A brag about my Aussie!

We have an 8 yr old Aussie who has never been up close to a farm animal, that we know of. We rescued her from a no-kill shelter when she was 2 after she was taken from an abusive home so we don't know her history before that.

We just moved to a rental house in a quiet neighborhood while our new home is being built. The rental house is on the edge of what I would consider country, with some farms and lots of open space.

This morning, my husband took our Aussie for a walk about 30 mins earlier than usual. I heard her bark a bark that is not her typical "Hey dad, there's a person or another dog" bark, but more of a worried bark. I then heard my husband talking to her and then a women's voice. I looked outside hoping that our dog wasn't scaring this poor woman with her barking...then I saw 3 draft horses and their riders!

I talked to my husband later and he said that the riders stopped their horses and said that the horses were very used to dogs because they have Borders on thier farm. So, my husband let our dog go up and sniff the horses' legs. Right after that, it was like her instincts took over and she ran around in front of the lead horse and looked at the horses as if to say, "Well, I'm the boss now...I'll lead you..."

I'm just amazed sometimes at how dogs' instincts can take over, especially when they haven't been in a particular situation before...

Awwwwwww.... and no pix !!! That would have made a great little series watching your dog go from worried, to wonder, to "Well, then ~ git in line behind me boys !" :D

Not bad for an 8 year old eh? Pictures would have been great, but I get a smile just picturing it in my mind.

Cindy

Ah yeah, the "bossy Aussie" kicks in. LOL :p

I want pix of your doggy!!! :pray:

Yeah - pictures would have definitely been amazing but we never expected something like that to happen on our little quiet side street at 7am on a weekday so no camera around to capture our girl doing what she was meant to do!!!

Here's a pic of our her by the lake...her favorite place in the world! She sneaks into the water every chance she gets.... She's dark so it's tough to see her well, but it's the only one I have at work.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r255/hgd24/MistyatCamp.jpg

Wow she's a beautiful merle!!!

Mine loves water too, thinks she's a lab. :rolleyes:

great lookin aussie you have there hdme!! I know what ya mean about how amazing it is when thier instincts take over, I have a Border Collie and am surrounded by cows so he always tryin to do what Border Collies do best even though he has never been taught how to, he instinctively knows what to do, and luckly for the cattle hes on the other side of the fence, or hed run them cows till they droped lol.

Thanks for the compliments Byrd & Goldyy. Byrd - our girl loves to stand in the water, not so much swim. We've had to teach her how in fact. We bought a life jacket and she uses it for the first few swims in the lake each Summer until she's built her confidence. Otherwise she stands upright in the water turning in circles with a panicked look on her face. She usually just stays where she can touch the bottom and keep her face out of the water.

Goldyy - love the pic of your Border...he so wants to be in with those cows!!! He looks very focused...