The dogs They have been by our side for many years, not only keeping us company (as most do today), but also helping us evolve as a society with tasks that have been as fundamental as the protection of our flocks and livestock. In fact, many dogs in our country are still dedicated to these tasks.
An example of this is the project’Entrelobas‘, by David Pérez del Molino and Clara Benito, which the Official College of Veterinarians of Madrid (COLVEMA) has awarded in its VIII edition of the Animal Welfare Awards with the award to Project committed to animal welfare.
‘Entrelobas’ is the largest telegrazed goat herd in the world thanks to an application that, together with the use of GPS collars, allows Pérez del Molino and Benito to create virtual fences to monitor the herd and control the grazing areas without the need to use physical fences, allowing, in turn, to protect the flora and regenerate the grass, taking care of animal well-being.
In the gala held last Septemberboth wanted to make a call on “the great impact of livestock farming linked to the territory on ecosystems and in the herds themselves, especially in a context of climate and biodiversity crisis”.
The importance of not touching mastiffs
Furthermore, as founders of the association Iron Dogwanted to deliver to COLVEMA their informative poster on how to interact with mastiffs in livestock areasconsidering that there is still a lot of dissemination in this regard, especially in areas with a lot of tourism.
The Perro de los Hierros association was born in 2019 with the aim of sharing experiences around the livestock mastiff and disseminate about this breed in all its areas (its use in livestock farming, its breeding and its interaction with rural tourism). This is how Pérez del Molino, co-founder of the association and responsible, together with Clara Benito, summarizes it. ‘Entrelobas’ project.
“When we started our goat herd in 2015, we encountered a wolf, so we decided to acquire our first mastiff, at two months old,” he recalls. “The cattle mastiff is very different from the one we have in mind, since Those used in livestock farming are not the same as those we keep in our homes.“.
Pérez del Molino explains that when they started the line of mastiffs that they work with now, it was a long learning process on the part of the dogs. “The cubs are raised with the flock and have to get used to each other“, he says. “There has to be an imprint (punching that we call it), that’s why the first months of age are very important.”
In this sense, the rancher explains that it is important that no one touches them or feeds them. “Mastiffs are always with the flock, they do not live with you, like Border Collies do, for example. “They are part of the same herd,” he details. “Therefore, we must ensure that people ignore them when they walk nearby, something that is a problem in terms of rural tourism.”
“From the association we emphasize this because we find ourselves with the problem that, in areas with a lot of tourism, people approach them, caress them, call them… And it can be dangerous“, he warns. “That is why it is also important to get them used to seeing people from when they are puppies, so that they do not feel it as a threat.”
Although Pérez del Molino assures that, if they are used to people from a very young age, there would be no problem with people approaching or petting them, since it will not pose a threat to the dog, remember that the dogs are working and, of course, you never know when you are faced with a dog that is accustomed to it or not.
“It is for this reason that we do a lot of outreach related to The treatment we should have with mastiffs when we walk in livestock areas“, he says. “We give posters to administrations for them to use, we distribute brochures so that they are made available to tourists, there are many ways to teach.”
As the posters and educational brochures on dealing with mastiffs in the countryside explain, it is important not to touch them, not let them follow us and not give them food. “They are not abandoned dogs and we should ignore them,” Pérez del Molino recommends.
“The dogs are working and the flock is there for a reason”defends. “In Europe, herbivores are the ones who fulfill the important ecological role of managing the forest. They have been helping us do this for 10,000 years and that is why we must learn to live with them.”
In this sense, the co-founder of the association also remembers that, When riding a bicycle, it is important to stop riding and go around the herd on foot, always trying to maintain a safety distance of at least 20 meters and, if accompanied by a dog, tie it in advance.
The compatibility of mastiffs with tourism
In addition to its informative role, the association has also carried out studies in collaboration with environmental departments to assess the compatibility between the ownership of mastiff dogs and tourist and leisure activities. “We work with seven farms (ours among them) and we evaluate all the mastiffs to see their reaction to different situations (people walking, bikes or dogs), always following the recommended rules,” he details.
“In the end, dogs are perfectly capable of identifying whether the person, group of people or dog that is approaching poses a threat or not,” says Pérez del Molino. “They detect and evaluate signals very quickly, they are very intelligent animals. and, in fact, they are capable of immobilizing a dog and barking at it, without needing to go any further.
