Farm Fresh Blog

Wednesday, March 02 2011

Briar was a Very Bad Big White Gorilla yesterday. She has developed a habit of hopping into G'Ma's yard, going through the chicken yard, and hopping the fence to get off the property and threaten neighbors who drive up in their own yards, and garbage men.

As we sat at the table yesterday, we watched Briar scale two fences to race across G'Ma's yard and terrorize some poor garbage man who bravely defended himself with a trash can. It wasn't pretty. Other Half almost choked on his cereal. He advised me that if we cannot control Briar, we will have to consider getting rid of her. (Like THAT's gonna happen! Not in this lifetime!)

Fortunately for Briar, she is Mommy's dog, and Mommy doesn't dump problem dogs, Mommy fixes the problem. Unfortunately for Briar, Mommy fixes the problem.

Briar and electricity have a history together. It was short. It was ugly. But Mommy will spend the next few mornings hammering insulators along the lamb paddock and G'Ma's yard. Briar is about to meet electricity somewhere other than the goat paddock.

Until then, Briar will have to live in her escape-proof pens and on a cable in the lamb paddock. She will not be a happy gorilla. But the neighbor who called at 10:30 PM to inform me that Briar wouldn't let him into his house will. And so will the garbage man.

Sigh . . . life on a farm . . .

Posted by: forensicfarmgirl AT 09:28 am | Permalink | 5 Comments | Email

Comments:

As Roseanne Roseanadana says, "It's always something!"

Posted by Lynn on 03/02/2011 - 02:51 PM

I LOVED Roseanne Roseanadana! What a blast from the past! And yes, Roseanne Roseanadana is RIGHT - "It's always something!" But I would not consider getting rid of Briar! We will just have to work through this problem. It's just a bump (major pothole!)in the road along her career as a Livestock Guardian Dog.

Posted by forensicfarmgirl on 03/02/2011 - 03:47 PM

I have been told a couple of ways to make this even more effective are to wet down her chest and to give her a temporary collar of chain which hangs down about 18". She will hate being shocked but she will learn to stay off of the fences (especially if they are flagged) and she can remain where she wants to be - with you and the sheep.

Posted by CarolG. on 03/02/2011 - 05:04 PM

Ahh yes the biting fence. My Blossom was big on the escape route. As was her aunt Mym. They both learned about cow kicker fences. It bought back memorieeees and a giggle. Are they not amazing the way the go over fences like a bl###dy great bear.

Posted by Liz on 03/03/2011 - 12:33 AM

Yes, they ARE amazing. Fences don't even slow her down if she's after something. At the moment, she is sulking on a cable where she can supervise the sheep. The trash man came and went without incident this morning. Hopefully I'll have all the electric fence finished by this weekend and we'll be able to turn her loose again.

Posted by forensicfarmgirl on 03/03/2011 - 11:15 AM