Georgia ! South Caucasus mountains . A fabulous landscape . Where shepherds
stay with their cattle , for most of their life . In this
expedition we will show you . The life of the shepherd in Georgia 🇬🇪 . How is
their daily routine and the aboriginal dog that guard the cattle (herd) from predator attacks.
This is a study expedition for aboriginal shepherd dog in Georgia and lifestyle of Georgian shepherd.
it is spring 6 am in the morning .
Up in the mountains the shepherd are in the sheepfold and milking the sheep.
This is how they start the day .
Mountains are green with the grass.
We are in Tusheti. Tushet is the region , traditional for sheep herders .
Sheep and cattle breeding is the leading branch of the economy in highland of tushetti. The local
shepherds spend the summer months in highland areas of Tusheti, but live in the lowland
village of Zemo Alvani and Kvemo Alvani in winter time . Horses play the transportation part in the
livestock . A female dog has given birth few days ago . She is feeding her puppy with the breast milk .
it is an aboriginal shepherd dog from Georgia and seven newborn puppies .
The new generation of guardian of livestock is coming . She is not feeling comfortable
and she is walking away . Puppies are at least one week old no more .
A friendly calf is approaching to us , it is one month old and very curious .
shepherd has built this camp livestock ,
which they use in the spring and summer season . They have everything they need here .
Everything is improvised all necessary items are brought with transport animals ( horses) here.
This room is used as a dairy .
In this small room they turn milk into the cheese , which is very famous (Guda Cheese )
The milks go through several processes before it mature and turn into the famous Guda cheese .
A black female with two puppies is outside the camp ,
puppies are playing together and enjoy the light of the sun .
Local people call those dogs "Nagasi" or better know aboriginal shepherd dog of Georgia .
They are like a treasure . They serve in those land for thousands of years , they protect the livestocks
for a long period of time . They are nomadic shepherd.
"Qurtuli Nagasi " in georgia it means volkodav
in russia , in english translate as a wolf crusher .
A group of shepherd are transporting wood to the camp . Wood is very important
in the livestock , especially when they are up in the mountain they use
wood to reconstruct the camp , they use wood for the fire to warm , to cook .
Everything is green in this season
and this is very productive season
for the livestock . The meadow are green with grass . There are plenty of food for the cattle here .
Next morning a dog park is outside the camp , they are livestock guardian dog , all young and
very friendly . They are aboriginal working dog of Georgia, characteristic of them is athletic body
which make them very agile and important for livestock. They are strong link of
livestock and considered by georgian as a treasure with full meaning of the world .
Those working dog has escort livestock in these mountains for thousands of years .
They are original dog of Caucasus . The authentic stereotype of caucasian shepherd dog.
Their main task is chase away wolves and bear from the sheep. Georgian shepherd
also uses as guardian dog to protect property.
Georgian shepherd tend to be assertive , brave and alert .
Polymorphism is characteristic in those dog , because there are aboriginal .
Ears usually are traditionally cropped.
They have sharp looking eyes and triangular's head shape like the wolf , but with the short muzzle .
These are the short hair tape of aboriginal.
People call it differently
as a lion type and , this is considered as the oldest type of aboriginal shepherd dog in Georgia .
We are going to the tents , which are built of wood and covered with plastic
to isolate from the rain .
There are kitchen dishes that shepherd need .
The tent looks more like improvising a warehouse for storing different foods.
Fire is always inside the tent where the shepherds stay inside . They cook here , this is how it looks like a cuisine
in the mountain conditioning . it is original nomadic cousin.
Outside there are other tents with foods and items store from the rain and sun .
A black female with two puppy will stay outside the tent and will not leave .p
Other dogs are waiting for the sheep to go to pastor .
The shepherds are in the sheepfold they are milking the sheep .
This process will continue two times per day , in the morning and in the afternoon .
After fermentation of the milk , the shepherd adding the rennet ,
which caused a reaction that turns milk into the curds .
Next draining the whey .
The whey is draining leaving only a mat of cheese curds.
The shepherd squeezes the curds to extract the excess water .
This is famous 'Tushuri Guda cheese' , which take the name from the sheepskin sack , in which the
raw milk cheese , is traditionally ripened . The skin is turned inside out so the wool is in direct
contact with the ripping cheese . Archaeological evidence suggests that the sheep cheese made
in a similar way , existed in present-day Georgia as long as six thousand years ago
and the particular native breed of Tusheti sheep
on which elias , for its unique and richness , flower and aroma has been continuously raised and grazed
on the lush mountain grass here for almost 1 000 years . The Guda cheese are aged for minimum
of 60 days . The milk came from the native breed of Tusheti , sheep call it for the ethnic group
(Tush) who have long raised animal in this area . milk yields it for the breed is relatively low , with
only about one glass of milk each day . This is the reason why this cheese is rare.
This was the last day of the expedition in Tusheti , we must leave.
Was a great place and the great people.
The shepherd gave us 2 Guda cheese as a sign of respect , we have to get down on foot to the car .
We have a long way to get back home after a wonderful expedition .
Tusheti is in border with a system of high mountains of the great
Caucasus, which greatly influences the microclimate of Tusheti depression .
It is being manifest by an averagly warm alping climate and precipitation . It is the very
climate that determines diversity wealthy and fertility of the territory's flora and herbage .
Thanks for watching my video. Don't forget to subscribe , like and share !