Okay. I am offically joining the world of bloggers. In looking for books about France I was excited to see one tying one of my favorite things-dogs with conservation of wildlife. I read the book Bear Country: Predation, Politics and the Changing Face of Pyreneon Pastoralism. Here is a link to it if you are interested.http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Country-Predation-Politics-Pastoralism/dp/1594605629/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303792649&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Bears were hunted out of France, but they are an important predator which helps promote a balanced food chain. The bears were re-introduced and efforts are being made to help them succeed. Dogs are used to protect the sheep from predators especially in the higher mountain regions. The milk from the sheep is of course important in cheese production and a good portion of the book discusses the process and lifestyle of these hardy French people.