susanne
dB
After having four or five dogs at any given time over the last 12 years, we were down to just one (Billie Holiday, our Maltese), and the faux farm was getting too quiet. In one day, we went from quiet to riot! Meet our newest addition: Norah Jones, a ten-week-old 7/8 Pyrenees, 1/8 Maremma puppy. (As a jazz die-hard, I shouldn't give Norah Jones equal billing with Billie Holiday, but in our household, they get along just fine.)
From her first day here (a week ago Sunday), Norah has been friends with all of our animals except for one: Santana, one of our cats. Santana believes in first proving to any and all dogs that HE is king of the faux farm jungle and not to be messed with. Even he is coming around quickly -- I'm sure due in part to visions of sleeping on top of that lush Pyrenees pelt...
As for the rest of the gang, it was love at first sight. We wanted to be sure that tiny Billie established her place in the hierarchy (top dog) immediately while Norah was still small (okay...relatively small!), which so far is working well. The first time we took Norah into the yard, the horses DEMANDED an introduction. Norah agreed and ran to the gate, immediately giving sweet muzzle kisses as Mingus and Scarlett each reciprocated. Flash wanted in on the fun, but Mingus and Scarlett decided she was theirs and made him wait his turn. Now, every time we head outdoors, Norah runs to the gate as the horses put their heads down to her level. Norah and Billie share a pillow for naps, and Willoughby, our other cat, immediately welcomed her -- at least as long as Norah remembers that Willoughby's tail is not a chew toy!
While Norah's parents are both working dogs (goats and cattle), she will be only on light LGD duty -- part LGD, part general farm dog. She is too small at this point to run with the "big" boys and girl, but we plan to create an escape hatch in the corral fence so that she can be with them yet get away if they play too rough or start running. Since we have all three horses in one corral now (we had Flash gelded in October), we let Norah play in the empty small corral and run-in shelter when we work outside so that she can observe the horses and chickens and get the outdoor time she craves. (So far she shows no desire to chase or bark at the chickens...)
She is a sweet, smart, not-so-little puppy, very quick and willing to learn, yet at the same time showing that Pyrenees stubborn independence. She already knows her name and basic commands -- come, off and leave it -- although "knowing" and "doing" are two entirely different things. Keith is a big softy, but I keep reminding him that what is cute with a puppy will NOT be cute with a 100+ lb. adult.
As is the case with all of our animals (and my husband), Norah already has a number of nicknames, each to suit the occasion.
Norah
Adorah
Ignorah
Explorah
Snorah
...and the list goes on!
Here are some very poor photos of Norah with Keith and Billie. She is growing so fast (she is already much bigger than in these photos), we won't have many more "hold" photos.
From her first day here (a week ago Sunday), Norah has been friends with all of our animals except for one: Santana, one of our cats. Santana believes in first proving to any and all dogs that HE is king of the faux farm jungle and not to be messed with. Even he is coming around quickly -- I'm sure due in part to visions of sleeping on top of that lush Pyrenees pelt...
As for the rest of the gang, it was love at first sight. We wanted to be sure that tiny Billie established her place in the hierarchy (top dog) immediately while Norah was still small (okay...relatively small!), which so far is working well. The first time we took Norah into the yard, the horses DEMANDED an introduction. Norah agreed and ran to the gate, immediately giving sweet muzzle kisses as Mingus and Scarlett each reciprocated. Flash wanted in on the fun, but Mingus and Scarlett decided she was theirs and made him wait his turn. Now, every time we head outdoors, Norah runs to the gate as the horses put their heads down to her level. Norah and Billie share a pillow for naps, and Willoughby, our other cat, immediately welcomed her -- at least as long as Norah remembers that Willoughby's tail is not a chew toy!
While Norah's parents are both working dogs (goats and cattle), she will be only on light LGD duty -- part LGD, part general farm dog. She is too small at this point to run with the "big" boys and girl, but we plan to create an escape hatch in the corral fence so that she can be with them yet get away if they play too rough or start running. Since we have all three horses in one corral now (we had Flash gelded in October), we let Norah play in the empty small corral and run-in shelter when we work outside so that she can observe the horses and chickens and get the outdoor time she craves. (So far she shows no desire to chase or bark at the chickens...)
She is a sweet, smart, not-so-little puppy, very quick and willing to learn, yet at the same time showing that Pyrenees stubborn independence. She already knows her name and basic commands -- come, off and leave it -- although "knowing" and "doing" are two entirely different things. Keith is a big softy, but I keep reminding him that what is cute with a puppy will NOT be cute with a 100+ lb. adult.
As is the case with all of our animals (and my husband), Norah already has a number of nicknames, each to suit the occasion.
Norah
Adorah
Ignorah
Explorah
Snorah
...and the list goes on!
Here are some very poor photos of Norah with Keith and Billie. She is growing so fast (she is already much bigger than in these photos), we won't have many more "hold" photos.
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