A big step backwards

Well, I took a chance with putting Arie in with the lambs so soon and today my luck ran out. This morning she found their ears. Apparently she thinks they are something new to bite on.

I went out this afternoon to do some work with her and I noticed the male lamb had a spot of blood on his ear. I thought the flies had been bothering him too. The flies have been bothering Arie for the past couple weeks. Our daughter made an herbal bug repellent and that has been working for the pup. I figured I'd have to start putting it on the lambs too. But, then it dawned on me that the main flock doesn't have a problem with flies biting their ears, so why would they be bothering these lambs. I looked close at the blood spot and saw several long and deep scratches. The other ear had the same kind of scratches. Then I looked at the female lamb and her ears looked the same way only with no blood. Then it hit me, Arie did this! She probably had clamped on, then the lambs must have pulled away causing the scratches. I would have to put a divider in the pen to separate Arie from the lambs. No more unsupervised time together.

I didn't have time right then to set up a divider, I wanted to take Arie out to the main flock so she could spend more time with them and to have them get more used to her. So I took her out there and we hung out with the adult sheep for a little bit.

Arie remembered her last encounter with them and she immediately adopted a submissive attitude. Several of the sheep tried to butt her, but this time I was on guard and stopped it. We were out there about 20 minutes. It was a good session though, I thought. The book I have, which is featured on the right hand side bar, "Livestock Guardians", says that a good livestock guardian dog should be submissive to the sheep. So I was pleased to see that Arie was doing that. I had other matters to attend to so I put Arie back with the lambs and would set up the divider later.

We had to go to town so I wasn't able to get back to the project until tonight. When we got back I immediately checked out the lambs because I was worried she might continue with her new found game and sure enough the boy lambs ears were in worse condition than before. Not bloody but, there were some definite tears this time. Tears and nicks. So tonight I got the divider set up and they are now separated. They are still side by side but, Arie can't molest the lambs any more. A big step backwards in my opinion but, from what I've read it is fairly common.

So we'll have to go a little slower from now on.