牧羊車 英農民將汽車改造成愛犬
When she began her career as a professional sheep dog Floss was impressive - the sheep responded well to her, she was faster than your average and she certainly looked good.
自從弗洛斯當上牧羊狗之後，就相當引人注目，她速度快、顏值佳，羊羣們也很聽她的話。
But farmer Dave Issac has reluctantly decided to sell Floss as she is now too big to get through his farmyard gates - because she is a Peugeot estate car.
但是最近她的主人戴夫·伊薩克不得已決定將她賣掉，因爲她太大了連戴夫家農場的門都進不了。怎麼回事呢？原來弗洛斯實際上是一輛標緻小汽車。
Mr Issac, 46, who lives on an 180-acre farm near Battle in East Sussex, converted the family car into a working sheep dog in tribute to his dog which had recently died.
今年46歲的戴夫，住在東薩塞克斯郡巴特爾附近的一個180英畝的大農場裏，他把家裏的車改裝成了一條大狗，以紀念他剛剛去世的狗狗弗洛斯。
He spent £2,000 covering the family car in fur and modifying it until it became an exact replica of Floss, his favourite sheep dog.
他花了2000英鎊在汽車外面加裝皮毛和裝飾，把這輛車變成了他最愛的狗狗弗洛斯的樣子。
Floss the sheep dog car, who has a top speed of 40mph, soon proved to be a surprisingly effective herder as the flock of sheep failed to notice they were being rounded up by a much larger animal with headlamps for eyes and an exhaust.
這輛大狗車，最高時速可達40英里，而且事實證明是條非常有效的牧羊狗，因爲羊羣們分辨不出是一條比普通動物大的多的狗狗在驅趕它們。
Mr Issac said: 'I know it was a bit of a mad thing to do but it was a tribute to my old sheep dog Floss who passed away.
戴夫說：“我知道這樣做看起來很瘋狂，但這確實是對我死去的狗狗弗洛斯一個很好的紀念。”
'I have three kids and we loved her and as a family we all missed her terribly.
“我有三個孩子，我們都很愛弗洛斯，把她當做家人，我們都十分想念她。”
'So I got together with a friend and we built Floss the sheep dog car in my barn, copying as closely as I could every last detail of my old dog.
“所以我和一個朋友一起在我的穀倉裏完成了這輛大狗車，儘可能地還原了弗洛斯的樣子。”
'Sheep aren't known for their intelligence and they didn't seem to notice the difference so they were quite happy.
“羊的智商不高，似乎看不出來差異，所以它們仍然非常開心。”
But Floss the car, which is not licensed to drive on public roads, is now too big to navigate along the narrow farm tracks and through the gates to Mr Issac's fields.
但是這輛沒有上路行駛許可證的大狗車，由於太大而無法通過農場的小路以及農場大門。
Because Floss also required a timber frame built around the Peugeot's chassis to attach the fur, the car is now taking up too much space in the barn of a busy working farm.
而且由於大狗車的外部需要一個木支架來固定皮毛，所以她巨大的體積在穀倉裏很佔地方。
Mr Issac added:'They were things we didn't really consider when we built her so with a heavy heart she is going on E-bay.
戴夫還說：“當初着手做的時候並沒有考慮到這些問題，所以現在我們懷着沉重的心情把她放在E-bay網上準備賣掉。”
'It's been a lot of fun and she handles well, is obedient and nice and docile and surprisingly aerodynamic.
“這輛車非常好玩而且操作方便，她聽話、友好、溫順，關鍵是非常符合空氣動力學原理。”
Mr Isaac hopes Floss the sheep dog car may interest festival organisers or dog charities as a fun car.
戴夫希望這輛名叫弗洛斯的大狗車能夠引起節日組織者或是狗狗慈善協會等人的興趣，把它作爲一輛趣味汽車。
'As long as she goes to a good home I'll be happy,' he said.
“只要她能有好的去處，我就會非常開心的。”
Floss shares more than a few characteristics with the iconic Mutts Cutts van immortalised in the cult film Dumb and Dumber.
電影《阿呆和阿瓜》中的狗狗車跟戴夫這輛大狗車造型很像。
