# look whos new at my house



## goatgurl (Sep 22, 2014)

meet Benton aka Ben.  took a little road trip and brought home a new male Maremma lgd to go with my Katie who is in charge of the goats, sheep and chickens around here.  she needed a little help so i recruited him.  as you can see above, Kate isn't real sure if she is comfortable with him in her goat yard but they have gotten use to each other so all is well for now.


----------



## Southern by choice (Sep 22, 2014)

How sweet!
How old is he he looks awfully young.


----------



## OneFineAcre (Sep 22, 2014)

Very handsome fella you got there.


----------



## Sumi (Sep 23, 2014)

Sweet!


----------



## MsDeb (Sep 23, 2014)

Very alert!  He looks like he's up for the challenge.  Go Ben!


----------



## Melani (Sep 23, 2014)

So cute!


----------



## goatgurl (Sep 25, 2014)

thanks guys, he's a cutie and very smart.  i think he is going to do fine.  Southern he is 10 weeks old.  i would have liked it if he was a couple of weeks older but what is is.   the pic's are of the first night he was here and he was pretty apprehensive about everything.  he was raised with sheep and the goats were kinda scary.  he was so glad when the sheep showed up to check him out, finally something he knew.   and the ducks and the chickens were all around too.  a lot for a pup to take in at one time.  and the pig and the cow.  he still isn't sure about the steer but is ok with everything else.  and he has decided kate isn't going to eat him so all is well with his puppy world.  there have been several sightings of a black panther around here as well as the normal mountain lions, black bears, red wolves, coyotes, bobcats and other things that want to eat my critters and i just felt it would best if Katie has some help.  we'll see how things work out.


----------



## jodief100 (Sep 25, 2014)

He is adorable.


----------



## Baymule (Sep 25, 2014)

What a cutie! Katie will be glad to have him.


----------



## goatgurl (Nov 4, 2014)

thought i would give youall an update on ben.  he's growing like a weed and has found his big dog voice  he saw the steer coming out of the woods at dark30 the other night and was convinced it was a booger, did his big dog bark and charging till he figured out who it was then he was kind of embarrassed but i was proud of him anyway.


----------



## Southern by choice (Nov 4, 2014)

Aww!

I love watching the pups grow up. 
I love even more when they are young and already doing their job! 
Kinda like a proud momma I guess.


----------



## Southern by choice (Nov 4, 2014)

LOL I noticed your shaggy goat.. is it a Lamancha?


----------



## Baymule (Nov 4, 2014)

Got his big dog bark!! LOL LOL


----------



## goatgurl (Nov 4, 2014)

@Southern by choice as bad as i hate to admit it she is a registered lamancha.  a yearling first freshener, the cream colored goat beside her is her this years wether.  he was a single kid and i just let her raise him and he just kept growing and growing.  you notice he isn't a fur ball like she is.  i have no idea where she got all that hair, lol.  I've seen toggs that have that long of hair and she is togg colored there may have been one in her distant past but it has to be way, way back.    her mama isn't that furry and her litter sister isn't like that either.  I've wormed her, given her copper and nothing has convinced her to loose the coat.  if i had been milking her instead of letting her raise her baby I'd have clipped her but didn't want to bother.  she is the one i hide behind the barn because of the coat and started to crop her out of the picture but thought what the heck.  she is what she is


----------



## Southern by choice (Nov 4, 2014)

Funny because I have seen this a few times. 
I think it is cute on some goats...some that have it going every which way... those are the ones I go- oooo it needs that ugly shaved off. Some have it and look pretty! 

One of our Kiko Bucks has really long hair... he is gorgeous!


----------



## goats&moregoats (Nov 4, 2014)

Ben is adorable and glad he is working for you. I so can't wait to get a LGD. Still waiting on an answer from the rescue. Also checking out another rescue. We will see.


----------



## goatgurl (Nov 4, 2014)

i think she is just awful to look at but she is such a sweetie that i look past the hair to that sweet girl underneath it.  if things hadn't been so nuts with mom being sick and all i would probably shaved her but i had more important things to worry about than a furry goat.  i bet she gets a hair cut next year tho.


