Supposed to protect their sheep from predators, the patous become a real source of anxiety for the shepherds.
“In the Alps, the major problem that we encounter because of the
wolf
is no longer predation,
observes Laurent Garde, deputy director of Cerpam (Centre for studies and pastoral work in the Alps-Mediterranean) in Gap.
These are the tensions between the
guard dogs
and the hikers or the neighbors of the breeders.
These 60 kg to 70 kg mastiffs, which work in groups to deter packs of wolves from attacking the herds, bark day and night to warn of any danger of intrusion, which can cause noise pollution for the neighborhood of the sheepfolds .
In addition, these guard dogs can be aggressive towards humans who come too close to the sheep.
“It's hell, because we're stuck between two fires
, deplores Nicolas Peccoz, sheep breeder in the Drôme with his wife Catherine.
On the one hand, we have to have...
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