Shannon Brook Farm Newsletter

February 2, 2013

This past week has been busy in part due to the cold. As the livestock guardian dogs would tell you, its a rough world out there. We know that they work through the wee hours because we wake to hear them barking non-stop. When we first got the dogs we fretted when we heard them at night as they were just puppies learning the ropes. Now we worry if we dont hear their alarming barks reassuring us that they are protecting their flock. One morning this week I went out to feed the sheep and dogs and noticed that Frankie, our white dog with the black ears looked particularly tired. She had pulled an all-nighter and could hardly keep her eyes open. Johnnie, her runt of a sister who is usually self-absorbed, showed her concern for Frankie by sitting down next to her sister, placing her arm around her. Frankie appreciated the concern, kissed Johnnie and laid down to sleep. In her exhausted state she didnt even have the energy to prepare her usual bed of hay. Looking forward to a slightly warmer week that will give the sheep and dogs a bit of a break and make feeding and watering around the farm easier on the humans!