----------



## goatgurl (Nov 27, 2014)

i lost Ben today, somehow he got out on the road down in front of the house and was struck by a car.  the fence all along the road is good woven wire and i have not seen anywhere he could have gotten out.  when he wasn't with the goats at supper time i knew something was wrong so i went looking for him and when i couldn't find him on the farm i got in the car and started looking and found him on the road.  i haven't stopped crying, I'm just so sick, I've never had a dog hit by a car before and i feel so responsible, it was suppose to be my job to keep him safe and i didn't.  i feel so bad


----------



## Southern by choice (Nov 27, 2014)

I am so sorry Goatgurl.


----------



## Hens and Roos (Nov 28, 2014)

So sorry to hear this


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Nov 28, 2014)

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry


----------



## goats&moregoats (Nov 28, 2014)

So very sorry 
My thoughts & prayers are with you.


----------



## frustratedearthmother (Nov 28, 2014)

I am so sorry...


----------



## Baymule (Nov 29, 2014)

I am so sorry. Please don't blame yourself for this. Sometimes things go wrong and it really stinks. I know you are heart broken and I wish I could give you a big hug.


----------



## goatgurl (Nov 29, 2014)

oh Baymule I'm just sick, I've never had anything killed on the road before.  it was just such a shock.  i don't know what I'm going to do.  i did find a very low spot under the fence where he may have squeezed out but I'm not sure.  i promise you that a mouse couldn't get out from under it now.  you all just say a little prayer for me.  my heart is so heavy.  he was becoming such an awesome guardian


----------



## Baymule (Nov 29, 2014)

When our 14 year old Labrador died several years ago, I found this on youtube. I played it over and over, tears streaming down my face. I love this version of an old song.


----------



## Devonviolet (Nov 30, 2014)

Baymule said:


> When our 14 year old Labrador died several years ago, I found this on youtube. I played it over and over, tears streaming down my face. I love this version of an old song.


What a beautiful rendition. This is my favorite version of Over the Rainbow. I wasn't aware a Hawaiian was singing it.  Wouldn't you love to meet this guy?


----------



## Devonviolet (Nov 30, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> i lost Ben today, somehow he got out on the road down in front of the house and was struck by a car.  the fence all along the road is good woven wire and i have not seen anywhere he could have gotten out.  when he wasn't with the goats at supper time i knew something was wrong so i went looking for him and when i couldn't find him on the farm i got in the car and started looking and found him on the road.  i haven't stopped crying, I'm just so sick, I've never had a dog hit by a car before and i feel so responsible, it was suppose to be my job to keep him safe and i didn't.  i feel so bad


Ooohhh!!!  GoatGurl!  I just found this! I am SO sorry for your loss!!!!  What a tragedy! We do our best to protect our animals. But  sometimes, they get in the way. 

Having lost animals, of my own, I think I know the depth of your pain.  I wish I could give you a big hug! 

Devonviolet


----------



## goatgurl (Dec 19, 2014)

@Baymule, i just found the video you posted.  it is beautiful!  thank you so much


----------



## Baymule (Dec 20, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> @Baymule, i just found the video you posted.  it is beautiful!  thank you so much


I am glad you liked it.


----------



## goatgurl (Dec 30, 2014)

my dd and sil got me a combination present for Christmas.  was it something i had asked for?   no it wasn't!  was it something i would have gotten myself?  no it wasn't!  am i pleased about it??? i don't know yet.  they got me a combination peepot/paper shredder named gracie.  really was not wanting another house dog in addition to emma.  after ben was killed they told me told me they would help me get another pup.  i was planning on another Maremma not a Staffordshire terrier.


----------



## Southern by choice (Dec 30, 2014)

Awwww.... now come on...you can never have toooo many dogs really can you? 

He is pretty darn cute! 
Your LGD is around the corner. Losing Ben was awful and sometimes it is best to wait.


----------



## FarmersDigest (Dec 30, 2014)

Oh my she is so cute! Sure hope she makes a great addition to the house. So sorry for your loss.


----------



## Devonviolet (Dec 30, 2014)

Oh MY! At first I thought she was a stuffed animal! She is so perfect. What a beautiful puppy. Are those blue eyes? 

@Southern by choice -  I could have sworn you said, "you can never have too many goats" tooo!   No wonder you are surrounded by so many wonderful creatures! 

goatgurl - I still feel your sadness over your loss of Ben. Hopefully, even though a peepot/paper shredder named Gracie isn't what you had in mind, she will make you laugh and heal some of that pain.   And like Sweet Southern said, you can still get another Maremma.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 30, 2014)

I actually had a dog one time I named peepot.  Your little peepot is a cutie pie.


