The Corgis are going out on the full farm on a near-daily basis, with rainy/muddy days the only times I hold back letting them romp. They are doing a super job with recall, with me, wait, and this way commands, and Baloo has now mastered stay!
We’ve had close encounters with donkeys, pony, and the two big guys, with no issues.
But the real test has, I think, been passed.
In the mornings, this time of year, the herd comes into the barn for breakfast and stays in with hay and fans through the heat of the day. Usually the donkeys lie down in their stall after breakfast, and their door opens to our back yard gate, where the Corgis charge out like torpedos when I give the command.
For several weeks the donkeys always jumped up as the dogs burst out, with good reason, though the dogs never offered to go through the fence or even glance at them.
I think it says something that for the past full week the donkeys stay down and just glance as the Corgis pass by.
I’m so happy we’re to this point with my plan to gradually mix it up with canines and equines.
And on a how cute is this note, this morning Baloo, upon hearing the command quiet, lowered his woof to a tiny little dog whisper woof woof woof.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
4 comments:
It does sound like they’re all getting along. It’s a good sign that the donkeys don’t bother to pay attention to them and continue napping when they come out.
Well, first, hooray! Blogger is sending me email notifications on comments again after months of not doing so! :)
And second, I agree, A - I think that the donkeys just watch with a bit of distaste as the dogs dash by means they don’t actively hate them any more! I would love if they became actual friends.
Blogger just started sending me email notifications too yesterday. That’s a plus.
Our herd took a while to get used to Nikita (the German Shepherd) but now they coexist peacefully. They even let her and Ginger the Aussie help clean up whatever food they drop out of their buckets onto the floor. As soon as the dogs are calm around the herd they will be fine with them. I know corgis have a lot of energy so that might be hard to accomplish at first. Once it becomes old hat to all of them peace and quiet and friendships will appear out of nowhere.
Yay! Re: blogger and friendships appearing out of nowhere. :)
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