Sheba-A Marvelous Gift

[Baymule]

Sheba is a laid back easy going girl. Eh, let the boys bark at the turtle. Oh, you’re killing an armadillo? Good job. Yawn… She runs to the front to bark at noisy trucks. She barks a warning at coyotes and is usually the first one to bark at night. She has never displayed that killer instinct. That’s what the boys are for, right?

We just had several days of below freezing weather, down in the teens. Sheba was not too impressed. Ice? Sleet? Blasting wind? Not me! She and Sentry both clocked out and found a dry cozy spot. Let Buford do it! Even the sheep made a circle and went back to the shelters.

Today, high is 67F. Ice chunks are melting, it’s sunny and beautiful. I put the ewes and lambs across the driveway in the front field. I wouldn’t put them there during our Winter weather because there is no shelter. But today! So nice! All 3 dogs get so excited and want to be guardian of the day. Today was Sheba’s turn.

Today her killer instinct showed up.

Sheba made her rounds, paused up near the front, with head down. She was intensely interested in whatever it was. What could it be? She was way out there.

Sheba never acts like this. She saw me coming and came to greet me. I asked her, What is it? What’cha got? Show me!

Sheba meandered over to the parameter fence, slowly, stopping to sniff. She showed me what must’ve been an epic battle, with the ground dug and torn up.

We passed another battle ground.

Finally she showed me.

I looked closely. I praised Sheba. She got lots of petting and ear rubs.

This is Killer Sheba’s Big Day!

 

[Mini Horses]

Good girl!!! . Everything counts, mom.

 

[Baymule]

Exhausted from her first kill, Sheba basked in the warm sun.

She heard something, jumped up and barked. Then she watched for danger. Predators be afraid. Predators be very very afraid. Sheba is on the job.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Exhausted from her first kill, Sheba basked in the warm sun.

Go Sheba!

A girl needs her rest after all that work, lol. My LGD's are pretty good varmint getters too. Found a dead rat out by the barn a couple days ago.

 

[Bruce]

Probably figures coyotes would want to eat that rodent so she was removing temptation for them to come in the pasture.

 

[Finnie]

It’s interesting that she didn’t want to eat that mouse.

 

[Baymule]

I got two 15 yard loads of dirt delivered, one for future barn pad, one for temporary shelter, and spread them. I put a cow panel shelter up, covered it with a tarp and stretched a tarp from shelter to fence. Granddaughters and I built a night pen around it. The next day we sorted sheep and put 14 heavy bred ewes in the front field. Can’t let Sentry the baby stealer guard them, Buford is still a bit goofy, so Sheba gets the honors. It’s about a week before the ewes start lambing.

Night before last, the dogs were raising a ruckus. I went out on the porch with a flashlight to see if I could see anything which normally I see nothing. I did see Sheba patrolling the property line fence. I thought I must’ve forgotten to put her in the night pen. Oh well, wasn’t going to rain so I just let her be. With no shelter in the fields for the dogs, I put them in with the sheep at night.

Next morning Sheba was back in the night pen. Hmmmm…… did she climb or jump out, then back in? I examined the pen, which is expertly put together with zip ties. I found a pushed out corner where we only had 2 zip ties at the top, the bottom was pushed out.

Sheba had crawled out, ran the danger away and crawled back in. She expected a belly rub for working so hard. LOL

Feed pan was in that corner and the fat girls had pushed it out. I fixed it.

Sheba is such a good girl!

 

[Baymule]

Lambing has started. This morning Jet, a FF, had a single ram lamb. From the looks of things, Sheba did not interfere.

When I opened the gate, Sheba rushed out to a tree which was hosting 3 black head vultures, barking the alarm. The vultures decided to go somewhere else and Sheba chased them down the fence line.

Jet took her baby out on the field with the flock.

Normally I take Sheba out for the day to let her hang out with Buford and Sentry. But not today, there’s a new lamb and it needs Sheba’s protection. I saw Sheba laying at the fence next to the driveway. Buford and Sentry were at the fence on the other side of the driveway. Poor girl, no play time.

I walked out in the field, Sheba followed. We walked among the sheep, I stopped to pet and praise Sheba. I told her she had to protect the ewes and babies and just kept a conversation going as we walked along. She got tummy rubs, ear scrubs and tons of praise. Finally I put up the palm of my hand in the “stop” position and told her to go to work. I walked away. I didn’t look back until I got to the gate, Sheba was still there.

Sheba is on watch. You might have to expand the picture, she is laying under the tree on the right. Same one she chased vultures out of. Sheep are scattered across the front, Sheba is at work. I’m so proud of her!

Not only that, but I went in and out, dragging horse panels in that field with the mule. Sheba ignored me, making no effort to come see what I was doing or go out the gate. What a good girl!

 

[Baymule]

Lambing has concluded. 32 lambs born, one dead, 31 live lambs. Sheba has been a Champion. Her laid back attitude has been reassurance to the ewes. I haven’t seen a ewe stomp her foot one time at Sheba for getting too close to their lambs. Ewes are completely at ease with her.

Ewes trust Sheba, even to the point of her slowly approaching to sniff newborns, then she turns away.

I’ve never seen lambs snuggle up to one of my dogs, unless it’s a bottle baby tormenting Carson. But they trust Sheba.

Sheba saw Tiny giving birth and guarded her.

Very slowly and respectfully, Sheba approached. Notice the lowered tail and head, a non threatening posture.

Sheba checked out the baby.

She backed away and watched from a distance. Tiny delivered triplets.

Sheba misses her buddies so every day I take her across the driveway to the middle field for play time and to eat. She lets me know it’s time by laying down at the gate. I ask her, “Are you ready to play with the boys?” I get an intense stare and a Rooo. I take her to the middle field where the boys are waiting. I feed them, sit with them a while and Sheba and Buford run and play.

When play time is over, I tell Sheba it’s time to watch the babies, gotta take care of the babies and she’s ready. She takes her responsibility seriously.

What a good girl!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sheba is awesome! You get some of the credit too, lol. You brought out her best side.