Dogs
Great Pyrenees dogs are excellent guardians for small herd animals, such as sheep and goats. Andie (short for Andromeda) takes great interest in all the babies at Fulkerson Farms, whether they be goats, chicks, ducklings, or goslings. Many times a baby duck will fall behind its mother and siblings. Andie patiently follows behind, ensuring nothing harms the little one. If it is unable to catch up, she often will pick up the baby in her mouth and drop it next to the mother duck.
Wendy Darling (pictured above with Andie) was born in early March 2005. Her mother kidded early and we weren’t expecting it, so she was born in the barnyard during the night. Early the next morning, I saw Andie curled up around her, keeping the baby warm. Sadly, Wendy’s mother rejected her, so we bottle fed her. She stayed inside until she was a few weeks old, and then she moved into the dog house with Andie. Today, they are still buddies and romp and play often.
Our miniature blue & tan dachshund, Silver Bullet (pictured above with Esmeralda), is also a big help around the farm. When she’s not chasing butterflies or squirrels, she enjoys playing with the baby goats. When we brought Sebastian home from the vet clinic without his mother, Bullet helped me finish cleaning the little boy. She slept with him during the week he spent in the house and ran to us and barked whenever he cried. She’s pictured here with Esmeralda.