Yesterday was the first moment that all my animals living at the Luck Cabin lined up in a perfect row and got acquainted. At the moment I have one donkey (Juju Bean), one cat (Toots) and one rooster with one hen (who need names but I am afraid if i name some animal will come and eat them!)The donkey is being gentle with the chickens now, who are her neighbors in the mini barn - but upon their first meeting JuJu forgot about her HUGE-MUN-GUS size and was hauling ass after the squawkers trying to make friends (they ran and hid to her dismay). When Toots the cat finally came around on the outside of the fence, JuJu knew the smell was familiar, she sniffed the cat, then sniffed my clothes then the cat again - and made an acknowledgement beyond words. But when I put Toots inside the fence, Juju chased her trying to get close.
The BIG discovery though was when Toots, saw the chickens! ANd JUJU, all together. It was all she could do to keep from going crazzzzy - she tore at the ground, attacked sticks and dirt and plants, ran back and forth and showed off to her new friends. (Ya know when kitties get that wild bazzurk look in their eye and let the wind of their spirit control every movement....)
Slowly, we will evolve to all understand each other a little better, get in the groove of habits- luckily animals allow time for that sort of thing. In fact they demand it. Sometimes I wish the humans would let me just observe them from the other side of the fence, quietly before being thrown into hand shakes and introductions. But.... then everyone would think I was the weirdo stalker staring at their yard & houses. ;)
Xoxoxo
JuJu Bean looks like she's pretty smart. She's probably a little scared with the new environment and that is to be expected, but you can tell she's sort of taking it all in right now.
ReplyDeleteHey Mr. Cheese!
ReplyDeleteJuju bean is learning a new place, and each day seems to be some improvements and some set backs, depending on what is happeneing- but many of the improvements are a big deal! Like getting her more used to the woods, and crossing water and are huge deal.
But today be head butted me in the stomach!......
She is sooooo sweet, and just sometimes (especially after getting a treat) she can be an asshole. lol
But she is beginning to become very protective of me already, and run outs in front of me if there is a strange noise or smell. :)))
A strange noise or smell? Well, it's probably a good thing she hasn't met me yet.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like JJB is trying to assert her dominance, which can be both good and bad. It's good that she feels comfortable enough to try and do so, but it's bad if she thinks she's the one in control.
If you have visitors to the Luck Cabin and they want to be around JJB, she has to know what the rules and boundaries are. That or she may start head-butting them too, or find other ways to get the message across.
I'm no donkey guy, that is for sure, but after having a highly intelligent, over-sized, hyper-active German Shepherd with completely unbelievable physical abilities and the potential to cause harm and damage that was far beyond the norm, I can say that with some animals they need to understand what the rules are, and they are happier and more balanced when they do. Such a statement may upset some of your readers, but they probably never had a German Shepherd, or a special needs/special abilities animal like I did. Honestly, if it wasn't for me and my parents, my German Shepherd would have been euthanized, many times over.
My German Shepherd was not just a pet, she was part of the family in a way that no dog ever had been before, and my family had a lot of dogs. But she had to be taught what was right and what was wrong, just like a child. It's just that most children aren't 130 pounds of sharp teeth and solid muscle, unless you're from Chernobyl that is. But nature gave donkees their own characteristics which are good for protecting the herd, not necessarily so much for protecting the lone donkey owner.
"...I'm no donkey guy, that is for sure...
ReplyDeleteNot above the waist, anyway...hehehehe.