I don’t normally ooh and ah over babies, but this kid is one cute dude. Oops, make that a dudette. She is as soft as she looks.
Peggy and I were still unpacking from our Sacramento-Reno trip when our neighbor Jim came zipping down our driveway on his ATV. Jim’s a big guy, and gruff, as in Billy Goat Gruff. But he loves animals and is a super neighbor.
He owns four very large Anatolian Shepherd dogs that weigh up to 150 pounds each and have a bark guaranteed to wake you from a deep sleep. There’s the bear bark, the deer bark and the ‘what the heck’ bark. In the morning they often perform like a barbershop quartet, howling in harmony. All of the other neighborhood dogs join in.
Two of Jim’s Anatolians, Griz and Omni.
Jim was excited. One of his nanny goats had given birth to twins the week before, when we were gone. The other nanny had a pair of kids the night before. They were less than a day old. The elder Anatolian, Boy, had adopted the baby goats. Jim wanted us to come and see them– at once. I am surprised he didn’t whip out cigars. Given it was almost dark and we had driven all day, we opted out.But we promised we would be over the next day to admire his brood of Boer goats. I think you’ll agree; the visit was worth it.
Mom and day old kids.
This little tyke with his droopy look reminds me of Eeyore.
Here’s trouble.
“Hi there shorty.” Anatolian Shepherds were originally bred to protect herds from large predators that lived in central Turkey. They have a fearsome reputation. Boy, has adopted the baby goats as part of his herd. He hardly seems ferocious. In fact he cleans their butts. What a dad!
“And where do you think you are going?” The baby goats have determined that Boy’s boyhood reminds them of Mom’s udders. Boy is quick to retreat.
And is rewarded with a ” Baaaad dog!” for his lack of cooperation. Have you ever seen a dog look more unhappy?
“Stop hassling the big doggie, dear.”
Modeling good behavior, the one week olds line up for an afternoon snack.
Having had their snack, it is now time for their afternoon nap.
NEXT BLOG: Sacramento’s wild American River Parkway– a community treasure. I’ll conclude this post with a final photo of one of the baby goats snuggling down in the sunshine.
Wandering through Time and Place 