Poor Poor Doughnut

So, I had several request for the pictures of poor doughnut.....


Here they are, they really don't show quite how bad he looks in real life, but the other sheep pick on him. Beside Doughnut in the 2nd picture, with the brown head and one spot is Polka Dot, she is a lamb ewe born this year, when I say she is huge you can now see I'm not lying!























I also wanted to add a picture of my Jen, she is the topic of most of my blogs as she is my only working dog......so here she is watching a sheep dog trial back in April. My mom has to be credited for this nice photo of her.













I need to get some pictures of the rest of the gang!! I'll try to do that this weekend.

The adventures of Doughnut

Last week I needed to do something with at least one of the several sheep who aren’t shedding well. They are getting really hot when being worked and their hair doesn’t seem to be coming out at all…..

So Jen got to do some practical work. Holding sheep isn’t her favorite thing, it’s boring to her and sometimes she feels the need to bust in and make work for herself. So it’s good for her to have something like this to do. I got out the horse body clippers and decided to attempt to shear some sheep. I had Jen push all the sheep into the corner where the “sheep hotel” is, which is basically a small wooden sheep house with a gate on it. And sorted off the ones who appear to be shedding and locked them in the hotel. I wasn’t sure if it would work and if it did how long it would take me per sheep. So I had her push the other non-shedders back to me and grabbed and haltered Doughnut.

Poor Doughnut, his name has been changed, he used to be Sammie, but Tucker (who named all the sheep) decided that he was more of a doughnut after he came home from Liberty. He was the poor lamb that was the chosen one for my experiment…it was definitely an experiment. While I am an expert body clipper, not so much on the shearing side with horse clippers and don’t you know every neighbor stopped by just to say hi that afternoon. It was hot, I was dripping sweat and constantly reminding Jen to lie down, but me being me was determined I was going to make this work and I was going to get Doughnut sheared. Well he is kind of sheared; not nearly as short as what I saw when I was at Julie’s during shearing time. But he at least has shorter hair now…Well except his head and neck.

Tucker says the other sheep call Doughnut names now, the clippers were too big to be able to clip his tiny neck and head, so he has a full coat there. I really should get a picture of him but it might be too embarrassing for him and then the other sheep might really pick on him. What they don’t know is that as soon as it stops raining they are all in for the same experience, except maybe this time with hand shears. But I can’t promise any of them that they are going to look any better!!

6 things

Since, Laura at crooksandcrazies is determined to get me to post, I will participate in the 6 things I appreciate blog chain......

1. My supportive family - not only of my new endeavor into the world of border collies and sheep but also of all the other things that keep my plate full....especially Tucker!

2. Tucker - what would my life be without him, I hate to say it but I would probably be in a different place and a totally different person with out him.

3. Dogs - What can beat coming home to 4 dogs who no matter what are happy to see you. Especially Jen, she is my sidekick and is happy to go anywhere with me and do anything even if it doesn't include sheep. And for Jen, I have to say that as much as it took for us to get used to each other, I love this dog dearly, there isn't anything that I would give her up for....

4. Hearing animals munching hay - this is my relaxation, I used to just sit in the barns in the morning after feeding and listen to horses eating. I have now come to realize that sheep have that same calming effect, well except Bridgette since she just wants to go Baaaaaaaaa if she see's me.

5. Friends - Yes I know I have OCD, yes I know I second guess myself even when I have a background of being a vet tech and I KNOW the right answer. Thanks for all of you that put up with me from the horses to the dogs...I KNOW!!!

6. Ben - I know he drives me insane from time to time and he just doesn't quite get that I want things done my way not his, but he is great....from bringing hay in the pouring rain to picking up Tucker from school when I can't, I think I need to tell him thank you more often.

So there, I made 2 people happy today by updating my blog!! I had fun at the trial yesterday as well...Maybe ONE day I will get to participate in a trial as well. Jen will take some time, in the meantime I'll keep praying for a dog that needs to retire from open to come teach me the ropes! Otherwise I'll just keep waiting on my Jennie Minnie!