Dog wise, I have some catching up to do here on the blog. Do you recall the post on what we really love about mother nature? Those two pups arrived here in early Spring.
This is who they are today.
Purchasing two pups at one time was a spontaneous choice at time of selecting. They are half brothers, one week apart in age. Early on I figured I’d have to sell one however they have become quite the pair so I’m game to continue on with them.
They are well bonded to sheep so we’ve got that going well. They are also socially glued to each other and hence operate as their own pack of two.
I raised them in the same smaller paddock area I raised all my pups of the past. So far these two are still convinced this is where they must reside and transitioning them to the main flock out on bigger pasture has been a no-go so far. They visit the main flock often, they know all the other adult dogs, they just don’t stay put with the main flock. I’m hopeful that with the arrival of winter when the ewes begin staying in one place, versus traveling to graze, that will change.
The fawn fellow is a bit of twit. He’s the character that stands out in a crowd. He’s a pushy fellow and needs to be reminded of boundaries regularly. He’s a brave son of gun. He’ll try without thinking. He’s got a good grasp of the job and he likes to be with sheep.
The black fellow has all the guardian dog goods as far as I’m concerned. He’s very level headed, he’s a firm character but not rude, he’s alert and he’s keen and he keeps his cool. He wants to be with sheep, and at six months old he displayed a solid grasp of the job. I’m smitten with him – however the ewes are not.
This is the flocks first experience seeing a black guardian dog – the other black dogs they see are the Kelpies, who exist to tell sheep to move. So the ewes still act deeply suspicious when the black pup appears on pasture but they no longer flee the scene. He’s good with the sheep and seeing moments like the one in the photo below has me feeling very hopeful that over the course of winter with everybody hunkering down close to feed they’ll adjust well and learn this boy is just another flock mate.
