>The advent of trained dogs to herd sheep in europe is a very recent
>development.
Though that MAY be the case in western europe (and I don't really think so), I know for a near certainty that at least the Magyars relied extensively on dogs as flockguards/herders well over a thousand years ago. (I own a Komondor... you just can't breed that kind of wierdness into a dog in only a couple hundred years) If Pam's cable modem is working yet, I suspect that she might be able to provide even more evidence, and Jamuz might also be able to back me up, as he has at least a passing knowlege of hungarian history ;-)
Aside from that, I agree with the rest of his post... I don't think that most (orlanthi most = ~45%?) heortling orlanthi will use dogs in any capacity. The rest are considered immoral to do so, but reconcile themselves by not having to live with their sheep. Whereas the poor clans that attempt to get their cats to herd, find themselves quickly destitute... It's kind of like hiring a bunch of Uroxi to "guard" your Beer.
danm
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