by Paul White
On a drive over the mountains to Pitesti we came across a dog seller near Campulung. Winter is often a hard time for many shepherds as their working starts in spring and ends in autumn. So to see them through the long winter months all manner of selling goes on to eek out a living. This shepherd was selling Carpathian shepherd dog puppies from the bonnet of his car to passing motorists.
They were certainly generating a lot of interest being so cute and cuddly. But I wonder how many of them knew what kind of dogs these were? That they engage with wolves and bears in the meadows and often way more than 50kg. I was hoping that nobody living in a city apartment was going to buy one.
Unfortunately, once people realise how big they become, how much food they need, not to mention their daily exercise requirements and how defensive they become protecting their gardens and owners, MANY of these magnificent dogs quickly find themselves abandoned in dog shelters all over Romania.
On this particular day there was only one seller, but on warmer days there are usually several. I can understand why the shepherds do this, as an extra source income, but I often wonder how many would regret if they saw their dogs abandoned in these shelters often in terrible conditions.
On the same stretch of road we also came across shepherds that had just slaughtered a pig. They were in the final stages of dismembering the body and the entrails were thrown to a sheep dog.
Even though there was snow everywhere it felt pleasantly warm with the sun reflecting on the snow. Some great views from this high point and only a few miles from Bran castle.
On a drive over the mountains to Pitesti we came across a dog seller near Campulung. Winter is often a hard time for many shepherds as their working starts in spring and ends in autumn. So to see them through the long winter months all manner of selling goes on to eek out a living. This shepherd was selling Carpathian shepherd dog puppies from the bonnet of his car to passing motorists.
They were certainly generating a lot of interest being so cute and cuddly. But I wonder how many of them knew what kind of dogs these were? That they engage with wolves and bears in the meadows and often way more than 50kg. I was hoping that nobody living in a city apartment was going to buy one.
Unfortunately, once people realise how big they become, how much food they need, not to mention their daily exercise requirements and how defensive they become protecting their gardens and owners, MANY of these magnificent dogs quickly find themselves abandoned in dog shelters all over Romania.
On this particular day there was only one seller, but on warmer days there are usually several. I can understand why the shepherds do this, as an extra source income, but I often wonder how many would regret if they saw their dogs abandoned in these shelters often in terrible conditions.
On the same stretch of road we also came across shepherds that had just slaughtered a pig. They were in the final stages of dismembering the body and the entrails were thrown to a sheep dog.
Even though there was snow everywhere it felt pleasantly warm with the sun reflecting on the snow. Some great views from this high point and only a few miles from Bran castle.
