Dog Brag

I am so proud of my dogs, especially Dakota our pyrenees and Valentine our heinz 57. Yesterday, as I was feeding the horses Valentine starting barking. It was a high pitched bark and she was looking through the back fence line behind the chicken coop. It was at that moment that I saw the blur of two large dogs in a full speed run toward my fence and my chickens who were out and about at the time. Just as the dogs crossed my fence line a large white blur could be seen which literally ran over the two dogs knocking both of them off their feet. The two labs quickly recovered and took off back through the fence with two white dogs hot on their tail. Dakota and Valentine pushed them about 30 feet off the fenceline and then came back to station themselves at the fence on our side. As the labs once again, but more cautiously tried to approach the fence Dakota growled and secured her stance. The dogs tried several more times and one time Dakota had to show that she was serious by going through the fence and pushing them back. It was awesome to watch the two dogs work together. Finally, the dogs gave up and went home. I have no doubt that had it not been for Dakota and Valentine that several of my hens would have been chew toys for those dogs. They were moving fast fixated on the hens pecking around in the leaves behind the coop. I was too far away to have been able to stop them or deter them. Dakota has really come into her adulthood responsibility well even though she still has her puppy playfulness and personality. I have seen her track hawks that fly over which is amazing and she certainly keeps them away from the flock. But to come from out of the blue on such a silent attack as to knock off their feet and track two full grown labs was amazing. What surprised me about Valentine is that she usually is oblivious to everything around here and she is the one that sounded the alarm bringing in the muscle while she played back-up. Now, where was Cujo? Well, the old man was there hanging back quite a good bit, whining in hopes that his old bones wouldn't have to get in the fray. He has done his due over the years of fending and warding off predators and is more than happy to let the girls take the lead! We got the chickens locked up for the evening and Dakota made a couple of laps around it to make sure that everything was secure then came up to the house for a well-deserved supper. I think I will take some bones out of the freezer for them today. Good dogs!