Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

Baymule

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Sentry and Sheba quit eating. It was because of the extreme cold weather we had-not because of the cold, but because it took me so long to care for the animals, that I didn't take time for them. They were sad. So I brought Sheba to the house for BJ to feed and make over while I sat with Sentry and praised him profusely. They went back to eating. I sit with them just like you sit with Mel and Maisy.
 

Mike CHS

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They work so hard doing their job that they deserve all they can get. A couple of weeks ago, I left the dogs brush laying on the floor beside where I sit and Maisy picked it up and brought it to me. She gets brushed twice a day every day to keep her clear of mats. She doesn't like it but she likes the attention in spite of that. :) I started leaving that brush in the same spot so now she brings the brush every time and she is tail waging the whole time. Mel will stand there as long as I want as long as it isn't over ten minutes.
 

Baymule

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Paris is an escape artist too. All my gates sit on the ground because she can squeeze under them like a weasel. Beats anything I've ever seen. Dragging gates gets old. LOL We had to raise the front gate with 2' of chicken wire because Trip jumped it and took off. Great Pyrenees are real good at that. Great Pyrenees own what is under their feet and as far as they can see. They will do anything they can to get as far as they can see. Lots of GP's get lost this way. They get out and just keep going. Trip comes back, but we are phobic over our dogs getting out and do all we can to keep them IN!
 

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That's the main reason I moved away from GP and GP mixes....just couldn't do the whole recovering the dog at 3 am in the pouring rain after worrying all night any longer. I'm finding that Anatolians aren't quite as prone to wandering off the land. Sure hope they stay that way!
 

Baymule

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Trip and Paris never bonded with the sheep. Paris was maybe 4 or 5 years old and Trip was over a year old when we got sheep. All they wanted to do was play with or just flat out attack the sheep. They had never even seen a sheep. We had quite a learning curve to overcome. They have both made good guard dogs, but in more of a general farm type. Both are trustworthy with the sheep. but just not in love with them.

Sheba and Sentry both came from goat/sheep guarding parents and we got them as puppies. They both live for the sheep. I can open the gate to the yard, they will roam all over the yard, come to the house, come in, hang out, maybe take a nap. But ultimately, they WANT to go back to work. I've seen the other dogs running around playing, and Sheba laying by the sheep gate, even in the rain. Sheba ADORES the lambs, a little too much to be in with them when they are lambing. Sentry is awesome beyond words with lambing ewes and it's his duty to be in the barn with them at night. Sheba just turned a year old and is coming along to make a fantastic guard dog.

Starting puppies is a MUCH better way to start LGDs, but I have a history of jumping in the deep end, then figuring out how to swim. It keeps life interesting. LOL LOL Poor BJ never knows which way I'll jump.
 

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We have a few $ tied up in hot wire to keep critters IN. :) I'm not sure what Maisy might do now since she doesn't show any inclination to go wandering when I let her out. She did the wandering thing when she first got here with us and she didn't have the bond that she does now.
Just did that too, Mike.....$700 in fencing to contain two dogs worth $450. :D =D It will be another $150 for each additional collar we buy, so it will likely get quickly up to $1K as our flock and pack grows. Didn't have to get a collar for Pinky Pie yet as she just will not leave her sheep, so as long as Blue has a collar, we should be good unless/until she grows away from her sheep bond.

Blue doesn't really have a true bond with the sheep, as he wasn't started out as a little pup with them, but Pinky Pie is more loyal to her sheep than she is to Blue, even. If we have any pups here, they will all be born in the pasture with the sheep and be raised right alongside them for bonding purposes...sure does help a dog to stay in fences if the fences keep the sheep in and the dog doesn't want to leave the sheep.
 

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Mike, you were right....prices make it WELL worth it to be selling at this time of year. Got $924 after the auction took their cut, on 3 wethers and a ram lamb. To my eye, none of them looked sleek and fat, just well muscled...except one bony looking wether that has never done well~he brought $2 on the hoof than the others because he weighed less!

Definitely be breeding for a fall/winter lambing if we can.
 

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