We Bought a Farm: A great Farm Dog

We have two wonderful dogs living with us on our farm.

Ritter, our boy dog, is a loyal "yard dog." He simply loves love and is perfectly happy staying close to the house and next to anyone who will pet him. (Although he really shows a little bit of preferential treatment for my housekeeper Robin. I think that may have to do with the fact that she feeds him Triscuits.) Ritter never barks at anyone (unless Arabelle is leading him to.) He would go home with anyone who gave him good pets. He is everyone's dog. He currently can't go too far from the house because he has not proven reliable around other animals on the farm. 

Arabelle is nothing like Ritter. She is the one who barks at newcomers and keeps an eye on the farm. She is also, without a doubt, my dog. I didn't intend for this to happen at all of course. She chose me. She doesn't want to stay at the house. She wants to go everywhere with me when I do chores. She will sit in the rain and wait for me to finish. She will lay down on the side of a pasture for hours while I do work. She truly considers it her job to accompany me in whatever I do. She walks among the chickens and "helps" me move the sheep without causing any issue.

(As a side note, I do NOT bring the dogs out together on the farm. Because Ritter is so unreliable, he can actually lead Arabelle astray. But when he isn't with her, she is totally great.)

She also doesn't always like to go all the way out with me to my chores. I think this has to do with the electric fence and the fact that she has sometimes gotten shocked. Sometimes she will come, but often, she simply chooses a place to wait for me to do my chore and come back.

I managed to capture a video of Arabelle "doing her job." This dog is one of those crazy dogs you've heard about but didn't believe existed. Every time I call her, she comes. If I tell her to stay, she stays. If I tell her to leave, she leaves. She simply wants to please me with every command. 

Oh, and did I tell you .... SHE is GONNA be a MAMA!!!!! We are expecting Puppies. (And yes, Ritter is the dad -- they are not siblings.)