----------



## bonbean01 (Dec 30, 2014)

Look at those eyes....look at that face...pure cuteness!!!!


----------



## goatgurl (Dec 31, 2014)

@Devonviolet her eyes are steel gray like her spots.  everything else in the picture is stuffed but she is just full of herself.  ironically before Christmas emma and i went thru her toy box and took out all the toys she didn't play with, put they thru the washer and dryer and fixed anything that needed fixed then took them to the puppys at the humane society.  i only kept the few toys that emma picked up and put on the couch so when grace came along the toys were sparse.  she has them all out and everywhere.  so, ok she's made me smile but she's still a pee pot.  i can take her out and she will go pp and we come in the house and 2 minutes later she has peed on the floor and i know she can hold it because she is in her crate at night and never has an accident.  makes me nuts


----------



## MsDeb (Dec 31, 2014)

Devonviolet said:


> Oh MY! At first I thought she was a stuffed animal! She is so perfect. What a beautiful puppy. Are those blue eyes?
> 
> @Southern by choice -  I could have sworn you said, "you can never have too many goats" tooo!   No wonder you are surrounded by so many wonderful creatures!
> 
> goatgurl - I still feel your sadness over your loss of Ben. Hopefully, even though a peepot/paper shredder named Gracie isn't what you had in mind, she will make you laugh and heal some of that pain.   And like Sweet Southern said, you can still get another Maremma.



Everything Devonviolet said X 2.


----------



## Devonviolet (Dec 31, 2014)

goatgurl said:


> @Devonviolet her eyes are steel gray like her spots.  everything else in the picture is stuffed but she is just full of herself.  ironically before Christmas emma and i went thru her toy box and took out all the toys she didn't play with, put they thru the washer and dryer and fixed anything that needed fixed then took them to the puppys at the humane society.  i only kept the few toys that emma picked up and put on the couch so when grace came along the toys were sparse.  she has them all out and everywhere.  so, ok she's made me smile but she's still a pee pot.  i can take her out and she will go pp and we come in the house and 2 minutes later she has peed on the floor and i know she can hold it because she is in her crate at night and never has an accident.  makes me nuts



 Goatgurl, you crack me up!  "So, ok she's made me smile but she's still a peepot . . . Makes me nuts."  Why is it puppies do that?  You take them out to pee and as soon as they come back in, they leave you a present on the floor!    Maybe if you crate her as soon as you bring her in. Leave her there for five minutes (or however long it takes her to pee on the floor), and then take her right back out to pee. She will (hopefully) get the message she can't roam free until she really empties her bladder.


----------



## goatgurl (Jan 7, 2015)

well my backyard herd is smaller by 3 today.  Piggy, aka spot, ram lamb and one of my wethers all went to freezer camp yesterday.  i have to admit I'm gonna miss that silly pig.  but i am thankful for their contributions to my food supply.


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 7, 2015)

I have heard that many times from those that do an annual pig. 
It is always hard here too but like you I am thankful for the food.
We may do a few goats this year. I just cannot get attached!


----------



## goatgurl (Jan 7, 2015)

years ago, Southern i had a herford bull named bill that i had loved and petted even tho i knew he was destined to fill my freezer.  he taught me a valuable lesson that i never forgot.  don't get attached.  my ex had unbeknownst to me put his heart, tongue etc in a clear plastic bag in the fridge and when i opened the door and saw a heart that had loved me and a tongue that had licked me i almost threw up.  i made him give it away and didn't enjoy any of the steaks from bill.   never again have i let myself get so attached to something i was going to eat.  I'm going to miss piggy, he was so amusing but i knew why he was here


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 7, 2015)

Yeah, we don't name the food. 
The turkeys we name but have no problem eating as they all get mean as a snake!


----------



## Mike CHS (Jan 8, 2015)

Many years ago I had rented a place with 30 acres of plush pasture and decided I wanted a reminder of growing up with cows and bought 2 steers (1 for us and 1 to sell).  My neighbor bought 2 from the same farmer since he didn't want to be outcountried (If that isn't a word it should be).  18 months later and it was time to send them off for processing but I couldn't stand the looks on my kids faces.  My neighbor had the same issue so we worked out a swap so when it came time for eating, we were eating his and not ours.


