Spaces to share

La Routo’s highly diverse landscapes conceal work areas and a pastoral life that must on no account be disturbed.
The result of constant selective breeding, the domestic livestock breeds raised (sheep, goats and cattle), along with the donkey and dog breeds necessary to herding transhumant flocks are all creations bearing witness to a very long history.
Herded, protected and almost always kept watch over, their husbandry is the subject of a profession in its own right, that of the cowherd, goatherd and shepherd. Knowing how to keep a low profile when coming across a flock, leaving the animals in peace, remembering to close gates behind you and respecting the privacy of mountain pasture huts, is therefore always essential.

Livestock guard dogs

The Provencal guard dog, the dogou, had completely disappeared by the end of the 19th century, at the same time as the wolves. With the return of these predators, pastoralists put breeds originating in the Pyrenees (the “patous”), Abruzzo and Anatolia to work defending their flocks against the growing threat of predation.
Be sure to behave appropriately if you encounter one of these dogs.
Take simple actions: Make your way around the flock as far from it as possible, stop long enough for the dog to identify you, stay calm, don’t shout and don’t run away; keep your own dog on a lead.