Dogs

Hello Again, It’s Been Awhile

Dogs / August 14, 2022 / 2 Comments / By

It has been awhile and every time I let this blog slip through the cracks it’s that much harder to start up again. Believing I have any ability to write words worth reading has always been the toughest for me to grasp.

I’ve been meaning to get a blog post up this summer though and the recent discouragement with social media has spurred me on. Social media apps all seem to be moving toward video content so those of us who enjoy photography, who take pride in capturing a notable still image, are left out in the cold. With a barrage of quick video taking over the apps it all feels rather chaotic out there.  But blogs are still one place where the speed of life slows down instead of ramping up.  I am reminded to stay beyond the rat race and if I can invite you to do the same for a minute, that seems worth it.

walking with dogs

Aside from this social media frustration the year so far has been a sleepy one. The flock is smaller and the day to day tasks are light. With fewer ewes there are less frequent moves to new pastures and keeping up with the water station is the largest task of any given week. Allen is away much of the time so the larger two man projects we might accomplish in the warm season are on hold.

And the guardian dogs? There are fewer of them here now with the passing of a couple of the elder dogs this past year. Lily and Hawkeye are the pair stationed with the flock and they have taken on a new mission to drive the pair of younger dogs off. One of these younger dogs is the black Kangal cross and I’ve had to concede he’s not going to measure up to being the flock dog I need anyway. He’s become rather fond of the Kelpies and I, and of being a good ole farm dog. The other outlier is Birdie, my female Maremma. Not being allowed to stay with the sheep she’s just not sure what she should be doing. Then there is the senior Anatolian Shepherd and he resides with a handful of bottle lambs and dogging sheep, content as can be but becoming more and more fragile with each passing month.

maremma livestock guardian

The stock dog crew remains the same although they are also an aging group of dogs with the youngest coming in at five years and the oldest sleeping away the days at thirteen years of age. I have not added any dogs (stock dogs or guardians) and I have little desire to do so again because the appeal for new dogs seems to have left me along with the appeal for any more sheep. Yet I sense the time for a new guardian pup is coming and I must get my head around to the idea. It is that or I sell more ewes and downsize again to a tidy fibre flock that does not require as many canines looking after it.

sheep grazing prairie

The Coexistence of Guardian Dogs and Stock Dogs

Dogs / March 30, 2022 / By
Livestock guardian dog leading sheep

Since the guardians live with the flock and offer a form of protection to the sheep the sheep develop a type of blind trust in the guardian dogs. Hence when the guardian dog travels the sheep often follow and should the guardian dog stop, all the sheep stop. In this relation there is little allowance for the shepherd (we are the outsider) and while we have influence over our guardian dogs we do not have a partnership that allows for control of their actions and movements. Because of the trust between flock and guardians often times the guardian dog can make decisions that work against us when we are trying to get the sheep somewhere in particular (the sheep trust the dog more than us). If we’re lucky the guardian dogs can take the sheep right where we need them to go. If the guardian dog causes a real hold up then I’ll remove the guardian. Often times me moving in and telling the dog that while I appreciate his work I really need him/her to bugger off right now will do it. If not, or if I foresee a bigger problem I lease the dog and bring them with or tie them up. In the past I have had guardian dogs where by it was necessary to remove them prior to working with the sheep because the dogs could not stand idly by and allow a stock dog to work.

The stock dog on the other hand acts with predatory intent which the sheep are wary of. The stock dog and the shepherd have the trusting relationship, versus the sheep and the dog. With a stock dog the sheep are steered where needed by virtue of wanting to avoid the stockdog who is hunting them. The shepherd has influence of the maneuvers of the stock dog and hence some control over where everyone is going. When it comes to taking the flock somewhere they haven’t been for awhile the stock dogs are a huge asset. Most stock dogs are so keen to work they have little notice of the guardian dogs and simply work around them.

sheep following livestock guardian dogs

Usually the shepherd is along in any movement of the flock, thereby helping to keep peace on their merit as leader. For the most part, the stock dog and the guardian dog get along by virtue of the broader relationship of the whole. The shepherd is guiding that whole and aiming for peace for all. However should this relationship break down and the guardian dog decides he/she has a problem with a stock dog, the guardian dog nearly always wins.

Typically the dogs will sort out their objections very quickly with a look or a subtle gesture in passing. You’d miss it if you didn’t know to watch for it. Also, dogs who know each other and are crossing paths frequently in work have their places and roles established so major upset is not very common. New dogs get extra supervision and a get to know you period. When a dog takes serious issue with another then the worse case scenario is a fight and the outcome of that is highly dependent on the dogs involved, however, the guardians have the advantage of size and intent (seriousness is part of their role against predators so they fight in a serious manner).

Do Guardian Dogs Become Bored?

Dogs / February 24, 2022 / By

The flock is nearer to the yard this winter. And when the weather is windy and cold they stay on the hay feed rather then stretching their legs on a walkabout. When the flock is stationery it is a much simple matter for them to be protected then when they are well dispersed during summer grazing or have wee lambs at foot. The season and what the flock is up to determines the workload for the guardian dogs. Hence, flocks reared intensively and not ever straying far from a building have little need for several guardian dogs.

I do think guardian dogs experience stretches of boredom, particularly in the winter months when the flock is moving far less than they normally would. More often than not when the kelpies and I are out and about in the yard one of both of the two younger guardian dogs will appear. On this particular morning Birdie trots through, picks a lookout ridge at the edge of the yard, and settles in for a spell. The sheep flock is a short jaunt to the right, completely out of sight from the yard, and kelpies, but within quick reach for her if need arises. And there are a couple other dogs with the flock; these two older dogs seldom leave their charges. This dog is Birdie, she’s the one who joins me for winter walks but ceases ones the weather warms and increased activity on the pasture requires her attention once more.

There isn’t much that can be done for seasonally bored guardian dogs. I used to not allow guardian dogs to walk with me and the kelpies but I realize that it probably helps them be less bored. And if the flock were at risk I trust the two youngsters wouldn’t be joining me because I have a good sense that they understand their role as guardian dogs. There is a subtle but important distinction to make between a dog who understands their role of guardian for the flock, and a dog who does not and is instead preferring to be a yard dog. The ultimate sign that whether or not whatever is going on with guardian dogs is working is if the flock is safe and unbothered.