Post by thystledown on Jun 5, 2017 16:06:24 GMT -5
Not sure if this goes in "dogs and Cats" or milking equipment!!! LOL! This is my English Shepherd Tess taking Heiferlump the Jersey to the barn to be milked. I snapped this pic while trying to catch up. I open the gate and let the Jersey out while keeping the beefers in and then close the gate while Tess takes the milk cow to the barn, goes by her in the barn to head her off from exploring for "treats", puts her in her stanchion and sits behind her to keep her there until I catch up and close the stanchion. No fences. I don't hurry unless I want a picture. Sometimes the cow will try to make a dash for the hayfields beyond the barn, but Tess usually heads her off. Sometimes Tess needs my help or direction when Heiferlump takes for the hills, but she's not quite 3 years old and doesn't get that much work since I dry the cow up over the summer and have her confined over the winter. She also herds the goats (does with kids) over this same area from one barn or another to the pasture and back. I recently tried to do it without her and had goats all through the hay field. I pulled out my cell phone and asked my daughter to "Release the Kraken" (let Tess out). The goats saw the black and white streak coming. They bunched up and started for home before she was half way around them. Like the cow dogs I grew up with (all English Shepherds) on my parents' dairy farm, I think a good working dog is a standard piece of equipment!! I love the independent work ethic of well bred (working lines) English Shepherds. I lost 5 chickens right in the place where the cow is in the picture in 45 minutes to a fox last week. Now Tess has to spend the day outdoors. She can't see everything, but that won't happen again!