Thirty years without a pet was enough, that's about how long I was in the UK and USA. We grew up with a dog in the house, and later I got to love cats as well. One objective on my return to South Africa last year, after taking early retirement, was to get a dog, maybe even a cat.
I didn't know what type of dog, although it would be a rescue dog. Definitely not a doberman or bull terrier type, too aggressive for my liking. Rottweilers are too big and intimidate too many people. Alsatians, too much hair loss. Collies, too active. Ankle snappers, nope. Maybe a Labrador or, or, or. There was no rush in deciding as I was living with my brother at the time and then later visited my sister in Namibia.
On returning from Namibia to South Africa, when I moved into the Plaas cottage, I found out that they've got dogs, as I would expect on a farm. There are five. Boeta and Stompie live with Opa and Oma on the farmstead. I see them when I walk past or go kuiering [visiting].
Then there are the other three, Sheila, Lexi and Leeu. They're Katja's dogs. I refer to them as “my kinders” [my children].
Here's our story together, so far:
Lexi's the first dog that I got to know. She would come always to me, tail wagging and submissive, when I walked through the farmyard. At first, Lexi wouldn't leave the farmyard, which is about 200 meters from the cottage. Understandably, they're not my dogs. Now she seems to spend most of her time here. I've spoken to Katja and she's OK with it.
Lexi can work sheep - she's incredibly intelligent and knows more about working sheep than I do. We take her into the veld with us, she does enjoy the sheep. Her ears prick up when she's on the back of the bakkie [pickup truck] as we're passing them.
Sheila was the first of the trio to venture to the cottage. I refer to her as Little Miss Anxiety as she does whine a fair bit if attention and cuddles don't come immediately. Were she human, I would send her to ttherapy. I've been to therapy, so park the negative connotations.
Sheila stays at home when we're working with the sheep. She's a little bit useless in that regard, wandering into the flock or just going walk-about.
However, she was the first of the dogs to come walking in the veld with me, and it seemed to calm her down [there are no sheep near the cottage]. She chases birds from bush to bush and sometimes just quietly admires the view.
Leeu, the lion dog, does not know how small he is. Sometimes he seems to think he's a collie, jumping off the back of the bucky, trying to corral the sheep. A few days ago, we left Leeu at the farmstead, where we went to look for sheep. He caught up with us about 12 kilometres later, none the worse for wear.
Since the winter cold has set in, he comes to lie next to me on the bed, sometimes even snuggling under the duvet. So cute!
First Sheila would come on walks with me, then Lexi joined, and then lastly Leeu. “Ons gaan nou stap” [we're going for a walk now], and they're running to the gate. Sometimes they play with each other, at other times they do their own thing.
When we get back to the cottage, they get fresh water and a bone each. Then they lie on the stoep [veranda], enjoying the winter sunshine.
Mooi, nê!
What beautiful kinder!
My Jack Russell is 'n uitstaande terapeut. Die insig in sy oë breek soms my hart!
En dan is hy nog n leeu in 'n klein hondjie se lyf! Beste waghond ooit!