I was determined from the beginning that Bud become a farm dog, not a “little dog” who happened to live near a farm. This was easier said than done. Bud is a “rescue” dog, he spent his entire life outdoors in a pen with no protection from the heat or the cold.
His penmates died of exposure. When Bud first saw the donkeys, he was terrified, barking, growing, charging at them. He’s a gutsy creature, he never ran, but he almost jumped out of his shoes (figuratively) when the donkeys looked at him.
Lulu and Fanny have survived and lived with a bunch of different dogs, they are calm and patient and accepting, as long as they get a treat somewhere along the way.
Bud has been with us for about a year, he gets to go into the pasture every single day, twice a day. He is still learning, still settling. I’ve noticed that the donkeys don’t freak him out anymore – I was waiting for that.
An important part of my training philosophy is to trust my dogs, to give them a chance to succeed rather than wait for them to fail and be corrected.
Bud now has the freedom to roam the pasture wherever he wants, dart into the woods and the march, continue his never-ending quest to find Chip the chipmunk.
We don’t need to watch him any longer, while we do the chores he runs around, gets exercise, rounds up stray sheep, checks out the stone walls for mice or rats or chipmunks. And he always comes back to us, and why not? He’s no fool, and I’m the one with treats in my pocket.
Bud has become an active and happy farm dog, his twice-daily visits to the pasture are good for him, and every day, he becomes more confident, more content and every bit a citizen of the Peaceable Kingdom.
Bud has a good-sized ego. He seemed proud of himself sitting up there.
Lots of people messaged me to say this was a mistake; But is too small, too vulnerable, he’d get lost, he’d get hurt, it would be too cold, too warm.
But Bud is not a fur baby, he is a farm dog. His size is not the point, I think he really does have the heart of a lion.
I thought today he was ready to sit up on Lulu. So I asked Maria to pick him up and see how Fanny reacted.
Gus often sat upon Fanny’s back, she seems to like it. He sat down easily, looked around curiously and after three or four minutes, I said he was free, and he jumped off. A good first time (we tried once before, but it freaked him out).
It was an important moment in Bud’s evolution into our lives and the life of a farm.
He is very much becoming the dog he ought to be and the dog we hoped he would be. All I really had to do was get out of the way and put my anxieties – and those of other people – aside.
It took a long time and a lot of work. It was worth it.
Given the chance, dogs become what we need them to be. I didn’t want a stuffed animal, I wanted a dog who would fit into our lives.
Looks like we got one. In my life with dogs, I’ve found it a wonderful experience to take a chance on a dog that needs a home, and it’s a wonderful experience to find a breeder who cares what I want and really need and can make it happen.
A good breeder works to preserve the best traits of dogs. A good rescue group works to save the life of dogs who have much life to live.
I never listen to anyone who tells me there is only one way to get a dog. They are not my friend or a friend of dog’s. They are friends only unto themselves.