The Fat Ewe Farm and Bed and Breakfast
The Fat Ewe Farm and Moose Hills Inn
Organic Permaculture Farmin' for
the Lazy Ewes
  • The Fat Ewe Farm
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • The Fat Ewe Farm Store
  • Livestock Breeds (click here to see all the breeds)
    • Angora goats
    • Icelandic Sheep
    • Jacob sheep
    • Old English Southdown Babydoll Sheep >
      • Babydoll Sheep on the Fat Ewe Farm
  • Contact Us
    • Photo Gallery (click here for some awesome photos or watch the slideshow) >
      • Video Slide Show
    • Phone Number
    • Map
  • Sale Barn
  • Recipes From the Fat Ewe
    • Old Stuff
  • How Much Meat Do You Get?
  • Ukrainian Easter Eggs
  • Moose Hills Inn

A Tribute to Harley, but He Came Home! Missing for 2 days After a very disturbing, quiet night, I thought he was a goner. But, NOT!

6/23/2019

1 Comment

 
 My first livestock guardian came to me in a bit of an odd way. I answered an ad on Kijiji for an older male livestock guardian dog hamed Harley, a purebred Maremma, whose sheep had sold and he was no longer needed. The owner said if he can't get rid of him, he would just as soon shoot him because he was not feeding him for nothing. So I rescued Harley. 
I had read a lot about livestock guardian dogs and was wary of this big white dog. He jumped into the back of my canopy and I closed him in. The owner got his 100 dollars and I got one of the best investments I have ever made. 
My other dogs were not guardians or even real guard dogs, but they were beautiful long haired rough collies. Unfortunately both met their demise on the highway and Petey, a Maremma cross something, was likely shot by the neighbour who had unspayed females. I kept Harley tied up at first on the recommendation of the previous owner, at least until he knew where his new home was. Then I let him go. 
Harley was a loving, kind, friendly dog. He knew how to shake a paw and loved to lounge on the porch and sleep all day, but when night brought the prowlers, he went to work. He fought off predators alone and was often bleeding and bitten and I knew he had to get help fast. Charka was already here, another livestock guardian, but he was just a pup and Harley had to teach him the ropes, which he did. The two dogs were best friends for life then. Today Charka is sad and quiet and wants to be by my side. We are comforting each other. 
Harley had a way of coming up between one's legs like an instant ride on pony. He liked the surprise of it all and would wag his tail, all proud of himself when he was in that position. He was a leaner too, preferring to let me know he was there by leaning on me, just in case I might forget. I loved that dog! 
Harley taught the other dogs how to fight too and soon Mikey became the boss dog as Harley fell back into second and then last place as he aged. He did not mind so much. Let the young ones handle it was likely what he was thinking. After all, they had been taught by the best! 
But Harley was quiet these last few weeks. I felt as though he was letting go. He did not come for pets, or lean on me just to let me know he was there. He was tired and wanted to come in the porch where no one would bother him and he would not hear the call of the wild and be prompted to work. He was dying. 
I cannot put into words my love for Harley. His end is the beginning of the end of a chapter of my life too. I am selling the farm and moving on, but my dogs have been my greatest heart tug. How could I abandon them after they have risked their lives for me? The truth is, I cannot. But Harley, well, he had his time. His life here was exceptional. My love for him was too. 
I laid with him, stroking his big head, his eyes closed and his body motionless. I told him how much he meant to me, how much I loved him, how grateful I was for his presence in my life and I grieved to know he will not be with me anymore. I knew it was him time. 
But he was not gone in the morning and wanted to go outside. I have not seen him since that moment, watching him go about his business and then he was here no more. Did he go into the bush to die? It has been 2 days since he last graced my presence. My heart does not feel him here anymore and with many tears streaming down my face, I know my life was so much better with him in it. I miss him so much. 
I loved you Harley. If dogs go to Heaven, I am sure you are there welcomed with open arms and I know we will meet again. Til then, my old friend....
1 Comment

    Categories

    All
    Airstream Land Yacht 1964
    Alpacas
    Alpine Goats
    Ameraucana Chickens
    American Buff Geese
    Ancona Ducks
    Angora Goats
    Angora Goats
    Angora Rabbits.
    Babydoll Southdown Sheep
    Babydoll Southdown Sheep
    Bed And Breakfast
    Berkshire Pigs
    Blue Faced Leicester Sheep
    Blue Swedish Ducks
    Boer Goats
    Border Collie
    Border Collie
    Bronze Turkey Standard
    Bronze Turkey (Standard)
    Canadian Horses
    Canadian Horses
    Cats
    Chickens
    Cotswold Sheep
    Crafts And Hobbies
    Cream Legbar Chickens
    Dorset Sheep
    Ducks
    Embden Geese
    E'st A Laine Merino Sheep
    Farm Life
    Farm Life
    Farm Store
    Finnsheep
    Flemish Giant Rabbit
    Flowers
    French Lop Rabbit
    Galloway Cattles
    Gardening
    Gotland Sheep
    Guinea Fowl
    Herbs
    Holstein Steer
    Icelandic Sheep
    Jacob Sheep
    Japanese Bantam Chickens
    Jersey Cow
    Kahaki Campbell Ducks
    Karakul Sheep
    Kiko Goats
    Kilo Highland Cows
    Light Sussex Chicken
    Livestock Guardian Dogs
    Livestock Guardian Dogs
    Maremma Sheepdogs
    Maremma Sheepdogs
    Meishan Pigs
    Miniature Nigerian Dwarf Goats
    Moose Hills Inn
    Muscovy Ducks
    Norwegian Red Dairy Cow
    Nubian Goats
    Nygora Goat
    Ossabaw Hogs
    Partidge Chantecler Chickens
    Pekin Ducks
    Permaculture
    Pied Guinea Fowl
    Polish/Ameraucana Bantam Cross Chickens
    Polled Dorset Sheep
    Potbelly Pigs
    Pygmy Goats
    Recipes
    Rigit Galloway Cows.
    Romanov Sheep
    Romney Sheep
    Rouen Ducks
    Saddleback Pomeranican Geese
    Saxony Ducks
    Sebastopol Geese
    Sheep And Goats
    Shetland Sheep
    Silver Spangled Hamburg Chicken
    Soap And Hand Made Cosmetics
    Standard Jack Donkey
    Sustainability
    Swiss Blackneck Goats
    The Llamas
    The Llamas
    Toulouse Geese
    Tunis Sheep
    White Chantecler Chickens
    White Danish Geese
    Wool

    Author

    Fluffy writes daily about the experiences on the farm and with the bed and breakfast patrons. 

    Archives

    October 2020
    September 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    view old blog site

    RSS Feed

Contact Us
Home

The Fat Ewe Farm 

All text and photos are the sole property of The Fat Ewe Farm  and may not be used without written permission.