Homeland Security

When locals find out we have sheep, one of the very first questions they generally ask is "How many have you lost to coyotes?". So far, our answer has been "not a one". As a matter of fact, so far we've had more trouble with stray dogs than wild things. 

However, we're not blind to the fact that we are surrounded by wild things and there's a really good chance that eventually they'll try out the Meanook Valley buffet we've laid out for them. 

A number of our friends have gotten livestock guardian dogs for their sheep and that seems to be the end of their coyote problems. 

Given that Bruce has no desire to chase sheep, I asked him if he'd like to earn his keep around here by guarding the sheep instead. 

 

While Bruce was happy to take one for the team, he pointed out that his real job is to act as court jester, eat cheezies with Travis, and drag hair and sticks into the house. 

Today I took a more traditional route and went out and bought us a Maremma - a real livestock guardian dog. 

 The sheep feel safer already.

Pretty ferocious looking...

 and already taking his job seriously. 

Of course he needed a name that would match up to the seriousness of his job, so we thought long and hard about naming him after a dog he could really look up to. Of course we wound up naming him after the most famous guardian dog of all.

Who's that you ask? 

Why Sam Sheepdog of course!

Check out my new South African import ram

As some of you know (those that read North Wapiti), my neighbour Karen went over to South Africa last month. She was kind enough to bring back a new ram for me. Dorpers are a South African breed of hair sheep and they make a nice cross with Katahdins - the breed we already have at our place.  How thoughtful of her, given how much of a hassle it must have been getting him through customs. 

Here he is.

Isn't he a beauty?

Especially those blue eyes. 

We still haven't introduced him to Gordon. I'll let you know how they get on when we do.

We're renovating and we need your help.

This?

or this?

 

Happiness is

NOT having to share the bed with Bruce

Long weekend buffets...and a sure sign of things to come.

Seen on our walk today:

 The leavings from Mr. Squirrel's breakfast buffet at the famous "Top of Fred's Trail" restaurant. 

Gone and left for other squirrel Labour Day Monday activities, or gone back for more rose hips?

Hmm...pretty in a "six or eight months of white stuff" kind of way. I'm psychic and I predict winter.

Oh, and a rare shot of Ben, AKA "Ears" standing still on the trail.

Fast Friends

I know the suspense is killing you

You haven't been able to eat, sleep, or work while waiting for me to blog about the new addition here. You've been hitting refresh every couple of minutes, hoping that I'd sneakily updated while you were pouring a fresh cup of coffee. Not quite? Close though, right? 

Here he is. 

Ben

Now that Kate's well on her way, training wise, I've been doing a bit of window shopping - looking for the next dog. I had pretty much decided that it would be another dog that I could start myself, and it was just a matter of finding the right one. 

We stopped at Randy Dye's to work dogs on the way down to the trials and gee, there was Ben.  Now I've had my eye on Ben for a while and had been hinting nicely since June that Randy should part with him. Hinting nicely wasn't working so finally I took Randy behind the barn and thumb wrestled him till he gave in. Watching a grown man cry isn't pretty, but all's fair in love and war. 

A quick check with Travis THIT (trial husband in training). "Hey, how about adding a 5 month old pup to our Holiday of Dog Trialling".  That should have been enough to cause any normal man to run screaming to the nearest electronics store for...for ANYTHING, but strangely enough he stayed put so off we went - new pup in tow. 

Here's the scoop on Ben. 

He's out of George Stambulic's Kate. Kate was last year's Alberta Stock Dog Association Open Trial Champion and she's out of Scott Glen's Pleat (2004 USBCHA Champion, plus a whole pile more) and George's Gyp who was the 2006 USBCHA Rookie of  the Year. 

 

Kate stopping a collared ewe in Maple Creek. Of course I had planned to take nice shots of her, but by now you should know what I'm like about taking pictures at trials. 

Ben is by Scott Glen's Don. Don - 2009 Canadian and USBCHA Nursery Champion and 2010 Bluegrass Classic Reserve Champion. Don is out of Eileen Steinman's Star (handled by Alasdair MacRae) - 2 time USBCHA Champion and by Eileenn Steinman's Don. 

A great shot of Don and Scott...which I stole off Scott and Jenny's website. 

And that's the scoop on Ben's pedigree. Not too shabby at all.

Prepare yourself for months of cute puppy blog entries.