----------



## goatgurl (Jan 8, 2015)

smart move @Mike CHS.  @Southern by choice if i name the ones I'm going to eat its things like burger boy, stewie or soup.  the wether i took was just spritzers boy.  piggy was just a funny, greedy soul, a couple of weeks ago i forgot to lock the gate and piggy rooted his way out and was standing in my yard when i got home after dark.  i stopped at ds house first to unload her groceries and piggy heard us talking and came trotting down the driveway to where we were.  she has never figured you can't push or bully a pig and she proceeded to try to push him out of her way.  being a pig he just pushed back and decided to climb into the back of my rav4 to get her bagels from Panera bread.  she was hollering and pushing, he was grunting and pushing back and I'm laughing so hard there were tears running down my leg.  piggy weighed 350+ and never offered to hurt her he just wanted a bagel.  i raised a hog for another sister last spring and he was just mean, i was scared of him and was glad to see him go.  he would even eat my chickens if they got into his pen.  i always thought if i went in there and fell he'd eat me too but this last one was a gentle soul


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 8, 2015)

Bagels   What no cream cheese for him?


----------



## goatgurl (Jan 8, 2015)

I'm so bad, all i could do is laugh


----------



## purplequeenvt (Jan 8, 2015)

We name everything. I like to know who and what I'm eating.


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 8, 2015)




----------



## Hens and Roos (Jan 8, 2015)

Southern by choice said:


> Bagels   What no cream cheese for him?



Would that be like pigs in a blanket


----------



## Devonviolet (Jan 8, 2015)

I always heard you shouldn't name animals you were going to eat - unless of course you name them after a meal - like "Christmas Dinner" or "Sunday Stew".  So, the other day DD met our Nasty Rooster (unaffectionately called Spike by DH). She said he was so mean it was okay to put him in a stew pot. But she thought the Turkey hen was too sweet to eat. She wanted to know her name. So I told her we don't name animals we are going to eat, because it was too hard to eat them. So, without missing a beat, she said,"Then the Turkey's name is Edith." Not to be outdone DH said, "What was that? Eatin'"    I was just cracking up!!!     DD was going "NO, I said EDITH!"  DH said, "That's what I thought, Eatin'!   So, that solved it.  In the roasting pan she will go.


----------



## goatgurl (Jan 11, 2015)

bahaaa, i love your dh sense of humor!!
 dsx2 and i went walkabout yesterday just to get out of the house.  was to cold to work outside and i was sick of being inside.  there is a wild life area not far from me so we went to see what we could see.  the eagle had been fishing in the lake and let me get within 50 ft. of his tree.  the young hawk was on the side of the road eating something and didn't want to share.  the pelicans along with several ducks, sea gulls and cormorants were all floating around doing a little bit of fishing.  and when i got home the mama ducks were like hey mom, the pond is broke.  i enjoyed my time out.


----------



## Devonviolet (Jan 11, 2015)

goatgurl said:


> bahaaa, i love your dh sense of humor!!
> dsx2 and i went walkabout yesterday just to get out of the house.  was to cold to work outside and i was sick of being inside.  there is a wild life area not far from me so we went to see what we could see.  the eagle had been fishing in the lake and let me get within 50 ft. of his tree.  the young hawk was on the side of the road eating something and didn't want to share.  the pelicans along with several ducks, sea gulls and cormorants were all floating around doing a little bit of fishing.  and when i got home the mama ducks were like hey mom, the pond is broke.  i enjoyed my time out.View attachment 6576 View attachment 6577 View attachment 6579 View attachment 6580


LOVED your photos!    You should enter them in the POW contest.

It's cold and WET here.  It rained hard over night and now we have puddles all over the place.  When it warms up a bit we are going to have to order a load of something to fill the holes.  A first I was thinking dirt, but the will just get pushed around and make holes again.  Maybe gravel? We have talked about getting a load or two of gravel for the driveway.  Maybe we can get a few bags to fill the driveway holes, for now and get the loads of gravel in the Spring.

At any rate, my challenge is to TRY to conquered as much of the mud as I can, at least between where we park the truck and the house, so we don't keep tracking sandy mud in the house.   Okay, I can hear y'all laughing about my nieveté. . .   A girl can try can't she???


----------



## Devonviolet (Jan 11, 2015)

goatgurl said:


> thought i would give youall an update on ben.  he's growing like a weed and has found his big dog voice  he saw the steer coming out of the woods at dark30 the other night and was convinced it was a booger, did his big dog bark and charging till he figured out who it was then he was kind of embarrassed but i was proud of him anyway.View attachment 5579 View attachment 5580



What a darling shot!  Kate doesn't look uncomfortable with him anymore.   She almost looks like a proud Mama!


