What Big Teeth You Have!

Remember the picture from last week?

Leila and Alfie with Rob comparing sizes!

One of the things that I remember clearly from the first time we stayed at Fynbos Farm, was The Dog!! Not just a dog, but a DOG. An Anatolian Shepherd, to be precise, originally from Anatolia (where else?) and bred specifically to protect livestock in the fields.

Just like Leila (Pic thanks to Google)

Leila (her name) would loom out of the darkness like a friendly ghost, say hello, have a chat to Alfie, devour some wors, lie with us for a while, and then disappear. We never saw her during the day, and I just assumed (as would you) that she was off with the horses in the field, doing her job and chasing off predators, keeping her eyes peeled for any danger, before rounding them up and bringing them home at dusk. I had visions of her sitting on the top of a rock with her paw to her eyes, whistling at a horse who ventured too far from her protection, and drinking water from a cool stream running through the field. (I did stop at imagining cold meat sandwiches wrapped in a spotted handkerchief though, but only just.)

Guarding is their life. (Pic thanks to Google)

So this time I happened to mention this to the owners. I said 'So, has Leila been keeping the horses safe as usual?' And they simply fell about laughing!

The story goes like this:

Leila hates the sun, in fact she won't venture out of the house during the heat of the day, but lies inside where it's cool. She has a quick trip out to do what is necessary, and then back in until the cool of the evening. In the meantime, the other two farm dogs have to keep out of her way, or she will kill them. This is not a joke! She is so possessive that she will not allow the other dogs near, even though she grew up with them. If the geese squabble, she goes and stands between them and if a cock gets amorous with his lady friend, she knocks him off!

But, because she doesn't consider the camping area to be within her immediate control, the dogs there are safe and she is as gentle as a lamb! There are notices up at the entrance to the actual farmhouse area saying 'NO DOGS BEYOND THIS POINT' and now I know why!

Apparently one chap ignored the sign and brought his Standard Poodle up to the front door. Leila took one look at this and 'literally exploded', Peter's words. The chap ended up holding his dog above his head while Leila did her utmost to rip it apart!

A very large Anatolian Shepherd! With it's owner!

So, I did some research on Google and I quote:

'Bold, steady, confident, proud, intelligent, and independent. They are rugged and very strong with superior sight and hearing. They make their own decisions about who is friend or foe. Anatolian Shepherds are not casual pets. They are dominant, self-reliant dogs who will try to manage everyone and everything unless you are an assertive leader who knows how to instil respect.If necessary they can survive for days without food or water'  So, that puts paid to my spotted hankie theory!

They have been introduced on several farms in the Limpopo area of South Africa, where they have reduced the number of stock losses by up to 95%. Many of these farms lie in the ‘Cheetah belt’ and the dogs are a welcome alternative to the cheetahs being shot or poisoned by angry farmers.

So, now I know where she is during the day! She is lying low and the farm dogs are safe outside! They swap places at night, and Leila becomes a camp dog, hospitable and unobtrusive, enjoying the company of dogs that on a normal day she would happily kill if they strayed onto her turf!

Our evening visitor!

We enjoyed her company and so did Alfie.

He shared his food with her and lay next to her!

Just as well he didn't know the full story!