How to act if you see a patou dog while hiking in france
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:
THE GREAT PYRENEES MOUNTAIN DOGS ARE INCREASINGLY USED TO DEFEND SHEEP AGAINST WOLVES People hiking across mountain pastures in France have a good chance of encountering a Great Pyrenees
Mountain Dog or patou, which are typically used to defend sheep - including against wolf attacks. We look at how hikers should act to stay safe around patous. There have been several reports
of problems between hikers and patous in recent months, including one hiker who was evacuated by helicopter after taking refuge in a tree in the Vercors, and two hikers who were
hospitalised after an encounter near Grenoble. Raymond Riera, the shepherd whose patous reportedly forced the hiker to take refuge up a tree, told The Connexion that the dogs were necessary
to protect his flocks against wolves, which have repopulated many mountainous areas, particularly in the Alps. “It’s not so much the wolves that cause me problems, but the tourists,” said Mr
Riera. “They just don’t understand.” So far no one has been seriously injured. HOW TO AVOID ISSUES WITH PATOUS: * Do not shout. Read more: Farmers and hikers given safety tips on French
Pyrenean Mountain Dogs