I’d never heard of this part of Greece either until friends went last year. The few tourists go to walk the gorge and the medieval trade paths. My fear when I started running was of the hills but this was quickly overtaken by the dogs. Walkers are advised to take a stick and ‘tap’ any dogs that come too close, this isn’t really practical when you are running. Having been diverted from my chosen route on the first day I sought local advice, throwing stones at them was said to be effective. Second day I carried a few stones but did not use them frightened, faced with a dozen snarling dogs, that throwing stones would turn snarls into attack. In the end I did find a solution based upon discretion in choice of route and bending down and picking up a stone as they approached, they backed-off, presumably based on past experience.
The dogs are to look after packs of sheep and goats. But whereas over here the main role is to herd them, in Zagoria it is protect them from the bears and wolves (I saw neither). Some assist the shepherd and are under a degree of control but often there are herds supervised solely by a pack of semi-wild dogs.
Ian Ashcroft