Border collies have helped me lamb four or five times, it was always with Rose, who was an extraordinary working dog. She woke up in the night when she heard the cry of a lamb in the pasture by coming to the side of my bed and barking or nipping at my hand. She saved many lambs that way in mid-winter. This is the first time Maria and I have lambed together, and it is the first time I’ve lambed with Red.
My approach is to bring the dog in on every single part of the experience beginning with the vet coming to check on our ewes and make sure everybody is expecting, is healthy and that we are ready, with the proper pens and medicines, syringes and other equipment. Red came into the Pole Barn and held the sheep in place while we examined each one individually.
Red’s discipline and focus is superior to any dog I have known, I don’t know if he will be as intuitive as Rose about sending what was going on in the pasture. Starting tonight, Maria and I (and Red) will be doing checks on the ewes three or four times a day and early in the morning.
I so love working with dogs on real life things like lamb, it is the most beautiful thing to see how they sense what is going on, pick it up and move in to help. I’ve been around the carriage horse people a lot lately, and I see how they love working with their horses. I feel that way around dogs, especially border collies. Red began his lambing experience this morning, and as usual, he handled it beautifully, kept order. I want him to be present for every part of this, just as Rose was.
