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>Even thought the Wolf is stronger than the Sheepdog;even though the Wolf will most likely prevail in the end;

It is not, it won't

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asian_Shepherd_Dog

I have seen these guys in action.



And these...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolian_Shepherd

I know someone that has four of them. Conversations in the room with the dogs present tend to be very friendly ;)


As the saying goes, there is an exception to every rule.

I was thinking more along these lines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komondor


You think that dog can't handle a wolf? That it can't do one of the things it was bred for?

A livestock guard dog that can't hold its own against a wolf would be a very bad guard dog.


His function isn't necessarily to defeat the wolf. If he can discourage it or delay it long enough for the shepherd to come, he has done his job.


Well, that very wikipedia says:

> An athletic dog, the Komondor is fast and powerful and will leap at a predator to drive it off or knock it down. It can be used successfully to guard sheep against wolves or bears.

I dunno. Further googling:

> Bred to drive away predators, not hunt them, the powerful Komondor will try to kill any animal that foolishly chooses to fight back.

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-breeds/dog-breed-profiles/inac...

I dunno. It seems they kill coyotes not too infrequently, but it doesn't seem like wolves usually stick around long enough to kill or be killed by a Komondor, indeed. Wolves don't generally choose to fight animals that can fight back, which I guess is the message of the original aphorism. But if the wolf stayed to fight, the Komondor would fight it to the death one way or another, and their ridiculous looking coat is apparently actually pretty good defense against predator's teeth, and they've got very powerful jaws. At any rate, it's clear the Komondor is a fearsome fighter, despite looking like a stuffed animal to us, heh. And it doesn't protect the herd merely by sounding the alarm, but by being powerful enough to defend against wolves, for sure.

Wait, what's this thread about again?


> Wolves don't generally choose to fight animals that can fight back

... but Liam Neeson!

(for those that don't get it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1601913 )




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