Dusty is a very smart and very sensitive dog. We have had the pleasure of living with Dusty for 4 of his 5 years. A family gave him to us when he was a year old, as they had too many dogs. Dusty had never been in a house, lived in a barn with 6 other dogs and was very undisciplined. It took us a half hour to catch him to bring him home. We initially intended to keep him as an outside dog since that was what he knew but, over time, that changed to a kitchen only, then downstairs only, then the whole house only. We do not let him get on the furniture (yet). Anyway the first few nights when he was tied to a tree in our yard were spent mournfully howling in loneliness for his lost companions. All that is past now and Dusty is well trained, and a constant companion to us. He rides everywhere with me as I go about my business in my truck where he always rides in the jump seat and sleeps contentedly there when I leave on my business. Occasionally I leave him in the house when I go somewhere and understand he goes from door to door looking out expectantly for my return. You would think he would gladly greet me after one of those times with a vigorous wag of his stump and other affectionate responses( Dusty is an Australian Shepard and has no tail) but not so: he is hurt and shows it. He turns his head away when I approach or speak to him and in various other ways lets me know that he is offended.

The other day I was sorting out cows and steers and my two bulls who had somehow opened a gate and were happily commingled together. Problem was that I had open heifers in that pen and I didn’t want any breeding to be taking place this time of year. It was important to get them back in their places before things got out of hand. I have a yard whip that I use to guide and encourage the cows to move where I want them to go. It’s designed with a short loose end that can act as a light whip. I don’t use it that way but it is effective if I just jiggle it or use it to make sounds that will cause the cows to shy away. At one point a fat little Lowline steer was trying to run by me with the cows, something I didn’t want to happen so I took my wand and tried to snap it in front of this determined little steer and accidentally snapped it in his eye. I saw him wince and shy back with his head down. I can still see him now as he pulled back. His hurt and my hurt were different but the same. I can still feel the hurt as I did then because I love my cows and do not want them to experience harm. His hurt is now healed I am sure but mine lingers.

A few years back I had to put away an old faithful cow. It was late fall and she went down as her back arthritic legs just gave out. She was in pain and was suffering and couldn’t get up. She had a little bull calf who was old enough to be independent and could make it on his own but nevertheless stayed near his Mom as she was lying there hurting. I got my rifle and 3 bullets and went down to the corner of the pasture where she was lying. I had never done this before and the first bullet didn’t kill her. The pain and look on her face as she looked at me after the wound are as vivid this day as when it happened . It took two more shot before she was dead and each one was a trial and was accompanied by looks that I will never forget. Her calf hung around and mourned his Mom for a while. Her pain is over, mine lingers in my memory.

We had a family of cows here for a while which included a mother cow Angel and her grown six year old daughter Annabel. Both had raised a number of offspring and were part of a larger herd of cows which commingled together in the pasture and barn yard. But these two were special friends and usually were found near each other grazing or sleeping or doing the other things that cows do. Eventually a management decision on the farm caused me to put Annabel up for sale. The day arrived when a buyer pulled her trailer up to the barn and we loaded Annabel in for a trip to her new home in New York. Angel watched the procedure from a nearby pasture and became very agitated at the event. She ran back and forth along the fence and bellowed and carried on in a manner that would break your heart and did in a way. I still remember.

Eventually Angel was sold also and went to a new home. I recently was reviewing some animals’ registrations on line and happened across Angel’s record. Deceased was the caption which stopped me. Broken heart? Who knows but as time goes by I know I find it much harder to sell cows.