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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Iris Maybelle McGillicutty

Iris Maybelle doesn't get much blog time, mostly because she's far too busy for any silly computer stuff.

Her most important job is as a therapy dog. She used to go make rounds at a couple of nursing homes and was very popular. In farming communities such as ours, almost everyone of that generation grew up on a farm...with a Border Collie. She'd sit by their bed and listen to all sorts of stories about dogs they'd had back when "everyone around here had some sheep".

Now, other than an occasional public appearance, she mostly just provides Border Collie therapy to us and anyone who visits the farm. Even if you didn't know you needed some therapy, she provides it. And it's hard to beat good Border Collie therapy.

Her other main job is farm security. She's the farm police. She keeps an eye on the front, the road, Stella's driveway. If she sees a threat, she sounds the alarm and Hank comes running from the back. They make a great team and Hank would love to be more than work associates. He likes to try to get her to play with him, but she's too busy for any silly dog games.

Iris's part time job is sheep herding. While sheep herding sometimes gets trumped by "road security", we can't really fault her. She was a rescue dog, picked up off a nearby highway. Her sheep skills are just what she instinctively knows and a little of what we've been able to encourage.

She gets lots of practice helping me herd everyone back to the barn when I've accidentally left a gate open, but her favorite job is keeping the sheep in check when I purposely leave a door or gate open when I'm going back and forth, setting out hay.



This is her "YOU STAY IN THERE AND DON'T TRY TO BUM RUSH THIS GATE!!!" face. And it works.

Her least favorite job is babysitting bottle lambs, but we aren't going to talk about that because too much talk about bottle lambs...makes me want a bottle lamb and it's getting dangerously close to that time of year lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala ;-).

16 comments:

quantumtea said...

I love that look on Iris's face, and the feet planted firmly on the ground.

Christine said...

Oh, I LOVE that shot! What a hard working girl.

Lori Skoog said...

I hope you will share more pictures of Iris...she is a very beautiful girl. Actually, I would love to see more pictures of all the dogs and all the horses. I don't know them very well.

We have had a lot of rain and it is mighty ugly out there today. Snow is on the way before we go back up to 40.

Bottle baby...would that involve coming North for a Pizza dinner and weekend with us? Any day, any time.

Anonymous said...

What a good girl :) You are right, you can't beat border collie therapy.

Michelle said...

I think Willard is giving you plenty of "babysitting" opportunities, dear. Keep singin'....

Sheepmom said...

What a look on her face.
"You....shall not....PASSSSSS!!!!!"

Sheepmom said...

What a look on her face.
"You....shall not....PASSSSSS!!!!!"

Just Ramblin' said...

Iris Maybelle has the greatest name and is so cute! I bet she does indeed provide great therapy.

Alice said...

And just where did Iris get the last name of McGillicutty? Be it a long lost relative, or the neighbor from the "I Love Lucy” show?

I just love the idea of a new bottle baby or two. Shall we count down the next ten weeks?

January 12, 2012

Nancy K. said...

My Bella (English Shepherd) isn't a real "pro" sheep handler either but she loves it when she gets to round them up and chase them into the barn. It's amazing how much these girls LOVE their 'work'...

Joan said...

I love border collies, they're so silly in their non-silly ways. :) Great shot of Miss Iris! She's a beautiful dog.

BTW, nice new blog format, I like the Beaudreaux size, but LOVE the face of Mia advertising her size on the side bar. :) She is such a beauty!

Janice Grinyer said...

LOL that picture - its like she should be wearing a "deputy" badge on her collar...

and for some odd reason I as I was looking at that picture and reading your words, Barney fife's voice popped into my head

"NOW see here folks, this is what you call a gate, and you cant pass through unless you go through ME.."
(hitching up an imaginary belt LOL)

Janice Grinyer said...

And Im so there with the bottle lamb business...Do It DO it DO IT!!! :D

found out yesterday from the ag office that the best thing for our tired hayfields is to have cattle or sheep graze for two weeks in the fall to loosen the roots...

we are treading on dangerous ground...

Anonymous said...

She looks like one of dogs from the movie "Babe". No one getting anything past her!


Jean -MN

small farm girl said...

Sweet, sweet Iris. Yes, she needs more blog time.

linnea said...

Love the new look of The Patch!

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