One year

In the next week we can say that we have been here one year.  What a year!  We are feeling settled, finally, although a few things are not yet in their rightful place.  It seems many things in life take a year to get settled...


Dogs and Balance


As of late Millie no longer escapes from the field.  It seems she has gained some weight and can no longer do the Houdini-skinny-thing and fit through the page wire fence.    Her latest escape had become jumping the fence.  This was after I foiled her by fixing that section of the fence so she could not get under.  The fence is sagging.  I strung two strands above it and she fits between, the clever girl!  So, finally I decided to apply myself and I found a large branch in the woods nearby and propped up the fence so she cannot get over.

Yet, I really think that Millie has decided that, yes, she does belong with the sheep.  I do know  that some sections of the page wire fence are broken and therefore larger and she could actually get through if she wanted. In addition there are other sections of the fence she could jump over.  And down at the road at the end of the driveway, even with the snow, the dogs could wiggle out underneath it.  She just stays put.

In contrast, Miss Ruby Tuesday or Ruby Dooby is constantly escaping.  Part of this is the discovery that she can.  Often if left alone she just gets herself back into the field.  She loves to play with Beau and often will get out to play with him near the house.    And in short order she is back with her sheep.

So, last week, Ruby was out and playing with Beau.  They play chase and they also play king and queen of the snow pile.  I looked out front and they were half way down the driveway.  I called Beau and he came back.  Ruby was looking at me standing on the veranda, while she stood in her spot half way down the driveway.  Maremmas are known not to be obedient.  It has to be their idea and it wasn't Ruby's idea to return.  Then I thought I heard a car coming.

Just as Millie taught her, Ruby ran for the car.  It was not going fast, it was actually going slowly.  And Ruby was right there.  And then I heard her yelp.  I leaped back into the house and while jumping into my boots and coat saw Ruby run past the house.  When I went outside she was heading for the back gate behind the barn.  I scooted up there and saw her holding up a hind leg.  She went right to the gate, limping, but using the leg.  She ran through the gate and into the barn where she lay down looking frightened.  I gave her a quick going over and nothing seemed to be broken.  There was some broken skin on the inside of a hind leg but no bleeding.

I went back outside and Millie was at the road barking as the car was still there at the side of the road.  I ran down the driveway - as much as the ice would allow me to.  I carefully walked up to the car giving it a wide berth as I had no idea what I might find inside the car, maybe a very very angry person.  The window rolled down and inside was a sobbing and soft spoken young woman.  

"Your dog jumped in front of my car" she said.  She was so worried that she had hurt Ruby.  I calmed her down, assuring her the dog was okay - despite being a twit to jump in front of her car - and sent her on her way.

And then a truck pulled up.  "Was that your daughter?"  I asked the couple.  And they said it was.  I apologised for my stupid dog.  I said how upset their daughter was and that I tried to explain that the dogs keep getting out and they chase cars, etc.  We introduced each other.  After a few minutes the neighbours I had just met for the first time went on their way.

Ruby has been fine.  I asked my shepherdess neighbour to come by and have a look which she did.  I taped it, trying to get the skin edges together.  Then I wrapped it in a bandage with the final layer a section of old pantyhose.  Three days later Ruby had left it alone and I removed the bandage.  The skin edges were not together.  There was some infection but between my pouring hydrogen peroxide on it a few times and Ruby licking it, it got cleaned up.

The Vet will see it when she goes in for spaying.  I had thought I might breed Ruby in a few years but have changed my mind.  Ruby is bonding with the flock very well.  The sheep are having a greater problem with this than is Ruby.  There have been so many dog issues and it has been so busy that I really don't need a litter of puppies at any time soon.  And I do not want to deal with three weeks of a dog in heat, a dog I need to be actively protecting the sheep.  The scales for me tipped and I chose to have her spayed.

So, on Monday I moved Ruby's swimming pool bed - which she has been sharing with the chickens as they try to stay warm, and Lucy the ewe lamb.  I put the bed in the Small Barn in the box stall.  I caught Lucy and her buddy Clover and put them into the box stall.  Then in the evening we coaxed Ruby into the Small Barn.  This was challenging as she does not usually go there, mostly because Millie won't let her as this is where we feed Millie.

On Tuesday, Ruby went to the Vet for surgery.  She was spayed.  The vestigial dew claws on her hind legs were removed.  She was micro-chipped.  The road rash and related wounds were inspected and cleaned.  At last check early this evening she was in her swimming pool.  She is sore and not interested in food.  I'll check her again and take her a warm hot pad to comfort her sore and shaven belly.

In addition, Beau has torn a nail, right down to the quick.  It hurts just looking at it.  He has been uncomfortable all day.  I managed to get some anti-inflammatory medication for him when I picked up Ruby this afternoon, so he is now resting more comfortably.

The biggest challenge will all of these wounds is infection.  The cold is an advantage right now as the infection bugs are not very active.  At the same time though cold can make the animal rather vulnerable to infection.  It's a balance.


Abe Update

I see blue!  Abraham the new ram has marked six ewes.  That is, Abe has been equipped with a marking harness so that when he mounts a ewe to breed her he leaves a crayon mark, in this case a blue crayon mark.  The blue has certainly confirmed for me that getting Abe was a very good decision.

In addition, Abe is a nice guy.  Many if not most rams are somewhat aggressive and even more so when out with the girls.  I have been at the wrong end of a ram who has run across the pen to let me know my presence was not wanted.  It hurts!  The rule is do not turn your back on a ram.  I try to follow the rule, even for Abe. 

Following his initial hesitation when he first arrived, he lets me pet him now.  We had to catch him three times to put on and adjust the harness.  He was not easy to catch but once caught stood still and didn't fight us away.  He loves bread and I had begun to give him a half a dinner roll at bedtime.  But then he began getting pushy and nipping at my clothes.  Okay, he was tearing at the pockets of my winter coat and running over to me when I arrived at the barn.  So as not to encourage this cute behaviour to develop into unwanted aggressive behaviour the treat routine stopped.

This evening I had to bribe Henrietta to come in to the barn.  She was laying down under the overhang.  She did this one night last week too.  I got a small amount of grain and she leaped up and followed me into the barn.  I set it down on top of a partition when I closed the door.  Henrietta reached for it and then knocked it down.  There was a rush and Abe was leading it. 

The fallen grain was gone very quickly.  Henrietta and I were surrounded by pushing sheep.  Slowly they dissipated.  As I held Humphrey kitty - which I can do rather comfortably in my winter clothes as they protect me from contacting the hair to which I am allergic - Abe began nibbling then tearing at my clothes.  I also noticed at one point he maneauvred himself around several sheep to check out my opposite hand, in case I was holding back some grain. 

He has settled in quite nicely.  Lambing was supposed to being around April 9th, according to when I put Birch into the flock.  As well, noting the last ewe marked by Abe, lambs will still arrive at around Jun 3rd.  It will be a long lambing season indeed.