Bonafide Farm

Teamwork

May 18th, 2012 § 0

I was in the house tonight working at the computer when I heard Tuck start barking outside. Lots of barking. Some growling. Very unusual from him. I looked out the window and he was pointed toward the road at the front of the house. I yelled out the window for him to be quiet, thinking he was after some biker or something on the road, even though I trained him to not bark at bikers and he usually doesn’t.

He ran to the porch to check in after my yell, but then shot back into the field, barking. This definitely warranted checking out. I put on my slippers and stepped outside.

There was a huge black vulture perched at the top of a dead tree right between the road and my property line. Tuck raced up and down through the field, barking but respecting his invisible fence. What a good dog to notice this anomaly, this potential threat from the air. Ever since I asked Tuck, many months ago, to help me get a huge flock of vultures out of the big oak–which he understood and did with a look and shake of my head–he’s been super alert to threats from the sky. Even though this vulture didn’t put anything at risk, I don’t mind Tuck’s generalizing as he also applies this vigilance to hawks and eagles that could carry off a chicken.

I knew this could go on forever, so I figured I’d finish up the job Tuck started. I ran down the road in my slippers clapping and jumping around, yelling at this vulture to get lost. If my neighbors needed final proof that I’ve lost it, they got it tonight! But I got proof that my young farmdog is acting just as I hoped he would, and that we can take care of this place together.

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