Looking very stately in his prairie domain. This is Sox.
This young dog has a big year ahead of him. He is the up and coming young hopeful to take over for the senior dog. As a wee pup he was raised with a small group of withers and rams in a smaller paddock. There are many factors that go into deciding where a pup is raised and not every pup is raised in the same situation. Since he was an outside pup brought in, versus having a mother dog to tag along with, he wasn’t placed with flock and dog pack immediately but was stationed where I felt he could best bond to sheep.
These dogs are born with loyal, protective instincts but who/what they guard is what is taught to them by virtue of how they are set up and raised as pups.
Throughout his puppyhood he had regular visits and short stays with the main flock. Throughout this winter he had the freedom and capability to come and go from his group of sheep to the main flock. Right now he’s checking in on both groups of sheep but the majority of the time he camps out with his wethers and rams. He knows the pack of dogs and the pack know him. The wish and hope is that he’ll make the transition from the group of sheep he knows to the main flock, and that the pack lets him work there.
Meanwhile the senior dog is trucking right along, albeit at a much slower pace now. He’s in the line up in the photo below. I attempted to retire him to the yard this winter but he was miserable with that option. So I let him go back where he wanted to be and he managed the winter just fine.
While warm Spring weather hasn’t quite landed on our doorstep yet the chaos that comes with Spring certainly has. The weeks are filling up fast as I tackle farm business paperwork and preparations for shearing which is just around the corner. But busy or no, daily jaunts across the prairie land are a well established and essential habit, not to mention a constant reminder that there is so much to be grateful for.
