She started out stinkin' cute, and from day one she loved the elements-rain, mud, whatever came out of the sky, she embraced and does to this day. She is the smartest dog I have ever worked with, and the most challenging too. But I would not do it any other way. The relationship we have is one of my strongest in the barnyard. I have made mistakes but have learned more from her as far as communicating with an animal than any other I've known. And I still have much to learn.
So here are some pics of her from her first days, including one of her first introduction to The Head Troll. And we all know how she felt about Earnest from the start.
What a dog, what a creature, a teacher for me, a guard, a patroller keeping the outsiders on call. I have no doubts if anyone were to intrude here, without permission, they would have a firm set of canines in their flesh, or would be told in no uncertain terms to get out - fast. In many respects, she is my dog, rather than our dog, but...she really belongs to nobody-rather we and the farm work with her and by her. She is also fun to be with. She greets me at the gate, exuberant for the day. She has a routine, with me, each morning. Into the feed room we go, she eats, then patrols the hay bales, announces herself to cats and roosters, cleans up any spare feed, then out to the goat area and she patrols the stalls, then out to the barnyard. Sometimes she slips out of Boone's stall and does a fence check, looking up to the hills. She follows me to Old barn where i feed the grumpy pigs and donks, and maybe get some firewood. She is alert, conditioned, agile, strong, fearless.
She is the ever beautiful white wonder, Marcella.
