Our Bella

Meet the newest member of our farm family-Bella!  

She is a purebred Great Pyrenees.  She is such a doll with a shy, sweet personality.  She's not too shy though.  We are hoping she will be a predator deterrent, guarding our animals from the coyotes and other animals that might think our chickens and ducks are and evening snack.  Hopefully we will be able to borrow a couple lambs to socialize her with, so she can practice herding and guarding them as well.  We get 4-H lambs each spring and it would be nice to have a buddy for them to hang out with that will also keep them safe.  Luckily we've never had to deal with a predator killing a lamb, but I don't want to deal with that-EVER!  I know, I'm dreaming, right?! 

I've had a couple people ask if she's going to live in the house.  Umm, I don't think they realize how big a Great Pyrenees will get.  No, she will not be living in the house.  I don't have anything against other people keeping dogs in their house, but I'm not THAT kind of dog person.  She is about the only dog I will let kiss me too.  I think there are two kinds of dog people in this world.  People who own working dogs and people who own the little lap dogs.  Call me a dog hater, but I prefer the working dogs.  I have had so many bad experiences with other people's indoor dogs, I'd prefer to not deal with those situations in my own home.

She is a working dog, and working dogs don't want to live in the house.  They have an instinct that says they need to live outside.  She will be able to get out of the rain, snow, or whatever bad weather comes our way.  It just won't be in my house. 

We've been without a dog for about 7 years now, so it's an adjustment having one around again.  Our last dog, Annie, was a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix.  She ended up dying at the age of 13 or 14.  She was just getting slower and slower each year.  Before we moved to our farm, we had neighbors who's Blue Healers came over and attacked her.  (Don't get me started on that one!)  She healed up fairly quickly after that, but about a year later, she died, peacefully.  It was hard on my husband since she was his dog.  He raised her from a puppy and she moved with us all over when we were first married. 

Now that we have Bella, we will be busy once again, teaching her to come, sit, shake, and all the other obedience skills dogs need to learn.  I'll try and post pictures as she gets bigger!

Shared on:

The Home Acre Hop

From the Farm Blog Hop
The Homestead Barn Hop