Our Farm Dogs

Joey

Joey was our first dog. We got him during our first year as farmers, but we didn't exactly know what to do with him. Joey is quite large, weighs over a hundred pounds, and is a crossbreed. To our knowledge, he is a mix of Great Pyrenees, Labrador, and Hound. We see traits of all three breeds in him, but the hound in him is the strongest. Before we really understood him, we thought Joey could be our sheepdog; he ended up chasing the sheep until they collapsed out of exhaustion. We thought he could run free around the property, be a normal farm dog like you see in movies and cartoons, but he disappeared into neighbouring woods to chase deer. We thought he could sleep in the barn and get used to the farm animals; he killed some chickens instead. Joey can't help it. His instincts are too hound-like.

We got him a big do house and let him live outside the barn. We also got some extended leash-like things that allow him to run around within a fixed perimeter. Joey is our guard dog. I've heard that some dogs will invent jobs for themselves if their owners don't give them one. Joey has done that for himself and is always trying to protect us from the cows who live on the other side of the fence. Although we've managed to work something out for Joey on the farm, he is still a mystery to us in many ways. When I look into his chocolate brown eyes, I cannot tell if he is happy or regrets coming to live with us. What I do know is that we don't deserve him.

    

Aikiz

Aikiz. She is the best-behaved pup among her sisters. Aikiz is very loyal, quick to understand moods, easily reads emotions, and eager to please her humans. She was the first one who learned to sit, stay, and come, on command. Aikiz can be bossy with her sisters, which sometimes works in our favour, especially when they are too excited. Aikiz loves going on walks and being around her humans. She enjoys being hugged, kissed, and sung to. Her favourite song is Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.

Ayla

We got Ayla the same day we got Aikiz. I was writing a test and did not know until I got in the car to go home. The pups looked so sad, cute, and fluffy all at the same instant that they won my heart right away. Their baby picture will win yours as well.

Aikiz and Ayla

Ayla followed Aikiz everywhere and the two did everything together. We tried to train her, but she would just flop down on our boots and ask for belly rubs. There was no way we could be cross with her if she didn't listen because she would just crawl up to us and give us kisses. Ayla was a real sweetheart, but she did not live with us for long because she was too gentle and sweet-natured. We weren't sure that she would be able to fight off predators, so we got another dog from the same litter (Happy) and sold Ayla. I hope she is happy and loved in her new home.

Happy

Happy looked very much like Ayla as a puppy, but her personality is the exact opposite. Happy is very outgoing, easily excitable, and very physical when showing her happiness and affection. She bounces as if she's got springs in her legs and no amount of training can make her sit for the first few minutes of her wild delight at seeing her humans. Although Aikiz bosses her around most of the time, sometimes Happy growls right back and starts arguments instead of settling down. Happy is a wild spirit, she loves running in the fields and eating things she shouldn't, and is not so great with the sheep. Happy thinks she can get out of trouble by wagging her tail and smiling at her humans. Sometimes she tries different tactics and faces the wall, whines, or makes sad faces. Happy prefers to follow her humans around when they're doing chores rather than eat her breakfast. She's not fond of the camera.

Together, the three dogs do a good job of keeping all sorts of intruders away from the farm. Most importantly, they bring us joy every single day, help us learn about connecting with animals, and teach us that the best life is the one lived in the moment.

Ellen Hamilton 💖