The Tarentaise cow grazes at a higher elevation in France than any other breed of cattle, and one dog breed alone became historically synonymous for tending these rich reddish brown creatures – the Savoy Shepherd. This rare breed. also known as the Dog of the Duchy of Savoy, has very ancient roots, but more recently could be found on farms in the Duchy of Savoy, an independent province of Savoy until 1860. The dogs were developed to be fast, robust, and indispensable to the dairy farmers who used them to herd stock and pull milk carts.

A Tarentaise – isn’t she gorgeous?

Sadly, modernity was not been good to the breed. Between indiscriminate breeding, fewer people farming, and existing farmers ignoring their own heritage by succumbing to the popularity of imported breeds, the Savoy Sheepdog nearly vanished. In 2001, part of the mission of the Assembly of the Pays de Savoie was to recover their native dog breed. Some one hundred dogs were found and recognized as Savoy shepherds, but these first dogs were too old, had been neutered, or lived in isolated areas that made a breeding program near impossible. Fortunately, dogs of reproductive age and from different lines were eventually found which bode well for the gene pool. The Conservatory of the Shepherd of Savoy appears to be leading the way to revive this versatile, hardworking, and playful breed.

Image of a Savoy Shepherd found on Pinterest and happily credited upon receipt of information