(P)updates from the Farm!

I've heard people say going from 1 to 2 kids is an adjustment, but going from 2 to 3 is a whole other level. While I don't have children, I felt like going from 2 to 3 dogs was a little like that!

Ruthie joined the Farm Connection family in mid January. Note to self: if you ever decide you can handle a new puppy in future years, don't get one in January when it's like zero degrees out. That definitely makes things harder, haha!

She's a short-haired border collie, my first of that variety (and which should make the dreaded cockleburs less difficult to remove from her fur!).

Not surprisingly, Silas isn't too crazy about her and her wild puppy ways. I think she has learned to not mess with him too much! I did catch them in close peaceful proximity the other day though. He may come around a bit more when she begins to prove herself useful with the cows...we'll see. He is definitely ready for the end of winter so he can get back to work...Silas literally lives to work cows.

Paul, on the other hand, did surprise me when we brought Ruthie home. I figured he'd be excited about a new playmate. Maybe it was the fact that during the crate training phase she was very vocal in an ear-piercing kind of way. None of us were very happy about that! He didn't want much to do with her for a while. He has come around though, and frequently the two of them will play and rough-house together. He's a good sport, because she's a little spitfire and loves to grab him by the hair or the leg and pull and bite. When he's had enough he just goes beyond the reach of her cable so he can get some peace :D

We tell Paul it's his turn to be the babysitter. Silas had to babysit him sometimes as a pup, so now he's paying his dues. Paul doesn't like to expend any more energy than he's in the mood to give. The other day we were in the milk house/egg washing room for a bit, and I had to laugh when I saw him and Ruthie. He had a ball in his mouth, and she was trying to pull it away from him. The funny thing is he was just laying flat on the floor with his teeth clamped down on the ball, not budging as she was yanking away at it!

If there's an easy way to do something, Pauly will figure it out! But he likes to play too, and this video of the two of them playing tug of war with a frisbee makes me smile :) .

Even when you get a pup from bloodlines of good working dogs there are no guarantees you'll end up with a great herding dog. There hasn't been much opportunity weather-wise for a young pup to start engaging with the cows (we need to start with smaller cows anyway...calving season is just a few weeks away!), but the other day we were running water for the almost-1-year-olds and I had Ruthie off her leash. She was very much interested in these calves, and before I knew it, she was keeping the stock off the water tank! Silas was at the ready, seemingly prepared to jump in if anything got out of hand. If these few moments of pure instinct at a little over 3 months old (with no training, no commands or interference or even encouragement from me) are any indication, I'd say Ruthie has some great potential!

Today when we were with these same calves in a different pasture, Ruthie didn't seem to be as focused on them, even though I let Silas work them a little bit. Every day is different and it takes time for a young dog to grow into their potential (and that's provided I don't mess her up too much!). But it's just really cool to get those glimpses into something that was woven into the fabric of their being from the day they were conceived.

When you think about it, all of us have an imprint. We were created to do good works. Some may have one set of skills, like Silas and Ruthie (although I'd be willing to bank on the fact they'll each have their own uniqueness in how they do what they were born to do). And then there's Pauly, with a fairly different set of skills. He may never be a great herding dog, but boy can he pour on the affection and welcome you to the farm!

If you haven't recently, take some time to consider what is printed into the fabric of your being. What do you have inside of you that can bring life...light...peace...to a hurting and broken world? Now, how can you put that into action?