Here is Sarabi doing what she was so great at, raising babies. You can see she was the best no matter if they were her kids or baby deer. Both fawns are Faylene, our first deer ever. They were very close and Faylene's first year to have her own fawns she relyed on Sarabi for support. An amazing relationship that lasted for many years. The middle photo is with her own kids and the little black doeling that is on her leg was Nala. What a proud mamma she was.
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The Guardians of Milk Maid Ranch
The Great Pyrenees
The GP's are very playful dogs with their humans but if anyone comes while you are not around they are on duty. I have been told this from my neighbor that lives 1/4 of a mile, next door. We got Kanga back in Dec. of 2001 at 9 weeks old. I never thought that little ball of fluff would grow into the great guardian that he's come to be. When he was 3 months old Kanga was on the job. Sarabi was in labor and Kanga and I were sitting there waiting for the first kid. While she laid down to deliver the 2nd kid Kanga cleaned off the first kid for her. They had a very good relationship and usually where Kanga was, there was Sarabi. He also was a very important part of my physical therapy after a very bad accident in 2002. I was gone from home for one month. He was 5 months old the day I came back home to recoup. I had to learn to walk again and he was right beside me every time I went out to get my strength in my legs by walking in the pastures. He would even put a paw right in front of me if I started walking too fast, look up at me and give me a, "You're going too fast mom" look. As my balance is not 100% he's always there when I need him to steady me. He's killed coyote's & protected me from strangers that showed up while I was outside and all I had to do was think, "Kanga, where are you?" and there he was walking up behind the strangers very quietly, come between them and me with slobber hanging from his mouth. Holding in laughter was very hard at that moment.
 Kanga at 7 years old 2009  |
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Kubby was a year old in Feb. of 2010. He has become a wonderful guardian also and with Kanga as his teacher he's thriving at his job. To know they are doing their job right, consider this: this past kidding season I had a kid that was 5 days old wander out of the barnyard. I didn't know it and mom decided to stash him so he'd be safe. As it was getting dark I realized he was missing. I kept telling myself I'd never find him on 40 acres with a flashlight. Both Kanga and Kubby were out and I called for them to come in. Kanga turned, looked at Kubby and then came in the gate. I kept telling Kubby to come but he just laid down. I told him he was out for the night. The next morning he was still in the same spot. I did chores, put a dish out for him but he didn't get up. Strange as he always gets fresh goat milk with breakfast. I opened up the gate to let the girls out to pasture. Mom was going crazy looking for her little brat. Kubby got up and there the little buckling was, curled up with Kubby. The look on his face was priceless, "Mom, what made you think I wouldn't stay with him?" The tears in my eyes were for Kubby showing me he does his job and that the kid was OK. It was a very happy reunion for mom and kid.
Kubby has a different coat, very fluffy. I can't put the largest collar on him, have to put 2 together to fit on all that fluff. He'll be taking over for Kanga when Kanga goes in the weaning pen in a week or 2. Below are pictures as Kubby grew in the last year.
 Kubby at 8 weeks old with Kanga  |
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Doing their jobs
 This is my screen saver on the computer.  |
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Kubby as he grew. OH, he got his name from Paul. He said that he looked like Kanga's cub. So we started calling him Cubby, but with Kanga having the K, I changed the spelling to Kubby. I am now taking reservations for breedings to Kubby for this fall or whenever a female is in a cycle. If you are interested in breeding your female to him let me know. I will take first pick of the litter. (My choice)
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 At 10 months old. |
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Now it's Kubby's little brothers turn to learn the ropes about being a great guardian dog. In May of 2010 this little Polar bear joined the barnyard. He is so much like Kubby that I have a problem calling him Kubby. But this one is named Polar Bear. He's already going out to the pastures with the boys, comes back on his own during the hot time of day and stays with some new kids that don't go out yet. It will be interesting to see if he has his big brothers traits.
 He's just tooooo cute.  |
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In July we will be adding 2 GP female pups to the barnyard. Snowball and Snowflake will be coming in a few short weeks. I will be watching closely as our boys become a pack. They've never had females with them and if they are anything like men, I can see them being fools for the little girls.
