Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Drama

One of the many barn dramas that happen here on a daily basis is the stand-off between Holly and Hannah (the Pyrenees) and the peafowl and chickens. Somewhere along the line the feathered critters discovered the joys of eating dog food, so they're always on the lookout for a few morsels. If I happen to spill even one nugget while filling the dog's bowls, a feathered someone is on it in a flash.
Sort of like this. (Sorry about the blur, but they move fast when dog food is involved.)

The Great Pyrenees are pretty much all about their job, which is protecting the livestock. Getting them to focus on their food long enough to actually eat it is a bit of a challenge. Often, when they are eating they'll hear something (or think they do) and out they go to investigate, leaving their food bowls sitting there. Sometimes they don't come back to finish their meal....just leave it there to be eaten by the birds, or by a certain corgi (who is sometimes referred to as a food slut or worse!). I'm trying a little psychology to see if they can be tricked into finishing their food. They are usually in or around the barn in the mornings, so I've been placing their food bowls next to them and watching as the birds start circling. Holly and Hannah have decided they don't want the birds eating out of their bowls, so we are having daily stare downs and occasionally an actual warning growl or two. ** Having the peafowl hanging around seems to motivate the dogs to clean their plates, so to speak!

Hannah is saying, "Go ahead, make my day!"

**No birds of any kind have ever been damaged during these dramas!

4 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this...having had many, many sheep years ago, pigs and milk cows..I understand...not the pea fowls..but Mr. T the huge boar who would always want to get into my full bucket of milk as I came up from the barn..he was a gentle soul..but fast when he smelled that delicious Jersey milk...and then there was Hughey and Leona the DANGEROUS geese. Lord help me!
    Happy holidays and best to you.

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  2. I would caption that last photo "Don't even THINK it!"

    Good dog psychology. When I was growing up, we had a collie that would not eat lettuce (not that many dogs would) UNTIL a guinea pig came to live with us. When the dog saw that the pig ate lettuce, he decided to beg for it!

    kim

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  3. That is too funny! We used to have a wild turkey we hatched out. It bonded to us and our German Shepherd Molly. It was not unusual to see them both standing at our kitchen window watching us. Also the sight of them sharing the same food bowl was common. Your GP are just beautiful girls. Our lives are so much richer with the animals. You have a happy holiday!

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  4. Graham Lamb has had to be "reminded" several times to stay out of Hank's food dish. Keebler won't even look at it, but GL will periodically give it a try. Cocky!

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