Mooove 'Em Along

Our neighbour to the south has brought in 80 cow-calf pairs to graze his quarter for the summer. His pasture comes right up to our southern fence. We were worried how the Canaans would react to such large intruders peering over the barbed wire and making those funny sounds. Out here it is a definite no-no to have your dogs spook the cattle. So once the cows were on the property we set out to "socialize" them with the moms and babies. Our previous herding experience came in very handy and in no time Macc and Cybelle have decided that their bovine neighbours are not a threat, but are now an extension of the items that they will protect. Cybs is still showing why she will give the Border Collies a run in the herding ring with her overall enthusiasm, and Macc is back to his old tending self. His calm demenour has won over the cows, so much that they don't even raise their heads when he is walking through the pasture with us. On several occasions already, two or three cows have "escaped" onto the road. In each case we have taken Macc along and he has pushed them back into the pasture. The way that his natural instincts come out in an working situation really casts doubt on the credibility of those that say Canaan Dogs are not natural herders. Even Ash is learning to respect the cows and has shown an ability to move them along. Such a different road that she is taking over our other Canaans. They worked sheep to begin their herding lives. She is working the big animals. And they are all having a blast doing it.