Under their air of big white teddy bears, the shepherds of Abruzzo would pass almost unnoticed in the middle of the herd of white Beltex sheep of the breeder and exporter Bernard Destexhe. But it is better to keep your distance and not try to enter the field, without being accompanied by Bernard or another member of the family. These massive dogs have one mission: to protect their herd. Their growls will make you understand it directly. Straight from the mountains of Italy, Abruzzo Shepherds have been used for millennia by shepherds to defend their livestock. With the return of the wolf to Belgium, and sporadic attacks in the region linked to dispersing wolves, Walloon breeders are starting to think about their options. Bernard Destexhe decided to welcome some into his sheepfold, on the advice of an Italian colleague, who had bought him some sheep.
“He has eight dogs who constantly protect his flock of 60 sheep. There are a lot of wolves there. He asked me what was the situation in Belgium (Editor’s note: In 2020, a pack had just settled in Hautes Fagnes) and offered to give me a female. After reflection with my wife, and research on the race – very kind and sociable – we decided to accept and buy a male to accompany him and start a breeding.” Tyson and Bella arrived in Bolland in March 2020. Since then, their daughter Beauty has also lived with them.
Dogs calm sheep
Acclimatization with the sheep went straight away well, he says. While the family’s border collie leads the herd, the Abruzzo shepherds protect and reassure them, explains the breeder. “The sheep know that the dogs are there in case of problems. I feel them much more peaceful since they are present at their side.”
They are together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “From birth, the puppies are in the sheepfold to be imbibed by the atmosphere of the sheep, which they very quickly consider as a member of the family.” For the moment, puppies and lambs frolic together in the sheepfold. “They run together and sleep next to each other.” Obviously, these little white stuffed animals are still far from being ready to protect the herd. “For a dog to be mature and ready to work, he must be a year and a half or even two years old.”
And if his herd had already been attacked by stray dogs, since the arrival of the dogs this has not happened again. “I noticed that in the morning, the sheep would wait until the dogs had gone around the field before coming out into the meadow, as if giving them the green light.”
Puppies from previous litters were bought to protect herds of sheep, alpacas and even chickens, he smiles. Others were sold to individuals. “He is not an apartment dog, he needs land and above all he needs another presence, otherwise he will be unhappy. He can’t be the only pet. They are very kind and affectionate dogs, who would lay down their lives for their family and have a lot of discernment. They really are quite a remarkable breed.”
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