It is funny sometimes how things work out. The two pups, Mike and Joe, were supposed to live with the sheep from early on (they were only 5 weeks old when they came home, but lived with the lambs until three months, then were put in with the ewes). At first it was fairly easy to keep them in, but as they grew, they became interested in the other farm dogs and continually escaped the sheep pen. Initially, yelling at them to go home would result in the two scurrying back to the sheep, but soon they were out more than in. Then Jade took over.
The livestock guardian dogs have a sense of purpose and know where things are supposed to be. Something out of order bothers them, so Jade began to put the pups back with the sheep in their pen on her own. She took it upon herself to keep them there much of the time too. The moment they were out, she would bite them and chase them back. Occasionally, first thing in the morning, she allowed them out to play and the dog pack would frolic and romp and have fun, but when she deemed it was enough, they were sent back to the ewes. She would not let the pups eat with the pack either. They were fed in the sheep pen and as far as she was concerned, they were not entitled to eat the pack food if the pack was not able to eat theirs. So that is how it is working and thanks to Jade, the pups willingly go back to the ewes on their own, with a little encouragement from Jade. Now, I simply have to tell them to go home and they wag their tails as they make their way back. One good sign was today, when I went into the sheep pen, the pups did not leave their sheep to run to me. They acknowledged me with tail wags and then returned to their napping, showing that they are bonding more closely with the sheep than I could have enforced. Nature does have a way of making the right things happen. I am thankful for these beautiful dogs, all of them, and especially for Jade's help in putting the pups places in perspective for them. Now, they can come out of they wish, and they do, but they are choosing to remain "home" with their sheep more and more out of their own accord. Yay!
The livestock guardian dogs have a sense of purpose and know where things are supposed to be. Something out of order bothers them, so Jade began to put the pups back with the sheep in their pen on her own. She took it upon herself to keep them there much of the time too. The moment they were out, she would bite them and chase them back. Occasionally, first thing in the morning, she allowed them out to play and the dog pack would frolic and romp and have fun, but when she deemed it was enough, they were sent back to the ewes. She would not let the pups eat with the pack either. They were fed in the sheep pen and as far as she was concerned, they were not entitled to eat the pack food if the pack was not able to eat theirs. So that is how it is working and thanks to Jade, the pups willingly go back to the ewes on their own, with a little encouragement from Jade. Now, I simply have to tell them to go home and they wag their tails as they make their way back. One good sign was today, when I went into the sheep pen, the pups did not leave their sheep to run to me. They acknowledged me with tail wags and then returned to their napping, showing that they are bonding more closely with the sheep than I could have enforced. Nature does have a way of making the right things happen. I am thankful for these beautiful dogs, all of them, and especially for Jade's help in putting the pups places in perspective for them. Now, they can come out of they wish, and they do, but they are choosing to remain "home" with their sheep more and more out of their own accord. Yay!
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