Tag: australian sheperd

Because Charley is injured, and I’ve been told to keep her down for at least a week. Meaning no play, jumpy jumpies, no balls, no running after her bunny that LOVES to ANTAGONIZE her.

i SWEAR, EVERY TIME we head to the labyrinth this dang little bunny, tan and cute, pops up right in Charley’s view. I think I have a small video of her standing perfectly still, eyes glued on that bunny. And that dang bunny recipricates the stare. I think they were locked in almost 5 minutes. I, of course, got bored after about 2 minutes of it, and stopped filming. It would have been the same if I’d taken a still shot of her, and labeled it “5 minute stand off stare.” That is exactly how it looked.

I was kind of excited because there is this ranch where it takes dogs that have bloodlines that are that of herding. He said that not all dogs are herders. A lot of domesticated Australian Shepards/Border Collie has had their line bled out slowly to where herding does not come natural.

All I know they (ranch herders)use this method. They stick their hand out, (which it’s funny….dogs can smell your coming, but I guess there is another reason they do this) and I guess introduce the dog to the “prey”….even though it is not prey. It’s a LITTLE LAMB or a LITTLE SHEEP……(no little bunny— sorry Charley) and watch to see if the dog has this point and stare kind of thing. Where they will focus on their, er, focus, and stand rock still. They don’t just charge after it like a dragon from hell, or whatever that saying is. The dog will just stand there. Waiting. And when the lamb, sheep, no bunny moves, they are on it right away. Not pouncing or attacking, but making definite strong, quick movements and body language letting the opposer know they are in charge. It’s quite impressive.

Well, my heart does swell when I saw that Charley acts exactly like that. She’s done that with Geese, and ducks, and, small children. In which one of them moves, which happens a lot, and then she’ll let out a piercing sharp “ARRRK”. That is what it sounds like. To children, I’m sure it sounds like “I am going to eat you if you move, and you have been warned and don’t you dare….” That one is always fun because I’m left shoveling out apologies, explanations, and reassurances which sometimes makes it even more dramatic and traumatic for the children. Oh well. It’s in all good fun, right Charley?

But I am proud that she is a point and picker. I knew she had it in her.

So, I changed up the labryinth stroll and went one weekend morning where it seems as not so many people are there on the campus where the labryinth is.

We get to the edge of the entry way to the labryinth. She lunges. Oh hey, bunny!!!! Then, I see her lunge the total opposite way. Oh, hey, another bunny!!! This happened again with a full white tailed 3 bunnies in all. And they had her surrounded. And she didn’t even know.

I swear Charley is smart. Really.

We lop down the stairs to the labryinth where I almost trip and bite it as she lunged again. I have her only on her collar for her harness thing rubs up against her wound. Being only on her collar makes the leash jerk her head, which I am not fond of, and she knows it. I end up letting go because I don’t want to hurt her.

There was a gentleman standing there on the edge of the labryinth. He was looking into the trees. His head turned to me and said, “I think it was the bunny that got her.”

“Yeah,” I said. “It seems like this one bunny always seems to pick on her, same place, same time frame.”

“I have been getting to know those bunnies. You know there are more than 1. I’ve been spending a lot of time getting those bunnies to trust me.”

“I am sorry. She just gets so excited. We will be moving on. This is the first time I’ve really been able to take her out and let her play a little bit. “

We travel to the lower level into this big auditorium is the only way to describe it. It is at the bottom of this winding cement staircase with foliage and flowers all around. At the bottom is this big circular area where chairs are always propped in different ways. Somedays in a circle, other days in a lecture style rows. It has the feel that maybe it is some type of drama class. I’m not sure. We just like to go there and hide from people and bounce and kick different balls around there.

Welp, Charley gets to the bottom of the steps and ALL OF A SUDDEN does this mass switch-e-roo on me and goes barelling through the bushes. The ones with thorns. Ones with strong branches that don’t give. Just like the ones she almost impaled herself on.

I start calling her, (actually YELLING AT her) “CHARLEY, CHARLEY! CHARLEY! ” and under my breath I am muttering “I am going to actually kill you this time…don’t you realize I nursed you back from your injury and if it happens again I will let you SUFFER…..). I run up the steps and run around the corner to find her back at the labyrinth. Tail wagging. Ears on high alert. Her legs TAUT with excitement. She makes a sharp move again, and goes diving into the bushes.

The gentleman is still there. Rats. He looked my way and politely said, “I really look forward to my time with the bunnies.”

Aw I get it. I really totally do. There are certain little things I like to do that are just my own little things. Like, I have to walk the labyrinth at least 3 times a week. Or whenever I’m there.

Those little rituals are very important I realized. They kinda give me structure. I feel as if I have a disorganized purse or back pack when I leave those little things out. Well, I guess one of the signs too that makes me realize I am missing those little rituals is the fact that my purse is a mess, along with my back pack (where did I leave it?) and my room is in utter dismay.

I finally am able to somewhat corner Charley. She was standing on the steps, rigid. Eyes fixed. Not noticing anything else.

I look at what she is looking at. Her and the bunny are locked in a check mate. Who is going to make the first move. I waited and wanted to soak that moment in. Nobody was moving.

God, how precious.

It was I that made the first move. The bunny jumped and ran in the bushes towards the man. I stopped Charley from bolting after. “Here comes your bunny!” I yell.

“He’s coming this way?”

“Yep. Here he comes. Have a good night.”

I left feeling very happy and light in my soul.

But, WE WILL BE BACK BUNNY……