Sentry, Baymule’s Livestock Guard Dog RIP 11-11-24

[Baymule]

Sentry was all about the sheep until his surgery. Then he went in a crate in the house, I took him out to potty with a sling under his belly. Took him for walks, so many minutes per walk, so many times a day, gradually increasing it. That was for 3 weeks, then a small pen at the barn, but by that time, he had transferred his loyalty to me. I still had to walk him multiple times a day for several more weeks. It was some intensive therapy for a couple of months. He is VERY protective of me. I'm trying to teach him to be more friendly, I sure don't need him to bite anybody.

Those white feet are pretty, I love them too!

 

[Baymule]

Sentry loves to play with Sheba, his best buddy. She is 11 months old and much bigger than he is. He adores her.

 

[thistlebloom]

Those are great pictures! Two buddies having a good wrestle.

 

[farmerjan]

You might be glad that he is that protective if this country goes to he// in a handbasket.....

 

[Baymule]

A lot has happened since my last post. BJ passed away September 20, 2021. I sold the Lindale farm, moved to a house in Trinity county that belonged to my son, in February 2022. Found another farm, 25 acres, also in Trinity county and closed on it July 15, 2022. I spent a couple of months rehabbing the double wide and getting fence up for the sheep and dogs. Moved in August 27, 2022. Through these tumultuous times, Sentry stayed the course, guarding his sheep and being the good dog he is.

Sentry and Sheba are a team. They work together, guarding, barking to warn away predators and playing with each other. They are loving the big field they share with the sheep.

There is lots of grass, the sheep are living it up. Sentry and Sheba cris-cross the field, run the outer parameter, making it safe for the sheep. They are living the good life.

There is a pond in their field, that concerned Sentry to start with, having never had his feet in more than a puddle. He soon learned to walk into the water for a drink. The pond is low, due to heat and drought this summer. Sentry patrols the pond as part of his morning guard duties.

I’m sitting in a recliner, looking out the window, 5days out from knee replacement surgery. Sentry and Sheba are working the field, doing what they do. Coyotes are pretty bad here, but the sheep are safe, dogs bark their warnings. I can’t go outside and do anything yet, I have to heal up. In the meantime, friend Chris is taking care of sheep and dogs and Sentry is on the job.

I sure could use a Sentry hug about now, but I have to be careful of my knee. All things in due time. When I’m better, Sentry will be waiting.

 

[Mini Horses]

That grass couldn't have happened at a better time!

 

[SageHill]

So great to see. Sentry and Sheba are worth their weight in gold

 

[Baymule]

BIG EXCITEMENT TONIGHT! For Sentry, not me. I was getting sleepy, had turned off TV and Sentry started going beserk. He was barking frantically, a high pitched almost scream. I ran out on the porch with my feeble flashlight and could see that Sentry had SOMETHING in the corner of the pen. It is pitch black darkness here and there are no lights in the sheep lot.

I drove the car to the pen, it’s just across the driveway, but the porch light won’t reach that far. Decked out in my robe, rubber boots and flashlight, I went in the pen to see what it was. IT was an armadillo. IT got in the pen and now desperately wanted to get out, but it’s efforts were hampered by a hysterical dog digging at its outer shell, biting its tail and trying to find a tooth hold on its back-or anywhere.

Mr. Armadillo was trying to burrow underground to escape this insane dog. I grabbed its tail and it dug in harder. When I was a kid, chasing armadillos was great fun. Grabbing one by the tail when it went down its burrow was fun too, but I never won. That contest usually resulted in me falling backwards and the armadillo running down its burrow. Since it stormed, rained and rained some more, I had a sheep pen full of poop soup and the thought of falling backwards in it wasn’t very enticing.

But no matter-the armadillo was kicking mud and showered me with it. Mud went down my boots, in my hair and everywhere in between. So much for going to sleep.

Sentry the Diller Killer was on top of things, digging, biting and ferociously barking. I went and got a fish net and shovel, thinking if I could get the Diller in the net I could rescue it from Sentry.

It popped out of the hole it was digging, hit the corner, where Sheba and Buford were drooling on the other side. Not smart Diller! Sentry the Diller Killer grabbed the opportunity and went nuts, his teeth slid off the shell and Mr. Diller was carefully guarding his underbelly. I tried and tried to scoop the armadillo in the net, just wasn’t happening. It popped out of that hole, much to the excitement of Sentry and went back in the first hole. I tried to dig it out amidst a kicked up mud shower.

I finally had sense enough to put Sentry in the other pen. Mom’s gonna show you dogs how this is done! I went outside the pen and dug down to the armadillo, providing an escape route. Did it escape? NO! It turned, burrowing faster-in the direction where 3 dogs stood waiting. Stupid armadillo!!

I got the water hose, determined to drown the darn thing out of there. Water went down the hole and all of a sudden, my escape route looked mighty good to Mr. Armadillo! Quick as a flash, it jumped up like exploding popcorn, landed on its feet, running. It disappeared into the darkness.

Yeah! Let that be a lesson to you, dumb armadillo! DON’T COME BACK!

 

[Ridgetop]

I think you are my long lost sister! That is a Ridgetop experience except the entire family would all have been out there! We never let a good middle-of-the-night ruckus go to waste. Everyone would have been yelling conflicting directions, falling over each other in the mud, hitting each other accidentally with the shovels, and blaming each other as we attempted the armadillo rescue. Good to know that the dogs don't like armadillos because we have a resident one living under the Yantis toolshed. Can't wait. LOL

 

[Baymule]

With Sheba and Buford in the other pen, Buford got too close and Sheba took him down. She wouldn’t let him get close to the armadillo.