Here's some video of Sarah that I took today.

Winter is just about over here in northern Wisconsin as of April 22, 2014. We had over a foot of snow on the ground just days ago, from a spring time snow storm.

Winter was so tough this year that I wound up making our Kangal Dog Sarah a little fat. I kept feeding her well hoping that the extra food would help keep her warm. But she did well nonetheless even in the sustained sub zero temps that we had a good part of the winter. As of the shooting of this video she still has her winter coat at this point and has barely started to shed.

Interesting goat business

I've heard of "brush goats" practically my whole life.  That's where people take a herd of goats and put them in an overgrown area to clean out the weeds and unwanted brush.  Here is a link to a website of some folks who have made a business out of it which I thought was really interesting and informative.  http://werentgoats.com/  Their business and website is called "We Rent Goats". 

1 year update

Well, by Gods grace Sarah has become an outstanding guardian dog.  It's been just over a year since my last post about her and she has bonded excellently with the sheep. 

 This winter was a great test on all the animals as it was a brutally cold one.  We were in the deep freeze for a good long while with hardly any relief.  It was common to look out at our outside thermometer and see 10, 20 and 30 below zero Fahrenheit.  For our international viewers that's -23.3, -28-8 and -34.4 Celsius.  Sarah did fine through it all.  I am certainly impressed with the hardiness of kangal dogs.    

It took some time before I totally trusted Sarah with the sheep.  Early on I did notice evidence of some wool pulling now and then but I haven't seen it in a long time now. 

 





 

By last fall it did my heart good to see Sarah laying in the field close to the sheep.  Something about that scene just delights my heart, which is the same for me when I see ruminants grazing on pasture.  It just does something for me, gives me a warm feeling inside.  It's like sunshine and blue sky, makes me glad to be alive and thankful to our gracious Creator, God.  A good dog and some livestock grazing on green pastures for it to watch over.  Just makes me smile! 

 

Below are some scenes from our place here, taken a few weeks ago after some more snow. 

 

 

 

 

It's been a winter wonderland!  The striking beauty makes the bitter cold winter almost bearable!

 

This last picture was taken of Sarah last year late summer. 

 

 

The first two at the top of this post were taken last week, so they are current. 

 

I wish I had 1 or 2 more dogs just like Sarah, she has turned out to be a fine dog.  Sarah doesn't even think climbing fences unlike Arie did where nothing I had could keep her in, to her own demise.  Sarah is a real homebody she doesn't want to go away from her place or sheep, perfect!   

 

I know that Kangal Dogs have a reputation for going through fences which in my opinion is their biggest draw back.  All the breeders I researched before getting Arie all highly emphasized about having good fences.  I think Kangal Dogs are great but the idea of a dog that won't stay put is a very big draw back for anyone. 

 

Sarah on the other hand so far has been just fine.  This winter the snow got so deep that the electric fences are pretty much nonfunctional and it's been no problem with Sarah.  She could cross the fences if she wanted to she is perfectly capable, but she doesn't. 

 



I feel blessed being able to have Sarah out watching over our animals!