Here in Dushanbe, there's not a lot of nature besides pigeons, rats and stray cats -- kind of like the Bronx. But outside of the city, Tajikistan explodes with wildlife! There are fantastic creatures -- like the Eurasian lynx, the snow leopard and the markhor goat -- living in Tajikistan's towering mountain ranges. But I wanted to write about an animal that's closer to my heart: Dogs. Many Tajiks work as shepherds, guiding herds of anywhere from 10 to 300 sheep and goats through the mountains to find fresh grass to eat. That work would be impossible without the help of dogs.
Tajik sheepdogs are bred for life in the high mountains. They're giant -- most of them are easily over 100 pounds, and they're powerfully built. They also have thick coats of fur that protect them from snow and cold weather. If you've ever seen a German Shepherd or a Husky, Tajik sheepdogs look similar, but they're generally way bigger.
The first time I saw a Tajik sheepdog was also the first time I was chased by a Tajik sheepdog. I've mentioned before that I like to go running a lot. One time, I was running up in the hills around Dushanbe. I ran up a trail towards a house. All of a sudden, a giant blur of white fur exploded from behind a rock and started pelting towards me, barking furiously.