----------



## Southern by choice (Feb 2, 2016)

goatgurl said:


> my dd and sil got me a combination present for Christmas.  was it something i had asked for?   no it wasn't!  was it something i would have gotten myself?  no it wasn't!  am i pleased about it??? i don't know yet.  they got me a combination peepot/paper shredder named gracie.  really was not wanting another house dog in addition to emma.  after ben was killed they told me told me they would help me get another pup.  i was planning on another Maremma not a Staffordshire terrier.View attachment 6250


http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/look-whos-new-at-my-house.29870/page-4#post-378768
I saw this photo scrolling and clicked on it. LOL
How is she doing? Where is an update pic? Just sayin'

The pic cracks me up- it is the classic I am a cute puppy and so terribly bad to the bone. With a smile on her face!


----------



## goatgurl (Feb 23, 2016)

@Southern by choice I so agree, miss gracie is an adorable dog but started to get in trouble killing my ducks and chickens.  the harder I tried to break her of it the sneakier she became till it got to the point that I couldn't let her outside by herself.  and no Katie never once tried to stop her, in fact i kind of think she was encouraging her.  kate knows not to touch a chicken or a duck but she thought it was fun when grace did.  I was totally at my wits end.  if I were totally honest with myself , and I will never! admit this to my daughter,  she was a sweetie and I liked her a lot but I didn't love her like I do emma and Katie.  i'm just not a bullie breed fan and she was a true bulldog.  sooo, I rehomed her.  she went to live with my ds#4 who has a big fenced in yard and a female great dane to be her big sister but most importantly no poultry.  I have always said that if I believed in reincarnation I would want to come back as one of ds#4's animals so gracie has an awesome home.  i  get to visit with her but I don't have to worry about her killing things.  i was really afraid that when kidding season started she would hurt the kids or lambs too. win/win for all concerned.  there is a new girl in town but with this borrowed computer i am having trouble loading a picture.  will try again later


----------



## Southern by choice (Feb 23, 2016)

Glad you made the call and she has a great home. Sometimes it just isn't the right or best situation. 

I am a new grandma to a 6 month old red coon hound cross. 
I get to babysit here and there.
But this grandma doesn't play... she will learn manners.
Only kinda grandma I want to be any time soon. LOL Made sure all my adult children are aware of this too.


----------



## goatgurl (Feb 24, 2016)

got one picture of J.J. to load.  she is an English shepherd that I got from a rescue in Joplin, mo.   they are great farm dogs and she is doing very well.  very respectful of the chickens, ducks, goats and sheep.  she is six months old now, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and her do something bad but so far so good.


----------



## Southern by choice (Feb 24, 2016)

Just makes me smile.


----------



## Beekissed (Feb 26, 2016)

Beautiful dogs all 'round!  Love the watchful, alert look on JJ.  Looks to be a great farm dog...and he found him a new home!  Can't get better than that.  Sometimes God just brings two together so they can benefit one another throughout their lives.  My best dogs were brought to me in just such a manner.


----------



## Latestarter (Feb 26, 2016)

She's a good looking dog. Glad she's working out for you. Why wait for the other shoe to drop? Expect greatness from her!


----------



## goatgurl (Feb 26, 2016)

oh, @Latestarter I do expect great things from her.  she is so very intelligent, is finding her big dog voice and finding more confidence everyday.  i'm more impressed with her every day.  I hope to make a therapy dog out of her and so far that's going very well.  she is just a special girl.  and yes @Beekissed he is a she.  the J.J.stands for Janice Joplin partly because Joplin is where she came from and partly because I have a strange sense of humor and I liked Janice Joplin.  part of that old hippy thing I guess.  when my granddaughter was living with me every time I played one of janice's cd's she would hold her hands over her ears and say please nana, she makes my ears bleed.  no accounting for her taste, lol.


----------



## Beekissed (Mar 4, 2016)

It's a wonderful thing in life to have good dogs.    Takes much of the stress of owning livestock off one's shoulders.  I love the name, BTW....I like many of her songs.  Love that gravelly, throaty voice!


----------



## Baymule (Apr 8, 2016)

What about an update on J.J.?


----------

