Today was the first day we’ve managed to make it out into our “badlands” pastures. These are BLM lands where we run our cattle in conjunction with some other ranchers. We rotate between three pastures, using two a year, in the spring and fall. We will start moving some cattle out in a few weeks…finally…
Category: Dogs
Newbie
Dally looks over Greet Ranch.
Coolin’ Off
Lucas lays on a deer trail still covered in snow to cool off. It was all of 45 degrees, but we’d been hiking for a while. He’s watching Boomer on the other side of the draw follow whiffs of bunny scent.
Sweetheart
“Elsa, Dear” is my endearment for this little lady. As hard-headed as she can be sometimes…othertimes she is my silent shadow, at my heels, head tilted to see any look, any sign that I give that might concern her. A hand reaching for my pocket may mean a treat for her. A whisper of ssssssss…
Favorite Model
“You ask me of my companions. The hills sir, and the sundown, and a dog as large as myself.” – Emily Dickinson
Agility
Elsa will jump just about anywhere! She’s making sure I’m still on the ground as she is high up on our haystack!
Working Dogs Video
Elsa pushes up some cows through deep snow. I’m not giving her direction beyond her first “Get ’em up!” partly because I’m breathing so hard from walking through the deep snow! She does gather them, even recovering the one I thought she had left. She follows them around the corner of the road, and then…
Tractors
Elsa bunny hunting. When we get used to anything, it becomes an instant frustration when it doesn’t work the way it was designed. You turn the faucet, the water should come out. You flip the switch the light should come on. You start the tractor the diesel engine should growl right along. This morning it…
Snow walkers
Lucas, Elsa, Dally, and I took a walk. The day was warm and softening the snow, burning it off of the south facing hillsides. Today was a good day for black and white! I didn’t get as many good pictures as I wanted. Dally is a fast little girl. She weighs 17 pounds and had…
Glimpses
Glimpses Saw two coyotes head over the rimrock this morning, unhurried, curious, yet wise enough to leave the territory. Dally must be locked up the past few mornings, or she follows us, eager to learn and I am unable to watch her carefully around the hay trailer, yearlings, and soon-to-be momma cows. She must learn…
A Different Calling
Today Lucas and I finally got a chance to be something else besides stockdog and owner. We became a Therapy Dog Team at Ten Sleep School. I have worked towards this day for over a year. We began when Lucas was a puppy and not yet old enough to be registered as a Therapy Dog. …