Heroes walk on four legs as well!

We have dairy goats. Great Pyrenees and Maremmas have protected our goats for years. They are magnificent. Some reading may think it was cruelty to leave Tad and Sophie behind but it would've been more cruel to take them and leave the sheep. Ours have always loved us but are more bonded to their herd/flock. The border collies are used for herding according to the commands of the humans so they are more bonded to the people.

I hope you and yours are safe & well.

We are fine as we are 125 miles north of Houston. We got 9 inches of rain on very parched ground. The first 4-5 inches just soaked into the parched ground and the rest has drained away. Sad to say the ditches drain into creeks that empty into the Navasota river and then the Brazos which at record high crests on the west side of Houston.

About livestock protection dogs there are about 6 breeds from Turkey, Poland, Francis, Italy and a few other places. The are generally white, some have some color.

I have a story about Maremmas. We had a pair of sisters, Trudy and Gertie in a pasture by themselves. We were feeding and Trudy started raising Hell at the gate. My wife said, "See what's up with her." Trudy was barking at something on her side of the gate. It was a copperhead snake. There was a long stick that I used to pin the snake down as I yelled at my wife to get me the sharp shooter shovel. Meanwhile Trudy couldn't stand that her man was so close to danger. She feinted twice and then grab the snake and ran. She threw it up in the air 3 times breaking its back. The snake lay on the ground dead. Trudy, pleased with her self waked away to get praise and a pet from her man.

The part of Italy, Maremma must've been snake infested in Dante's time. In "The Inferno" Canto 25:19 -

I do not think Maremma has so many
Serpents as he had all along his back,
As far as where our countenance begins.