Catching up continued!

Hello again between lambings!   I started out lambing this year somewhat sleep deprived due to the arrival of Miss Hanna Mae a charming English Shepherd puppy.   SaraJane our current farm dog is doubtful about the charming part,  After a few squabbles Sara has realized that:   A. the puppy is here to stay and B.  She might as well step in and start training her properly.  This includes guarding the farm from marauding flocks of avians,  keeping the barn cats in line, washing sheep faces and being underfoot. 

Hanna has stepped into the role of ingenue farm dog with grace and her own distinctive style.  She naps in the barn in a feeder she has claimed as her own.  The chickens are to be herded gently to bed as dusk falls and the cats, well they ARE cats after all.  Cats have to be reminded WHO is in charge.  Fortunately the cats have a sense of humor and let her think that she has the upper hand. 

She and Sara did have one misunderstanding regarding possession of a treasure early on.  She didn't move quite fast enough and Sara nipped her.  Since this little nip involved an eyelid Hanna got to meet her personal physician, Dr. Kris.  She neatly applied three tiny stitches and sent her home in a lovely dress.  Sara was dismayed to hear how long her allowance would be docked but she couldn't help be amused by the little urchin's attire.   A slow wag and a big doggie grin but she didn't laugh out loud. 

When I go off to work each weekday the puppy hangs out with big sister on the back porch.  They both help George with all the stuff he does in the shop and around the farm.  

I had hoped that by gaining a new puppy to housetrain before lambing would get me geared up for all the running back and forth to the barn at all hours.  Unfortunately sleep deprivation doesn't quite work that way!   It has been a challenge and there are times when you wonder how one conveys to a puppy how grand it is that she barks when she has to out.  Now if we could just get the bark, "Let me out" request to happen BEFORE the incident!    One step at a time.......