The local shepherd enjoys a quiet tranquil life. He is often a typical conservative type and is not fond of modern society's luxuries. However, his stress free life indulges a sense of curiosity amongst city dwellers who mistakenly believe that a shepherd's life is no longer compatible with modern society's stereotypes.

The number of shepherds in Gozo is in decline. However, from autumn to spring, one could still encounter, from any of the sporadic cart tracks throughout Gozo's countryside, a shepherd here and there, with their dog leaping around a small herd of sheep and goats, all depicting a clear but typical contrast on the green background. The shepherd calmly waits in the shade, sitting on a stone chewing a reed, or lying lazily allowing himself to doze into a short nap. There are no wolves here in Gozo and a faithful dog is trained enough to prevent the herd from going astray.

The shepherd's reward is cheese production. The cheese making industry in Gozo is a centuries old tradition and its successful secret is attributed to good grazing grounds. A bountiful production of cheeslets made from sheep's milk fulfils the simple shepherd's aspirations. Sheep are milked manually one by one and their milk is left to set in cheese forms that used to be made from dried stalks of rushes, also manufactured in Gozo. The nowadays-practical plastic receptacles have replaced the traditional forms, but the cheese-making process has not changed for generations. Cheeslets could be consumed fresh, sun dried, or else salted or peppered. Of course, all these cheese types are very popular in Gozo, with Gozitans proudly claiming each variety's origin. Besides, most of the cheeslets produced in Gozo are well sought even in mainland Malta.