windthread

Tay.   She is Catahoula X…probably with Australian Shepard  as is common in New Mexico ranch dogs.  The Catahoula is very dominant.    She's 7,  maybe 8.   My old dog Chinche was getting  more  old,  getting deaf and i needed a "gate dog".  I told my Goat friend Jan who said to get in touch with Dorothy,  an Elder founding Mother of the Socorro Animal Shelter.   Dorothy had been working the Animal Shelter Booth at the county fair.  Some kids from Alamo reservation handed her this pup and ran.   Dorothy tried.   She had her about 8 months but wanted to give up.   She was intense,  headstrong,  over active and not compatible with Dorothy's elder dogs.   And so.   My old house there…the almost 2 acres enclosed by wood privacy fence.   Inside that fence,  both front and back yards  connected by a "corridor" for the Goats.  She was good about the Goats…didn't "bother" them but was also not among them.  She accepted Tazmeena the cat as part of the household.  Tried to see if old Chinche might play but quickly gave up on that.   Monitored the house yard and…the Gate.   She initially had a large dog crate in the living room.   When too wound up was told to go to her "house".   There was a dog door,  so,  in and out at will.   

then we came here.  I think she was three.   They had fenced the entire 6 acres in anticipation of the Goats except for the steep hill down to the canal/creek…just bordered by the creek.    Separated the Goat Forests,  bucks and does with fencing.   and then a year and a half ago,   we let the Doe Goats loose.   There was some concern but soon it was clear that both she and the Goats would easily move together here.   Jenny bought Julian chickens.  They came here.  One just died for no reason.   Tay killed one, or,  brought me a chicken,  dead,  with not a single feather out of place…but brought it to me in her mouth.  It could have died of fright.   She was on the 12 ft lead for days.   Whenever we passed Talkie i would say LOUD….NO CHICKEN….DON't EVEN LOOK!!!   This morning i watched she and Talkie smell each other's breath.   

She is not stranger friendly.  They are not necessarily good with children,  but she is good with the children who come here.  

She has accommodated everything that has been asked of her.  Well.     When she is not next to me,  she is up at that small meadow above B where she is in the middle of the Hill,  can hear everything in all directions.    She knows exactly what i am doing at ALL times.   We are like each other's shadow.    There is not a lot of overt exchange because we are just One Thing.  We are not a person and a dog.   We are Us.  One.    Tay/me   me/Tay     She sat.  Listening with me.