Shepherd defends role of patou
dogs after hiker calls for rescue
Wolves are not the problem - tourists need to respect nature, says shepherd Raymond Riera
Raymond Riera sits with two of his patou dogs
Raymond Riera
A shepherd made headlines this summer when a hiker claimed his patou protection dogs were attacking her.
She called emergency services, which sent a rescue helicopter.
Shepherd Raymond Riera, 70, says the situation was largely due to her behaviour, and tourists and walkers need to understand the dogs better.
Helicopter rescue
The incident happened after the 32-year-old hiker pitched her tent on the Sornin plateau of the Vercors, in Isère (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).
When she awoke, her tent was surrounded by sheep and fog.
“The dogs were looking after the sheep,” said Mr Riera.
“But then she came out of her tent to have a look and to pet the dogs. If she had stayed put, the animals would have wandered off.”
Trouble began when she took her tent down, he said. “I can see why the dogs wouldn’t have liked that, and I believe she panicked.”
The hiker, who was unhurt, called the gendarmes, who sent a helicopter to rescue her while she waited up a tree.
Media reports at the time said 10 dogs had attacked her, with one biting her rucksack.
“I only have six dogs, and they would not have all been there,” said Mr Riera.
Read more: Helicopter rescues hiker in Alps after ‘patou’ dogs attack
'More dangerous animals than dogs about'
“I always think that if people are that scared of animals, they shouldn’t go hiking. There are more dangerous animals than dogs about... Only a weekend earlier, wolves attacked my animals in broad daylight. Since then, we’ve all been on edge.”
There were no wolves in France when Mr Riera started tending his flocks on the Vercors plateaus in 1978. Then, after the first packs came over from Italy in the 1990s, a few crossed the Isère river.
“In 2004, we started to have problems,” he said. “Wolves eat the whole animal – we find the remains with the skin folded up in an unmistakable way.
“They killed 26 sheep that first year. Last year, they killed 12, which shows how we have adapted to them. The patous are a big part of this.”
What are patou dogs?
Patou is the nickname given to the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, or Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées. They are often white and typically defend sheep from wolves and other predators.
An adult male can measure up to 80cm high and weigh up to 73kg. They have a reputation for being strong-willed, independent, and aggressive in their role as protection dogs.
They are also very loyal and affectionate family pets.
Mr Riera is in favour of the wolves’ return, despite them making his work more complicated and even dangerous. “They deserve our respect. It’s not so much the wolves that cause problems – after all, this is where they are meant to be – it is the tourists. They need to respect nature.
“One time, a jogger asked me to tie up my dogs. I told her I couldn’t because of the wolves. She said: ‘Why don’t you just shoot the wolves?’
“Another time, I met a hiker who carried pepper spray for dogs, which is asking for trouble. The dogs are not looking to attack people but if someone starts hitting them with a stick, they will react badly.”
Read more: Farmers and hikers given safety tips on French Pyrenean Mountain Dogs
Awareness days
One irony of the hiker incident is that Mr Riera regularly invites people to awareness days run by the shepherding group La Fédération des Alpages de l’Isère, where they can mingle with his patous.
“We try to get people involved, but there’s only interest when something goes wrong.
“These are working dogs, but they’re friendly with humans and I trust them with children. They don’t just go around attacking people. If you do see them, know that unless you approach their flocks they will not be interested in you at all.”
As for the threat of wolves, Mr Riera says hikers do not need to worry. “It is only the sheep they want,” he said.
There are estimated to be around 1,000 wolves in France based on 2023 figures, which show a decrease of 9% compared to 2022.
What to do if you see a patou:
