MEET the 50kg dog devoted to protecting Christmas turkeys.

Bear, a Maremma sheepdog, spends day and night from April to December looking out for a flock of the festive birds.

Farmer George Ford, 34, prides himself on letting his turkeys live outside year-round, which he calls "beyond free range".

But the set-up requires protection from predators, which is provided by 'guard dog' Bear.

George, who runs Nempnett Pasture, in Blagdon, said: "Bear was in with the birds basically as soon as we got him as a puppy.

“We didn’t even really have to train him - it's kind of innate. He just built that bond with them straight away and stays outside with them the whole year round.

“The only problem we had was occasionally right at the start he’d run around with one in his mouth.

"But he would never kill one."

The turkeys, which have now been slaughtered, sell for up to £140.

George, a sixth-generation farmer, said: “We sell out every year. We reared 640 this year and only have 100 left, and we are expanding our numbers each year.

"Our previous ‘free-range’ model required the turkeys to be shut away safely in a barn at night and their range soon became overgrazed and turned to mud.

"We now think keeping them out and moving regularly to fresh pasture is a much better way of doing it."

Bear was recently joined by Holly, another Maremma, and they now split their duties.

The pair live with George's flock of chickens from April to August, and are then split up when the turkeys arrive in summer.

He added: “I didn’t like it at the start when Bear was on his own, so it was really good for him to have Holly for company.”

Bear has become popular on TikTok because he looks cute, but George says his innocent appearance can be misleading.

He said: “They are so loyal to us and love my family, but if anyone else walked down there Bear would be a completely different dog.

"He’d be up barking and baring his teeth. It’s quite scary. If he doesn’t know you, good luck to you.”