Moondogs Opening Game June2, 2010

Timber Loves To

Herd The Cat

Timber has put her natural skill to use; she herds whatever she can find to herd.

Timber feels herding the neighbors cats has become her biggest challenge. It has become quite the job to her, keeps her mine and body very busy.

First thing Timber does when she goes outside is look for the cats. If she sees the cats are outside she get her body into a stalking and herding position, very very slowly she moves towards the fence. Timber is on our side of the fence and the cats are on the other side of the fence.

By now the cats have seen her and they start bantering her (my guess would be the cats know exactly when Timber comes out and sets the mood for the herding and bantering experience). The cats move very slowly in the yard, go behind flowers or shrubs, watching everything Timber is doing. As long as the cats are quiet Timber will lie by the fence and watch and wait. If a cat moves slightly Timber slightly. This can go on for a very long time. The all of a sudden the cat flies out of hiding and runs right in from of Timber is up and moving, now her quiet calm demeanor has turned to a herding quick moving and barking. There will be a bit more bantering from the cats (I believe the cats enjoy this as much as Timber does) and Timber will continue the herding mode. Then all of a sudden it’s over. Until another day!!!

As many times as I have seen this, I really enjoy watching how animals behave. I love to see the different body postures of the dogs and cats. And what these body position mean. If you watch very carefully you will truly understand their body language. How they talk without words, just body motions. So we wonder sometimes what are dogs don’t listen well to us they are watch our body language and are getting very different messages from our voice and from our body language.

Dogs need 50% physical and 50% mental exercise, so the cats are sure giving her both.

True Irish Luck

Written March 17, 2010

Ryver and I left home to go to the shop to pick up Scout; he was getting a bath today. I put Ryver in the jeep and away we went, we stopped at the red light on Webster and 169, right by the SA gas station. We waited for the light to turn green so we could go, the light turned green and I went turned left on 169. At that moment I heard a strange noise and I said Ryver, Ryver always comes when I call her and stands on the middle console, but not this time. I called her again and no Ryver, at this point I was in some pretty heavy traffic. I turned around and NO Ryver and the back gate of the jeep was wide open. My heart fell to the ground, I just panic, I pulled off to side of the highway. I stood and knew I had to get across the highway and see what happen to her, all these things went through my head, did she break a leg, did she get hit my a car, both etc. I was so scared. A truck drove up and stopped, it was a City Of Mankato truck. There were two guys in the truck, the asked if I was having car trouble and I said no and explained. They said you have to move the car. I said I have to get across the highway to see what happen to my dog. One guy took my car and drove it to where he could cross the highway and the other guy backed up on the highway and went across. We did not see her anywhere, he looked towards SA and said is that your dog, and I said yes that’s her. There was a young man standing there holding her, it ran through my mind what is wrong. We got out of the truck and the man said is this your dog and I said yes. I said is she hurt. The man said no she is fine, she came running into SA’s lot, and Ryver went right over to him.

He said she was so friendly, and did not appear hurt. He said the whole thing seem strange why she was running from that direction.

I thanked everyone for all their help.

I could not believe she seemed fine, I took her home and she jumped right out of the jeep and did what she always does normal naughty behavior. I did call the vet and see if they should look at her. They said if she seemed ok they did have to look at her. She seems just fine; doing all her normal begging for the treats I just baked.

I will tell you all that was my Irish luck for today. I was so worried Ryver is 10 years old, figured she was hurt really bad. I could see a car running over her lying there with a broken leg or something!! I will tell all of you RYVER AND I had a BIG BIT OF IRISH LUCK TODAY!!!

Remember everyone she is Shetland Sheepdog originally from the Shetland Island – a bit of Irish there!!!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Everyone!!!