***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[mjgigax]

Talk about scaring the pjeezes out of the birds in the yard. Bringing an ostrich into the flock would definitely put my two geese in their place... Toulous and Sophia would would either coward or be in cahoots with an ostrich...

Poultry drama

 

[mjgigax]

My girls are so devastated right now I am afraid to try to incubate again, but if I can get down there maybe I could. Where in Newcastle is the auction?

The auctions may not have any hatching eggs at this time of the year. So many birds aren't laying this time of year.

 

[mjgigax]

Here's a little story I posted elsewhere, just for the heck of it. True story of my own dog and the struggles I went through with her.


As some BYCers know, I already had a dog. She was stubborn as heck and spastic, a butthead at heart. I got her from my mom's friend when they rescued a dog who turned out to be pregnant. My parents agreed to let me take one of the puppies. But I didn't get a choice. I was given Sadie, even though I wanted the pup whom had the better personality. Unfortunately for me (and eventually everyone else!) he was promised to a family who had a toddler and a baby on the way. Bad idea. But, for the puppy, it was either me... Or the animal shelter. And I couldn't let that happen to such an innocent creature. The potential that someone's insolence could take her life hung over me and I decided to take her. I only wanted the best for that darned pup!

So I took the puppy, and named her Sadie. Well, Sadie never did like me. She liked being spoiled rotten, no rules to live by. Which meant she liked my little sister and my dad better. My parents knew I was pretty torn up about this, but they never said much. As I soon found out, it was because they were waiting for me to find the dog I really wanted.

A month after my birthday, and after a full year of basically owning a dog that didn't like me and I didn't like, I joined a shelter group. And on my first day, I met Boots. She was a smooth collie-smooth fox terrier-husky mix. They knew that because she was surrendered to the shelter and her records said she was sired by a collie terrier and her mom was a husky.

I swear I instantly fell in love with that dog. I was her handler for the day, and in that time, I learned all about her. I learned that she is extremely good with kids. A family looking for a dog asked me about her, and as I talked, the little toddlers were literally sitting on Boots, playing with her ears and other things that a dog would normally hate. Boots never moved, she just laid there and watched the little kids. Luckily for me, the family didn't want her after all.

But I did, oh-ho-ho, did I ever want her. She was the most amazing dog I'd ever met. When my dad came to pick me up, I told him all about the dog. He met her and liked her. On the way home, he just blurted out of the blue: "Would you want to adopt Boots?"

Three days after discussing it with Boots' foster, my parents, the kids, and making preparations... I adopted her. The fact that she was a completely stable dog was amazing.

But little did I know of the problems she did have...

The next day I learned she wasn't housebroken. After a year of being an outdoor dog, she didn't understand what was expected of her, that she needed to go outdoors to do her business. It took me two months to finally break her of doing her pooing indoors. But I couldn't seem to get her peeing under control.

I consulted with my veterinarian. At first I thought it was some health issue. But there was nothing wrong with her. We concluded that it was a mix of submission urination and territorial marking. Marking made sense, because Boots had a problem with other dogs outside her family pack.

Well, my family, for my sake, put up with her peeing. But I felt that it wasn't fair to them to have to put up with it while I was at volunteering, and when I was out. And I myself had tried to solve it, asked trainers, vets... Nothing worked. So I made the hard decision to return her to the shelter group from where she'd come.

Of course I was crying my eyes out as she confusedly looked at me as I took her with me that day I put her up for adoption. It burned me deep inside. I hated it. And no one wanted to adopt her.

I hated feeling like I couldn't stay attached to her since she was no longer really mine. My whole knew the situation depressed me. One day my mom took me aside and told me everyone wanted me to keep her. The kids, as I learned, had all broke down in sobs on the day I took her to be adopted. They were willing to work with it.

After setting up a knew set of rules and enjoying numerous "pack walks" with me, her, and Miska, I finally learned just what it was I needed to do. Spirits uplifted, I instantly worked out a plan for keeping my dog. I knew what I needed to do, at long last. With firm new rules and a firm new relationship with the dog I could have sworn I'd never see again, I felt confident in myself. I pulled her from the rescue a few days later, declaring to keep her forever.

And there have been no problems since. And to this day, no matter the weather, I always go out on a "pack walk" just me and Miska and Boots. And since Boots was practically a "new dog" now that her problems were gone, I decided on a new name for her, since I really couldn't stand her one syllable name.

After some looking around, I decided on "Suka", which is Inuit for "fast". And boy is she fast! Suka was a quick learner, and I taught her many things. I always thought people taught dogs things. But Suka also taught me things. She taught me that free-feeding dogs is bad. She taught me that pack walks really work to help a bond. She taught me what a true bond is, and how it can affect you. She taught me not to give up... And she taught me what love a dog can show a person...

That crazy dog and I, we share a relationship I never thought possible. I still have that stinker! She is stubborn, still. But I keep on top of her.

If you made it through this post, thank you for reading it. I hope it was worth your time.

Wonderful writing! My dog is part husky too and he is wonderful. I think If you work with husky mixes, interact with them a lot, they are great. They really like being in a "pack". and are smart.

 

[mjgigax]

A couple of close ups

One of these things is not like the others - great pictures everyone.

 

[mjgigax]

Dusti...so sorry you are under the weather and can't go pick up birds at Newcastle..hope those antibiotics kick in soon.

Thought I'd post a few pictures....maybe picture heavy...
Norman and his mother.


Reminders of the last ice storm

REALLY love these

 

[muesky]

Poultry drama

In my yard that is a constant state of affairs...

 

[muesky]

Well it looks to be a pretty fun day, despite of the weather going

. I think we have a home for the last kitten, Egg and there is the auction today, which is awesome!!! It has been so long since I have been to one!!!! We decided to post an ad on craigslist for the cochin pullets and cockerals. I also have a bourbon red turkey tom that I am going to sell because he does not have the right coloring on his tail, but he sure is a hugh bird...
Hope to get to see some BYC folks at the auction...

 

[Kyzmette]

Let me know if you see any Minorcas or Spanish at the auction!

 

[frogwoodforest]

Quote: How do you handle them???? I have two cardigans and they get along great but they DEMAND a lot of attention. They even get jealous of the mules and chickens! I envy you I would love to have four!

 

[Ksane]

Haven't changed my mind, they both are still yours if you want them.  He is one of yours, not the sister.  Same here, they aren't in the way, and I'm not much of a winter type gal.

He's getting even prettier! Seriously, those boys are gorgeous. I knew they would be, Oreo was such a handsome dude