It turns out cattle dogs have a thing for sharing coffee on the porch! Remember Coal’s adventures at the porch table?
Turns out we’ve got another one!
I found Red at the table waiting for me this morning while I was making my coffee, all muddy and wet and impressed with herself. Cattle dogs keep life interesting. They’re big time outdoor enthusiasts, so there’s no limit to the muck and mud they’re glad to track through the house.
No limit to the wildlife they will chase, dig up, or eat. Remember Coal’s adventure with the turkey? Yeah, turns out Red is a professional field rat hunter–YUCK! I’ve started calling them the “dangerous duo” because I have to keep an eye on them at all times, or she’s hauling out snake skins, bones, antlers…you name it…and bringing it home with her.
“DROP IT” is one of the first commands our dogs have to learn. Probably even before they are fully housebroken! Of course, what I really need to teach them is “drop it AND don’t pick it up again” because they are famous for dropping contraband on the run, then circling back and snatching it up again before I can put it out of reach. If you walk along our pasture fences, you’ll find all kinds of interesting things on the top of the fence posts where I was trying to put them out of reach.
Turns out that 5 foot high is really not out-of-reach for a cattle dog, but that’s another story!
The Red Head (as we like to call her) has added a lot of spice to our days around here. She’s much more playful and outgoing than Coal is–which the family loves. But she’s also all cattle dog–which means a lot of running, rough-housing, and barking at strangers. And Coal. And the chickens. And leaves blowing across the yard. And just about everything else. She also barks when she’s excited, when she’s happy to see you, when she’s angry, when you take her toys, when it’s dinner time, when she’s riding in the truck…It’s a problem. She’s the barking-est dog we’ve ever had. {sigh} Even other people have commented that they’ve never heard our dogs bark before.
We’re working on it.
She’s just very enthusiastic about life! {smile} She’s also got that short tail from an accident with her littermates before we brought her home, and that constant wacky stump-wiggling really adds to her charm. While I firmly believe that cattle dogs should have tails, it’s kinda hard to imagine her with one at this point. It’s like she would be a whole different dog!
But as I’ve promised my husband over and over again, two heelers is definitely my limit! They insist on waaaay more attention than any other dog I’ve ever owned. Not even so much that you have to be doing something with them–the active lifestyle requirements are actually good for me and the farm takes care of that no problem!–but that they always have to be with you. No matter how small of a space you have to cram all three of your bodies into to be together!
Utter devotion, even in the laundry room at 3 in the morning…? Priceless.
And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more cattle dog crew adventures–that’s my favorite place to put our daily #justwalkingthedogs adventures!