Gardian Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 Down here in the South, you don't see much livestock - at least certainly not when it starts to get really warm. In the winter, occasionally some cattle or sheep grazing in one of the fields.About a week ago, a flock of sheep turned up in one of the fields that I pass every morning. Nothing especially unusual about that, except that amongst them was a sheep-size dog. He was white and 'wooly' and the sheep seemed to be completely calm about him in their midst.I thought that I must have been 'seeing things', but he was there again this morning. The field belongs to a local vigneron and one can only assume that the dog is part of the family and decides to bimble down and have a chat with the sheep every morning. Makes a change!However, I just thought that sheep were paranoid about dogs in close proximity. Obviously not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 Was it perhaps a well known and much loved member of this Forum out and about looking for love? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 It was probably a pyreneen mountain dog - they're gorgeous, and very friendly to humans:http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/great-pyrenees#/slide/1There are a few around here, but as you say, unusual in the Gard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindal1000 Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 It's probably a Maremma or the Pyrenean equivalent. They are sheep guardians. They live alongside the sheep and protect them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maremma_SheepdogThe woman that bred our cattle dog is also breeding Maremma now and they guard their sheep in the Coreze. They are lovely dogs..very independent and very protective. They will eat their food in small portions to save some for later, but they can also be obstinate and difficult to train. My brother used to have one as a pet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 24, 2017 Author Share Posted February 24, 2017 Lindal & Pat ..........Fantastic - thank you both very much for the explanation.I've googled both Maremma & Pyrennean Mountain Dog - no idea which breed it is, but they're both strongly related and it doesn't matter.Its fascinating and something that had never occurred to me. As you know, there are certainly (re-introduced) wolves in the Pyrenees and quite possibly in the Cevennes. The latter is the most likely origin of this flock, being more or less on the doorstep. No wolves around here that I'm aware of, but certainly foxes and they would be a problem if these are ewes close to lambing. Thank you very much for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 What a nice thread. Informative, helpful to the grateful OP - and no one slagging off the other posters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 I know these exist, but have never seen one for real, but in some parts of the world, Alpacas are used as guard animals for sheep too ..Think that would give you a start walking home from the pub and seeing that ina field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 26, 2017 Author Share Posted February 26, 2017 They've gone ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Rustled; I reckon the dog was the thief!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 They're probably on their way back up to the mountains (?Cevennes?) for their summer pasture.We sometimes see them down here, in the winter, but those in our village protect poultry, or even pigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Far too early for transhumance, surely. It is only Feb. after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 I wondered about that too, Woolly.ps spring starts March 20th this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 They're back again!I'm certain that its an enclosed field, so its not as though they slipped off into another area. Perhaps they went in to town for a few pints!I told our Belgian neighbour about them and being a bit of an animal freak, he took some pics of the dog. Very friendly apparently.I'll post them when he forwards them to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Could they have been taken off for dipping or some other procedure; perhaps the lambs might need tagging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Wooly wrote:"out and about looking for love?"One poultry farmer here had one, a female, and a tiny little collie who was her 'husband'. When she came on heat she used to wander all over the commune looking for a mate, but if another dog approached her the little collie would stand under her belly, growling.Our foster dog tried it on with her once but he couldn't reach [:D]. I don't think her husband could either, so she never had any pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 [URL=http://s593.photobucket.com/user/gardian830/media/446a84b3-eb8e-4f41-af6e-d49a0b6832d3_zpshdxwl7fz.jpg.html][IMG]http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/gardian830/446a84b3-eb8e-4f41-af6e-d49a0b6832d3_zpshdxwl7fz.jpg[/IMG][/URL]Here he is ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 Oh dear, that didn't work!Will try again later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 [URL=http://s593.photobucket.com/user/gardian830/media/446a84b3-eb8e-4f41-af6e-d49a0b6832d3_zpshdxwl7fz.jpg.html][IMG]http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/gardian830/446a84b3-eb8e-4f41-af6e-d49a0b6832d3_zpshdxwl7fz.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 [URL=http://s593.photobucket.com/user/gardian830/media/446a84b3-eb8e-4f41-af6e-d49a0b6832d3_zpshdxwl7fz.jpg.html][IMG]http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/gardian830/446a84b3-eb8e-4f41-af6e-d49a0b6832d3_zpshdxwl7fz.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Gardian photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 Thanks Cajal.I'll now need to work out what I did wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Well done Cajal. Your footnote " A friend in need's a pest. Get rid."reminded me of a poster my boss had on his wall - "A problem shared is a problem two have got". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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