As winter deepens the families head for their winter accommodation and pack away their felt tents (gers) until next spring. These single story houses are also often single roomed and the whole family live together.

As well as the family the smaller hoofed stock of goats and sheep are given shelter from the winter weather in their rock walled folds. They are taken out on the hill in the morning, and one of the boys will stay with them all day to protect the flock from marauding wolves. He will bring them back home in the late afternoon for shelter and again to protect them from wolves and snow leopards.

The family also keeps a few large dogs that look more menacing than wolves, they sleep out and protect the holding from any predatory intruders.