there snow dogs like sheepdogs

Whilst us shepherd’s were shivering, and the flock sheltered from icy winds,  it’s good to know that not everyone on the farm is bothered by the recent sub zero temperatures. The Borough farm sheepdogs seem to be completely unaffected by the bone chilling cold, in fact they barely seem to notice. When old Gail was turned out of the kitchen after the first night of snow, she treated the new white world with complete indifference. She clearly thought that she’d seen it all before, which of course she has seen snow before, but only a couple of times so you would have thought that she might show some excitement.

For Alfie (six months old) the snow was a new experience, and he briefly raced happily around the yard, but after biting a couple of mouthfuls he convinced himself that snow was of limited entertainment value, and carried on the rest of the day as if nothing had changed.

But for Jake  the snow did provide a particular problem. Ever since he was a puppy he has been obsessed with the excavation of mole hills. He dives on them, digs them, or attacks with his nose at high speed. I have always lived in fear that he will one day attempt this particular trick on a frozen mole hill, so the covering of snow did at least cover the earth mounds and protect Jake from a painful nose related accident.

But any thought that the snow would also deprive Jake of his favorite pass time, would be to underestimate his devotion to this particular duty. As Jake would say ’snow or no snow there’s some jobs that just have to be done’ …. the picture says it all!!