They say dogs are man’s best friend, but for a livestock guardian dog, the animals are the priority. My family added a Great Pyrenees puppy to our farm last September, who we named Ava. She’s not even a year old yet, and that double dew-clawed tornado is already pushing 75 pounds of fluff and slobber.
It took some time for Ava to step into her role of a livestock guardian. We had a toddler and a new baby on the way when we brought her home, and it became a low priority as my due date approached in December. But after some hours of reinforcing that the chickens are not food, she was ready to be released into the yard to do what she was born to do: Protect.
I kept a close watch on her the first few weeks she was running free and unsupervised. I was mainly concerned about her tendency to test the chickens and see how fast they could run, although it seemed to be in good fun and without malice. I hadn’t thought much about how she would react to the bottle calves we inevitably end up with every year. We have one right now that was orphaned in November and is named Tina.
One day I looked out the kitchen window, which has an optimal view of our chicken coop, and the pen where we keep our bottle calves. I save Ava running back and forth from my view of the backyard, but she wasn’t chasing chickens, she was in the calf pen, and it looked like she was mauling Tina. Concerned, I ran to the back porch to call her away and scold her. But when I got a better look, it was obvious they were playing together, and the calf was getting in just as many playful hits as Ava. The calf would chase Ava and they would switch and the pursuit would be reserved.
Since that day, a lovely friendship has blossomed and they’ve grown up together. For a while we didn’t know why Ava’s ears were wet every morning, but then we saw Tina pacifying herself on them as she waited for her morning bottle. I often see them relaxing in the sun, and they still enjoy some playful roughhousing in Tina’s pen. They used to get so excited one would knock the other into the water bucket, and it would be empty at feeding time.
My husband had planned to sell Tina as soon as she was trained to a bottle. Having a new baby and a bottle calf at the same time was not exactly convenient, and with the price of calves, she was worth a pretty penny. But when he saw how much they enjoy each other he said, “Well, I can’t sell her now!” I guess making friends with the family dog is one way to ensure you don’t get sent to the sale barn.
As a major winter storm hit in late January, my husband parked his pickup next to Tina’s calf hut and who should emerge covered in wood chips, but Ava, with Tina peeking out from behind her. They were snuggled up together keeping each other warm as the flurries were beginning to fall, and neither left the comfort of the hut all day. That evening, I called for Ava to let her come into the house, but she wanted to stay with her friend, so I let them be.
Dogs have a way of making us reflect and take stock of our own lives with their actions. They are genuine, loyal, and honest, no matter who is watching them. We can learn a lot from them if we observe how they go about their lives with pure joy and dedication to their craft—whether that’s chasing rabbits, chewing up shoes or protecting livestock. When I see Ava hanging out with her buddy, Tina, I’m reminded of the second half of Proverbs 27:9: “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” That it does.
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
