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Our Dogs
Our dogs play a very
important part in both our private and professional lives, they are all Border
Collies and come from a wide range of different homes, ranging from profession
breeders in France to a working sheep farmsin Wales, cattle farm in Shropshire
and horse farm in Devon. They all have totally
different characters and, likes and dislikes. The dogs not
only provide good company for us, but also take an active part in conditioning
the llamas and ensuring that they are quite comfortable with dogs being
around them and any cria they may have at foot. The dogs are also used for
training trekking llamas so that they are also quite comfortable with a pack of
dogs running around without spooking them.
Hobbit
Hobbit came from a
cattle farm in Shropshire and is the new pack Alpha male (unless Max can
change the order of things). Best
buddies and playmate of Trim, Hobbit is a bit of a loner most of the time but
really comes to life when I decide to kick a ball or throw a toy, he will
happily play and run all day long. Hobbit is now getting used to the
attention he gets from Rollo who seems to enjoy just jumping on him and trying
to steal any toys that Hobbit happens to be playing with.
Trim
Trim was a
professionally trained working sheep dog and rescued from a farm in Wales where she was tied to a chair with a metal
chain and beaten regularly, after the farmer was rushed to hospital with a failing liver
(caused by whisky), we bought her home with us and eventually paid the farmer
for her so we could keep her. Trim is quite nervous of other people and would
not come near Mike for almost 6 months. However time heals and she is now a
lovely and affectionate dog and has an amazing turn of speed. None of the
other dogs can keep up with her and she can just run and run all day long.
Trim loves to go outside and beat up Hobbit until he plays with her, she can
often be seen dragging him along the ground by his ruff until he retaliates and then the game really
starts. Trim is also the main focus of attention for Max and Rollo who
seem to spend much of their time outside trying to get her to play with them.
Max
Max is a lovely
character and came from an amateur breeder in France. He is extremely
affectionate, very mischievous and has an abundance of energy. When Danny
died Max was devastated and spent most of him time simply searching for his
absent best friend or laying down in all the places that Danny used to lay.
With the introduction of Rollo into the pack, Max has regained his zest for
life, has a new best friend and a dog with the same levels of energy. Max
will shortly be undergoing professional training to become a working sheep dog.
Rollo
Rollo is the new
kid on the block, Max's new best friend and playmate and likes nothing better
than chasing Max all over the farm. Rollo has also now become totally
obsessed with little Tosca the new cria and spends as much time as possible
either in the field with him or standing at the fence line watching him. Rollo will shortly be undergoing professional training
to become a working
sheep dog.
Always in our
hearts and never ever forgotten
Tigger
Tigger was out
first dog and became the natural leader of the pack as other dogs came along.
He was a man's dog and best friend, always at Mike's side where ever he went.
Tigger never played with the other dogs but they all played with him. He
was the most loyal and loving dogs you could ever meat. Tigger suffered
with severe epilepsy for 10 years of his life and unfortunately the drugs that
controlled the severity of his fits eventually cause a massive tumour in his
liver. Tigger sadly had to be put to sleep at 12
years of age.
Merlin
Merlin was the wise
old man of the pack, the leader, the thinker and the most adventurous of all our
dogs. Merlin absolutely adored being with the llamas and sheep, whenever
we have lambing, Merlin had to be there, they were his babies and he wanted to
help clean and protect them. Merlin was the one that we used most of
the time when we introduced new llamas to dogs for the first time, he was totally trustworthy, gentle
and at ease with them. Unfortunately in February 2009, Merlin was
diagnosed as having an extremely aggressive cancerous tumour on his back leg and
given 1 month to live. However, being Merlin, he decided to ignore the
diagnosis and only succumbed 14 months later when he went downhill rapidly and
we had to have him put to sleep. Merlin was 14 years old.
Danny
Danny came to us when he was
18 months old and after a fraught period of settling in with the other 5 dogs,
he stole our hearts and became a very loving dogs who loved to accompany Mike
whenever he was out working in the fields. Danny was Max's best friend and
they used to play together constantly. Unfortunately, Danny became very ill
quite suddenly and
was diagnosed as having Acute Leukaemia, within 5 days he had to be put to
sleep. Danny was 2 years old.
Oscar
Oscar was our gentle giant,
he was a very broad dog but comes from working stock in Devon. Oscar loved
the company of children and just plodding round the garden. He was so
obedient that he would
sit in front of the sheep and if he was told to stay, will allow the sheep
to jump over him!!! Oscar was 13 years old.
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