So we purchased a puppy a year and a half ago. She is a guardian and her job is to watch over our flock of chickens as well as our boys/family.
We have trained her and trained her…she no longer squashes chickens under her great feet, nor does she chase them for fun (she might still be sneaking in and eating eggs…sigh). But, really, we haven’t known if she has figured out her job yet, her purpose.
Sure, she wants to be with the family constantly but, she is a guardian. She comes from impressive ancestors and her current family wanders great ranges in Northern Montana protecting livestock from big predators… does she know this? The answer came just a week ago.
We have a really sweet old chicken that we call Old Biddy. At this point Old Biddy just barely makes it out of the coop. She plops herself down in the sun somewhere out of the wind and watches the day pass her by. She doesn’t move unless she needs to eat a little or gulp down some water.
Now, as you can imagine, someone might notice this after awhile…some hungry predator someone. Hmmm… So the story continues with my husband standing out on the patio talking to a friend and watching a huge redtail hawk gliding through the sky and when, SWWOOOSH, that hawk is dive bombing Old Biddy!!! She lifted Old Biddy into the air with her talons when out of nowhere, toot tooraloo! leaps our huge guardian Clover into the air clawing after the hawk.
She was able to startle the hawk into dropping Old Biddy back to the earth (luckily not at any great height) and, empty taloned, flying away. Clover then lay down next to Old Biddy for the rest of the day making sure she stayed safe and on the ground. The next day, I captured a couple of photos of the moment that Clover was checking in again with Old Biddy. Oh the joy! Clover has grown into her job, protecting her flock! She has found her purpose!
