Turkmenistan has been celebrating a new national holiday - dedicated to a very special breed of dog.

The Alabay - a native variety of shepherd dog - was honoured on Sunday with an awards ceremony. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has encouraged veneration of the breed as a symbol of national heritage. Alabays and the ancient Ahal Teke horse breed are considered sources of national pride. Sunday saw the dogs take centre stage in events designed to reinforce their lofty cultural status in Turkmenistan, a former republic of the Soviet Union. 

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