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| The goatherd’s dog translation by Federico
The goatherd is a particular kind of shepherd. Goats live on natural resources and fodder, that grows spontaneously according to seasons. They usually graze in fields that are inaccessible to sheep and cattle, with bushy vegetation that cannot be tilled. In ancient times goatherds delivered milk at home; they announced themselves with a typical whistle (hence, the famous “goatherd’s whistle”) or by the twinkling of the goat’s little bells. Mothers waited for them on their doors to buy their children milk that was directly milked from the goats. Contrary to the shepherd, who generally owned his land and need many Mastinos (as the Mastino Abruzzese) to guard his herd, the goatherd in most cases lived not very far from the urban area, did not own land and had few goats, and needed just a couple of Corsos. As they lived daily very close to each other, a special relationship between master and dog came about, made of gestures and instinct. Often the goatherds succeeded in teeming also the most aggressive dogs just by their voice. Furthermore they frequently shepherded other people’s herds to supplement their income. In fact, artisans and workmen committed their she-goats to the goatherd; he led the animals, together with his, to graze and made the she-goats couple with the males. All was produced by the she-goats (milk, cheese, kids, skin and so on) was divided between the goatherd and the owner. The goat herder, with its rod and a hatched in his hands, went everywhere to graze his and other people’s herds: woods, steeps, oak woods, marshlands, places where grazing was forbidden, wild fields and ravines. He often trespassed the boundaries of bonded areas and he lived always in conflict with the laws. The Corsos owned by the goatherd were hard, distrustful, aggressive and terrible when attacking an animal or a person. They often lived in couples and when assaulting a creature they were pitiless: one dog blocked the animal biting its neck while the other attacked it on its side and they finally tore it up in two pieces. It often happened that while grazing, the goats were threatened by wild animals such as wolves, lynxes, foxes and wild dogs and goat herder, unable to climb up the steep paths were the goats were, set his dogs against the animals. They soon gathered the goats and swiftly assaulted the predator, hitting its breast and soon after biting its neck and testicles. Time and again, a goatherd was accused for cattle stealing and, also in this occasion, the Cane Corso was useful for his personal defence. Most of time, the goatherds became as peevish and violent as their dogs (as it happened to shepherds in general, due to the retired and isolated life they run). The training of their dogs reflected their character; they preferred violent and aggressive dogs, ready to defend them in any occasion. They had their own methods: the dogs were famished and kept tethered in dark holes, to have them merciless and dangerous for everyone around but the master. The goatherds used to make their Corsos fight habitually, and the struggle was to the death.
[In “History and tradition” section, we underlined our full condemnation (which we here renew) for these customs: we will never stop to repeat it]
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