Livestock

Such a beautiful day.  I wish it was like this every day.  Took the opportunity to spend a few hours with my son's pony Thunder.  A very grand name for a very small pony.  We took Elsa, it was a good opportunity to get her accustomed to livestock.  She did not think much of the cockerals or the hens, most of whom dwarfed her and will for another few weeks.  They were just a little scary : ). 

The ponies she did not mind, which is good.  She only saw the sheep at a distance but this is a good start.  Introducing dogs to livestock when they are young is so much easier.  They are not big enough to do any damage and if you set the boundaries now and get them used to other animals they will soon lose their curiosity for them.   Other animals will  just become a routine part of their everyday life and many become friends.   If an adult dog who has not been taught these boundaries gets loose amongst livestock, it can have devastating results.  An adult dog that has not been de-sensitized to livestock must be kept under such strict control, walks in the countryside can lose some of their enjoyment ( your dog must always be kept on a leash when in the presence of livestock) .

Train your dog to be obedient around other animals and you will reap years of enjoyment from your walks and always be welcomed wherever you go.