Today was worming day on the farm. We have around 40 head of cattle and calves, it is a 2 person 2 dog operation. Usually we have the dogs just stay back while we handle the cattle because the cows do not take kindly to the dogs when they have calves by their side. Skye is a very obedient and observant dog. He seems to know what we want when we want it. Today he showed us another side of his ability as a partner.
We have a handling pen and a shoot and headgate, which makes our jobs much easier and a lot less stressful. Since it is only my husband I and the dogs. The cattle are cautious about the pen because they do not like to have their babies locked or confined an any way, so they are not as easy to work with and the calves are very bold and aggressive this year which makes the job harder.
As we started the process of gathering the cattle in the pens Skye assumed his position away from the pen. The cattle were difficult to manage and Skye realized that he could help by circling around to the side of the pen where Ed was urging them toward the shoot. Quietly he came into their sight and they moved forward and Ed was then able to close the gate. At that point, Skye came back to where I was and waited just behind me. Ed and I realized right away that he had used his own mind to do what his instincts were telling him he needed to do. My job as they come into the head-gate is to pour on the wormer then let them out. If you have ever worked with cattle you know they do not always follow the intended routine. This is where I began to realize how valuable Skye had just made himself to us. Several times the cattle in the shoot would not move forward to the head-gate so I would have to move back and push them that is when Skye decided that this was another job that he could handle and just that little nip or a single bark was all that was necessary. He finally figured out that he could move them out of the gate area when they finished and then push the others forward. Without him we would have had to spend a lot more time and energy getting them to go where we needed them to be.
The best part of this entire process for us, is that neither one of us spoke to Skye, he managed all this on his own and with great finesse. What a great day to watch our dog come into his own. I will call this Skye’s discovery of himself.
Ed and I have known for a long time that he possess all the qualities that we expect in an English Shepherd and it does not happen by luck but by hard work and a sincere and dedicated individual who is consistent in their resolve. Thank you Kay for a partner that has proven to us that your breeding program is working. Pat Justus
