Bhutanese farmers often rear pigs at home for pork although their Buddhist sentiments have increasingly inhibited this practice. As pork was a popular meat used in Bhutanese festivities, pigs are kept in a pig sty near the house and slaughtered before an important annual ritual. Pork is sliced into small stripes and dried in the shade in the attic or larder. Dogs are owned as pets and also for guarding the house or herd. Pet dogs normally include small breeds such as Apso and the guard dogs are usuall large ferocious ones such as Tibetan mastiff. Pet dogs often live in the house but Bhutanese do not share the same space as the dogs.