Guardians *' 564'.# 1706#+0 1) h 1467)7'5' %10 Carla Cruz Biologist, owner of Aradik kennel, Portugal cmocruz@gmail.com
The sun hasn’t been shining for long over the single farm at the bottom of the steep Estrela Mountains’ valley, yet the goats have already been milked. They are getting restless in the barn, while the dogs are calmly laying outside, waiting for the doors to open and their day to begin. A puppy plays inside with the lambs and kids, until an impatient goat butts her to stop. The shepherd finally opens the gates and the 250-head goat and sheep flock starts its path up the mountain. The dogs follow it, one ahead, one behind and one towards the middle of the flock – all flanks are covered and guarded. The shepherd leads the flock part of the way, but doesn’t stay with it all day. In the Estrela Mountains, in the centre/north of Portugal, the wolf has disappeared in the mid 1980s, so it has been fairly safe to leave the livestock unattended during the day, freeing farmers for other chores – although stray and feral dogs are becoming an increasing problem all over the country, and they may eventually have to go back to tending for the flock during the whole day. The flock does not remain up in the mountains all season, it comes home every night to be milked
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and for night protection. How does the shepherd know where to go fetch his animals at night? “It’s all in the wind. I study the way the wind blows during the day, and depending on its direction I know the animals will be at such or such place.” During the day, the flock’s only protection is the local breed of livestock guarding dogs – large (26-28+ inches at the shoulder, 80-120 pounds) yet agile dogs known quite simply as Estrela Mountain Dogs. They are “armed” only with large spiked metal (or less frequently leather) collars which they wear since they are a few months old. But they do have their own natural “survival kit” – their big size, the loose skin that makes it harder for bites to cause serious damage and their color. Although these dogs can come in various shades of fawn, wolf-gray or brindle, the latter is preferred by most shepherds, as this coloring helps the dogs go by unnoticed against the rocky granite background, vegetation and amidst the dark goats. When a predator – 4 or 2-legged – tries to approach the flock, the dogs’ deep warning barks are easily heard from a distance, but the dogs are not easily located. This is often more than
enough to discourage all but the boldest to approach further. If the barking, posturing or signaling doesn’t work then the dogs will engage in open confrontation, but that is usually the last resort, not often required. Exception is made when flocks cross villages; there the dogs just keep to the flock, they may go bark to a curious dog that approaches the flock too closely, but generally ignore people; however, back in open field, it’s business as usual. Some history Despite a surge of interest in Portuguese dog breeds since President Obama decided upon a Portuguese Water Dog as his family’s pet, and the popularity of this breed in the United States, internationally it is the Estrela Mountain Dog who is probably the bestknown breed outside Portugal’s borders. And it is undoubtly the best-known national breed within them. There are even tales and stories about the breed’s prowess dated from at least a couple of centuries ago. Although Portugal has 3 other livestock guarding dog breeds (Castro Laboreiro Watch Dog, Alentejo Mastiff and Transmontano Mastiff), it is the Estrela Mountain Dog who is often mentioned in books and reports about the Estrela Mountains, country living or general Portuguese ethnography, where the guard dogs with spiked collars are sometimes mentioned. Its popularity is such that even in a national zoology textbook for high-school dated from 1923, the wolf is described by comparing it to this breed – “The wolf is similar to an Estrela Mountain Dog, from which it can be distinguished because its tail is hanging and hairier and its ears are upright and pointed.” The exact origins of the breed cannot be pinpointed exactly, although it is speculated a similar type dog probably already existed in the area during roman times (2nd century BC). It is interesting that the first mention of dogs in independent Portugal, dated from 1199, comes from the breed’s area of origin, as a law against killing hounds or flock dogs and
The Shepherd