This is an old tradition documented in various sources. I believe the common use of street dogs will tell a lot about the status of similar looking dogs in Turkey.
I took the below abstract from "Daily Life in Old Istanbul" by Gündağ Kayaoğlu. In the book you find pictures by Allom, an 19th century artist, Choiseul-Gouffier, Sebah & Joaillier. You can also find info and more pictures in the book of Edmondo de Amicis, an Italian traveller.
"These dogs which fulled the narrow streets of Istanbul were skinny but big, long legged, mostly white and yellowish, in similar type and ugly creatures. Every street had its own pack of dogs. Had, by any chance, a dog from another neighbourhood entered their territory a big and bloody fight would have broken out. 10 or 15 dogs together with their puppies would turn the street into a battle field.
These street dogs did not have a special place to live. An ruined house, graveyard or a basin of a fountain would be the cosy spot to raise their puppies. They were in a constant propogation.
They would bark or howl altogether at night until the morning. The people believed that they were praying to keep a coming disaster like an earthquake or an epidemic away. According to this belife, killing a dog or even beating it to death was considered a big sin.
The men and women in Istanbul would feed dogs in the hope of a wish to come true.
Their second and most praised duty was to guard the streets. They were seen as helpers of the watchmen.
The dogs were seen as dirty animals, so if they had touched a bowl or dish it would have been thrown away immediately. People did not like them to touch their clothes but could not stop wishing on them either."