Sunday afternoon was cold but pleasant. We had sunshine! I took the puppies and the grown dogs to the barn to hang out with the chickens and watch.
The puppies are learning that chickens peck if they are to close and have a pink hind leg that kicks if they pull tail feathers and or harass chickens. 😉 The pups get a gentle lift up from my pink stock stick if they get rowdy with the chickens. I put the stick just under the tail feathers and lift up and catch the pup under the chin gently but firmly deterring the pup from its fun. I never say a word just watch and apply if needed.
The puppy thinks it is the chicken and you should see the pups faces as they try to figure out what happened. They never know it is me but think the chicken is something to not harass. At this age it is easy to teach the puppy manners and proper behavior round the chickens.
All the dogs and I sat on the bank and watched the puppies playing…Running, rolling, jumping, bouncing and in general having a grand time! The chickens were part of the party in the barn yard and the puppies showed that the lessons I have been teaching are working. I decided we would go to the branch that feeds the pond. We crossed the grass all dry and brittle and entered the woods on Abilene’s Path. The puppies loved the leaves and the crunching sounds they made as the puppies bounced along with the Maple Grove Farm Crew and 4 little brown hens that thought they were puppies too!
Up the hill then down the hill and to the pond and branch. Several puppies fell into the pond ! It did not phase them! (Yes water dogs!) Then up and down the branch and up the big hill and back down in a run, slide, run mode! Gee! what fun! They were all so full of energy I asked them if they wanted to do a “walk about” ! WOO WHO! Yes! We climbed the steep hill to the old trail… with the smell of woods and clean fresh air and puppies everywhere and grown dogs too! It was awesome!
The puppies were bouncing up that steep old hill and I said “you better take it easy we have just begun our walk about!” The puppies bounced ran up hill then rolled and slid back down the hill…I thought about all the puppies the old forest had seen and the other baby animals…Sigh and a smile…Then on to new places…bounce, bounce, bounce, roll…lets catch our breath! Whew! So we sat on a log. The puppies sprawled all about on the leaves. Looked round and said lets GO! Cha, cha, cha! Whew! then down to the branch and the little over flow pond. Smells ! whats that? oh smell here! no over here! what is it ? oh another new smell! How exciting! Then to the run way and wow “Wide Open Spaces!” RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! okay ! We got to rest! Splat on the ground and time for the nap! 15 minutes of rest and ZOOM!!! Down the hill through the field! Up the hill! all ways watching the big dogs and trying to keep up ! and up the next hill! to the pond! Water ! YES! we played round the pond…the puppies took long cool drinks… all ways watching the big dogs closely . Then thru the gate… whee!!!! Across the dam…. bounce…stop! look at that water! and on to the house!
WOW!!! Tired Puppies ! Sleep well!
After our walk about all the dogs were in high spirits! Especially Montanna! She loved it!
