"Froppie" may no longer be with us but will remain in the hearts of
all who knew
him. He will be missed by everyone.
A Different World
By Ken Hamlett
As dawn casts it's light over a small valley the
snarls of giant cats, the roar of
a bear and the howls of wolves and coyotes echo through the fog. Standing
over this small
domain a silent guardian watches and waits. He stands ready to repel
those who would
enter and insures that the creatures under his gaze remain separated
from the outside world.
But as the fog lifts, the protector of the domain begins a metamorphosis.
Gone is the sentinel.
The imposing shadows part to reveal the regal coat of an ambassador.
His head lifts and he
awaits the the arrival of visitors and admirers.
The humans approach in awe.
They gaze upon the ambassador as he proudly shows
that once again success was achieved. No intruders have met his challenge
and his valley
is safe. Have the bears and wolves retreated into the woods? Hardly.
They are the animals
he protects!
He is Zarif's Filozof, Anatolian
Shepherd Dog, and his domain is a zoo. Although
people are amazed that a dog with a long ancestry of sheep protectors
has made the
transition to protect his natural enemies he simply takes it in stride.
His whole life has
been unusual when compared to most dogs.
He was first trained to
protect sheep in the fields. However when a project was
established to take sheep on the road to various events to show how
sheep and livestock
guardians interact and to show the value of Asian methods of livestock
protection, he
was ready. With his dedication to duty as well as his stable temperament,
he was a
natural choice. He spent several years on the road as an ambassador,
rarely staying more
than a couple of months at any one place. He amazed many observers
and swayed quite
a few ranchers to rethink their traditional practice of shooting or
poisoning predators to
protect their stock. He showed that ranchers could coexist with nature
and still prosper.
When the project was complete
it was time to retire. He had won the admiration
of the staff at the Folsom City Zoo in northern California so when
they learned of his
retirement, they were quick to offer him a home. From that time on,
he protected the
zoo and its inhabitants. Although he still protects sheep and goats,
his duties now
include watching over sundry exotic animals including predators such
as cougars, bears,
wolves, coyotes, foxes, and bobcats. In addition he guards visiting
exhibits including
miniature horses, draft horses, and llamas.
Not only are people a problem
but wild animals (from outside the zoo) would be
happy to grab a peacock or two for an exotic meal. In addition, if
one of the animals
were to escape, he would be the first line of defense.
In addition to guardian
duties at night, he has a pasture during the day with signs
and docents nearby to explain his role at the zoo and to give people
a different perspective
on the role of a dog. He has continued his role by converting ranchers
and impressing
hundreds of thousands of people each year. His impressive 31 inch,
135 pound body is hard
to miss and he is responsible for the placement of many Anatolian Shepherds
in traditional
working homes and his stable, dignified personality has convinced many
people to think of
the Anatolian Shepherd Dog when seeking a home companion. In fact two
years ago he was
the honored host of a zoo event called "Dogs Working Wonders" which
included many working
dogs including herders, Air Force sentry dogs, drug dogs, and sled
dogs. Of course he was
the center of attention. With two goats for company he watched over
the event and won
countless hearts.
However life at the zoo
is not without its little setbacks. One incident that stands
out was when a Rhesus Monkey escaped. It had a clear chance to escape
but when it saw
the dog in the pasture he stopped to jump on the dog's back and pull
its fur. This delay
gave keepers a chance to net the monkey. The keepers were relieved,
the monkey had fun,
but the dog was not amused.
He takes it all in stride.
Protector, educator, ambassador. He is an exceptional
dog, but for an Anatolian Shepherd, being exceptional is easy.
Copyright 1996-1999 by K.Hamlett. All rights are reserved. This
article is not to be printed
or copied in whole or in part by any means without the written consent
of the author.