used as a livestock guardian against predators and number around a few thousand heads. They have been compared to the Kangal Dog and the Akbash.

Breed snapshot

Core facts to help you understand this breed quickly.

Size
medium
Life
Unknown
Group
Working
Origin
Kurdistan

Origin map

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Origin map unavailable

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Breed details

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Reference source
Wikidata
Open source
Reviewed Jun 26, 2026

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Next steps

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