Group Hugs are Great
Order is important to animals. Carter, our great Pyrenees, is a docile couch potato, until a predator comes around. He knows who belongs here. Gryffindor, the male Scotty, would love to be king of the hill. But the two females here keep him in check.
Cole, our grandson, takes great delight in giving Carter commands and watching him obey them... sort of. Carter also sets his own terms for play time.
We learned to set and respect boundaries
Only in the movies do animals obey commands with the precision of a Marine.
On a real farm one has to learn territories, mating rituals, "predator-prey"
relationships and schedules.
Mild mannered Gryffin is very lovable, unless you are another dog trying to steal his food. Then he can become a fierce Highland Warrior with snarling teeth that can crush a bone.
Aggie has proven herself to be worthy of working "off leash". She comes when called, retreats when ordered (yet another chicken moment) and pouts when not appreciated.
Although Chelsea, our Huskie, is an obedient dog, (with a degree to prove it) it has been impossible to break her from wanting to kill the chickens. For her they are what we call a "Monk Moment". She has OCD about chickens and will work herself into a froth to get at them. We have tried every aversion we could think of, but she is unphased. I guess we should take her to see Dr. Phil. Until that happens, we restrict her access to certain areas of the farm. The chickens are smart enough to stay out of her range. They do taunt her from time to time. Must be one of those "hey, I'm a prey bird trying to save a little face" things.
