Please support Soldiers' Angels and Project Valour-IT |
« Remembering SGT Jack Gell |
2004.12.01 |
Sheepdogs
(I first published this timeless piece from Russ Vaughn on the now-defunct mBlog version of Small Town Veteran on 2004.10.09.) Russ Vaughn emailed to let me know about his latest work and mentioned that it was inspired by something he saw on Blackfive .
I won't delude myself I could handle the situation better than Matt has, so I'm going to simply copy his post and mention, as I'm sure I have before, that Blackfive should be on your daily reading list.
Well said, Matt and Russ. Click here to see my entire Russ Vaughn Collection. |
Posted by Bill Faith on December 1, 2004 at 04:45 AM in Poetry, Russ_Vaughn | Permalink TrackBack Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Sheepdogs:
Comments Ahh, the Sheepdog. What many people do not know about the sheepdog, is that he does not actually protect the sheep. The sheepdog's job is to warn the master of the danger, and move the sheep away from the possible predator. It is the master, who is human, who actually protects the flock. The sheepdog depends on his master to house him and feed him. If the master fails at his job, then the sheepdog turns on his master. I to can speak in metaphors, but my metaphors are more likely to resemble reality. Posted by: Concerned Citizen | Mar 12, 2007 9:17:02 PM Just as there are all variety of fighting men so with dogs and a dozen breeds that work as sheepdogs - nothing wrong with a border collie today in wolf-free scotland to do the job of herding sheep - but a thousand years ago you wanted a dog that looked like a sheep but was up to the poem - and with a track/kill record Go KOMONDER (they look like sheep from a distance buT as the wolf or coyote learns - WITH FANGS) ================================================= "King of the Hungarian guarding dogs, the Komondor is a heavy-coated white dog descended from a Russian dog of the steppes called Aftscharka. Today's Komondor is “characterized by imposing strength, courageous demeanor, and pleasing conformation” according to the breed standard — the same traits that made him a herd guardian without equal in his native land. "The Komondor has a white, corded coat that gives him a unique appearance. Puppies are born with a regular coat that tends to fall into cords; adults have a double coat in which the coarse hairs of the outer coat and the soft hairs of the undercoat become entangled and fall into mop-like strands. In other words, the Komondor generally looks rather unkempt, an appearance that added to his mystique as a protector of flocks from predators and thieves. "In 1997, only 123 Komondor dogs and 40 litters were registered with AKC, putting the breed well into the realm of rare. In the US, most Komondors are show dogs and a few are livestock guardians, for this up-to-30 inch, 125-pound dog makes a difficult-to-handle pet. Powerful, dominant, and independent, he can become aggressive if not properly socialized and handled. Kuvasz"Posted by: Richard Larratt | Mar 17, 2007 7:27:10 AM The comments to this entry are closed. |