Not Helpful

Sammy and Blacky (the dogs) have been really “good” at trying to “guard” our house. They bark at the coyotes and other animals that get too close to our house (generally around 3 in the morning). They bark at cars (including our neighbor when he pulls into his own driveway). They bark at unfamiliar people that come onto our property (like my uncle and cousins, who use the machine shed and farm here, and really shouldn’t be unfamiliar anymore at this point). And they bark at the other dogs they can hear barking from far away at their own farms.

And now the dogs are trying really hard to get our attention about the suspicious, unnatural, possibly dangerous creatures that have shown up in the pasture by the house. Because there is clearly something wrong with these new animals standing around quietly, minding their own business. Yep. Blacky and Sammy are barking at cows. My uncle brought some of his cows over here for a while, just as he does every year, and Sammy and Blacky are absolutely certain that my uncle has begun some kind of evil plot which we need to be warned about. Constantly, ever since the cows showed up today.

Honestly, I don’t know that any of the cows has even made eye contact with one of the dogs yet. They’re cows. They’re pretty relaxed, most of the time. I don’t think they even care that they’re being barked at. I care, of course. I don’t want to listen to any more complaining about our bovine guests. But dogs don’t really see reason when it comes to “protecting” us, and I can’t really reward positive behavior, like not barking, when it hasn’t happened in hours.

Hey, cows. Maybe you could help out a little after all. Can you maybe just walk to the other side of the pasture? Where the hill kind of blocks you from view? The dogs will still smell you, but maybe they’ll shut up. And then I can get some sleep. And I hear the grass is way greener over there, anyway.