Buford T. Justice

Baymule

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Yesterday afternoon the ewes and lambs came in the night pen for a drink, then laid down to ruminate. Buford positioned himself in the gate, keeping predators away.

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This is what he’s been doing this past week. It’s time to close up the sheep for the night and he is in the shadows of the back of the Quonset hut. Momma can’t see me…. It’s kinda like playing peek a boo with a toddler.

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Baymule

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Today is a drizzly wet day. Buford and Sheba are together in the front field. As long as it’s a drizzle or soft mist, the sheep and dogs are happy to be out on the field. When a hard shower blasts out of the clouds, the sheep run for cover. Shower over, they trickle back out on the field.

Buford barked the alert. But he ran back to the lot and into the Pallet Palace, Sheba right behind him. Then he ran out, still barking the alert. The ewes came charging off the field. I just had to go out and see what the ruckus was all about. When the dogs bark the alert, they are running towards the perceived threat and the sheep run for their pen. This was backwards behavior!

I got out there to find twins, only 10 days old, the only occupants of the Pallet Palace. Their mom came running up, went in to “find” her babies and they ran to her.

Studying on this, I could only surmise that the twins fell asleep and the ewes, including their mother, went back on the field after the hard rain stopped. The lambs must’ve woke up all alone and cried for their mother.

Buford must have heard them, maybe he thought a predator attacked them, maybe he realized they were lost, who really knows. Whatever he thought, he ran to their rescue, barking the alarm, followed by Sheba. The lambs were quickly reunited with their mother.

The ewes grabbed a snack at the hay bale and trickled back out on the field.

Buford and Sheba are on the job.
 

Baymule

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I moved Buford to the front field with Sheba. On Saturday the 15th, Cinnamon had a single ewe lamb. Buford was perfect. She had passed the placenta, lamb was up and lively and had a full tummy. Buford didn’t drop his head and grin at me, he stood tall and confident. I was so proud of him.

Today, the 17th, I went out to give all the sheep fresh water. I heard Buford growl an ominous growl. He was laying by the Pallet Palace. What was he growling at? I went to investigate. My BTX ewe was in the Pallet Palace, giving birth. Buford was guarding her!

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He came to greet me, I petted and praised him. He stuck his head in the shelter, checking on the ewe. I checked on her, she had one lamb and she was caring for it.

I started watering the sheep. I heard that derp ominous growl, followed by a serious snarl. Ewes scattered! He was keeping the other ewes away!

I called out to him, no Buford, it’s ok. I kept talking to him, went back in the field and reassured him. I stayed with him and the ewe. Slowly the ewes came back and I kept talking to him. He allowed the ewes to get close, then they wandered away.

The ewe came out of the shelter and had 2 more lambs! Buford seemed to know that they needed his protection and was on heightened alert. Sheba stayed nearby, backing him up.

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I marveled at this new Buford. He was deadly serious, no hesitation, guarding the ewe and wobbly new lambs with all his being.

I moved the ewe and lambs to a small pen so I can feed her extra. Buford and Sheba had to go in and check everything out to their satisfaction. Then Buford laid against the pen.

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Neighbors had company and they had the nerve to be outside talking! Buford raced to the far fence, barking ferociously. I talked to her later and she noticed the difference in his bark, calling it more aggressive sounding than usual.

All of Buford’s puppy antics, silliness and not being sure of himself, is gone. He gets it. He now fully understands what he was born to do.
 
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