Back in 2009 we got a new guardian puppy, who we called “Gordy” for Guardian. Unlike our other dogs, Gordy was socialized to human attention, and he had a difficult time adjusting to life here at the ranch. He really wanted to be with people more than with the sheep, and remained very puppy-like into his third year, having spontaneous “happy attacks” and chasing the sheep. Finally I decided Gordy just wasn’t going to be a match for our operation, and I posted on Facebook that I needed to give him away. My friends Chad and Susan Waite, who learned lambing from us in 2011, loved Gordy, and now have their own sheep in Montana, quickly responded that they wanted Gordy. Chad came down a week later to get him. That was in 2013. This summer, Corey and I finally made it up to see Chad and Susan’s beautiful ranch in Montana, and it was wonderful to see Gordy there. He is really happy, working hard to guard Chad and Susan’s sheep from bear and mountain lions as well as coyotes. And amusingly, although Chad and Susan gave Gordy the option to be a pet as well as a guardian dog, these days Gordy is quite aloof, and really just wants to spend all his time with the sheep! (That dog getting a pat from Chad on the patio is not Gordy, but one of Chad’s younger protection dogs.)
