Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[Southern by choice]

It's good you're going to use caution with your new LGd but remember expect success expect her to stay expect her to be good with sheep expect her to love it what you conveyed to her she will feed off of give her the support she's going to need
Thank her for being there thank her for taking care of your sheep tell her what a great dog she is
These dogs are different
Never ever expect failure
You may think I'm nuts but when you get her there look in her eyes and tell her how much you want her there and helping for you are so happy to have her as your partner

Keep everything super positive do not let any negative apprehension even in your mind or she will pick up on it

 

[Mike CHS]

We are very optimistic. When we went to meet her the owner said don't expect her to come to you. About the time he said that she was right in front of Teresa and then me. Almost like she knew something was going on but not what. We will give her whatever she needs to succeed. I'm not really worried about her with the sheep since she is so gentle with them. I just don't want to get her looking for her old home before she is comfortable here. Our sheep are amazingly settling in but they have been worked by us for almost 6 months so for them nothing has changed.

 

[Southern by choice]

I speak to all my dogs this way. I expect greatness.
Some really do think I'm nuts ...until... they either practice it themselves or see it for themselves. They are really that smart and really that perceptive.

I do hope you post lots of pictures!

 

[Mike CHS]

I don't think it's nuts at all. We talk to our dogs like our kids only they mind better.

 

[Southern by choice]

LOL I don't talk to them like kids, but more like an adult partner.

 

[Mike CHS]

I'm being silly now but I had to go out and check them one last time. They are bedded down where I hoped they would. I was telling Teresa yesterday that we have spent almost 4 years getting to today.

 

[Southern by choice]

Not silly at all!

 

[CntryBoy777]

Don't feel Alone there @Mike CHS ....there are many out here that Talk to our animals!!....and when we get new ones and put them in a new surroundings and pens...I get to checking on them just as you describe....partly because of concern for their Safety....and partly because ya just gotta make Sure you are not Dreaming!!!

 

[Baymule]

I'm being silly now but I had to go out and check them one last time. They are bedded down where I hoped they would. I was telling Teresa yesterday that we have spent almost 4 years getting to today.

Not silly at all. I checked on ours every night before we went to bed. I have settled down a lot and realized they are fine. We still check on them at night, just not every night. It took us 5 years to get to where we are now.

Are your ewes bred to a Katahdin ram? Will you get a Katahdin or Dorper ram? I love the splotchy colors of the Dorper/Katahdin cross sheep.

 

[Mike CHS]

They are all bred to a Katahdin ram and we are also leaning toward going with a Katahdin next summer. They all have some Barbados back a few generations and they are fairly flighty when the dogs are around. We go to get our LGD tomorrow so we will see if they stay settled down. They don't care for the hay we have for them (a mixed grass) but would pig out on alfalfa if I let them have more of it.