Day: September 25, 2017

This is another of those photos I never expected to take, Fate, Red and Gus working together to move the sheep from the pole barn into the side pasture.

I want to be clear about one thing – Gus is not a herding dog, he does not have the drive, stamina, power, speed or instincts of the border collies.

But he is very fast, and very confident, and he watches the border collies carefully. He wants to join in, to  do what they do, and whatever his intentions (anybody who tells you he knows the interior intentions of a dog is probably faking it), it is pretty amazing to see. I am sure enjoying sharing it.

Gus is not afraid of the sheep, and when they run towards him, he sits still and they move around him.

He seems to have grasped the border collie flanking moves, he goes to one side, Fate or Red go to the other. In this case, it was Red driving the sheep down the hill to the pasture, Fate sitting to the side, perhaps (hopefully) to keep them from bolting in that direction, Gus sat on the right and watched Red and so the sheep stayed right in the middle.

They ran down the hill and into the pasture, and then Fate and Gus joined in with Red and the three of them followed. I think Gus wants to be a working dog and is taking lessons from Red, a master, and Fate, a joyous chaser of sheep.

This is quite an eclectic group of dogs we have out here working on the farm, I’m thinking of trying this at our Open House on Columbus Day weekend. We thought Gus might be a circus dog, but he is definitely a farm dog.

I love seeing things I never expected to see and doing things I never expected to do. Dogs are like people in one way, they fill the space given them, and rise to the expectations of the people who love them. I love giving dogs the lives of dogs, even if it means a dog no bigger than a rabbit can work with border collies in a wide pasture.

I was on the train to New York City yesterday to see my granddaughter Robin and my daughter Emma when a man came up to me and asked if I wasn’t Jon Katz, the author. I cant say this happens all the time, but it does happen some of the time.

“I’ve read  your books,” he said, and I smiled back, but “I wanted to tel you how much I love your blog Gus, your Boston Terrier, especially when he sits on the donkeys. What a great way to start my day, I wanted to thank you for me. Something about that little guy inspires me.”

I wasn’t expecting that on Amtrak, but Jerry is a faithful blog reader, he lives in New York City and has a political job in Albany. He says his mother, who lives in South Carolina is also a blog reader who adores Gus. Often, I am the last to know when something about the farm touches people.

Gus touches people, especially when he sits up on Lulu or Fanny’s back.

We wanted Gut to be a farm dog, not a toy dog, and that is what he is, he is no furbaby.

Gus seems to have no limits in his head about his ability to navigate the farm, hang out with donkeys, stand down a flock of sheep. So we’re not going to put any limits in his head either.

Small dogs do not have to have small lives. Gus loves to sit in our laps, but he loves even more to run with Fate and Red as they work with the sheep. I try to be practical, but I don’t want me or my dogs to live in fear.

I remember every morning putting up a video of Simon the donkeys “Call To Life,” it inspired people as they got up in the morning and went off to work. I think Gus is having the same affect, so I want to keep at it, inspiring people is the point for me, and also sometimes making them laugh or think.

This morning, Lulu and Fanny took up their positions astride the hill overlooking the farm. We hoisted Gus up there – he can’t jump quite that high yet – and he and the donkeys looked quite regal there, soaking up the sun and taking in the sights and sounds.

Good morning from Gus.