It's no secret that I have moved to an acreage off the North Shore.
I grew up on a farm and it was just a matter of time before I found my way back. In fact, I'd have to say that I have spent my life trying to get back to one since I left.
I am often asked if my dogs are any different now that they live on a farm with me.
And my answer is "Yes!" But it's not for reasons that most people who live within the urban limits might think. It's not because I open my door and let the dogs run willy-nilly. Hardly! They are still micromanaged the same way they were when I lived in the city, but the difference is that they now have more than 15 acres to be micromanaged in and thus more freedom to be dogs! My dogs Piper and Zumi were raised in the city, which meant collars and leashes whenever they walked out the front door. They lived a great urban lifestyle, had plenty of offleash time and exercise on trails. They were happily accustomed to having that leash attached to their collar. They were trained so that I could leave my front door open and they would never go out because the leash was not attached. The first day we moved to the acreage I opened the front door to let them out and they both just stood at the threshold and would not step outside. Our property is fully fenced and gated so the dogs are safe from running into the street. Once they got the go ahead to walk out the door with me without a collar on they never looked back.
My youngest dog Raider was raised a farm dog and takes for granted the freedom that Piper and Zumi have learned. With his basic training complete, the only time he gets a collar and leash on now is when I take him for a bike ride or when he joins me on the trails with my horse. The downside is that he has terrible manners at the door. While Zumi and Piper still sit patiently until the door opens, Raider makes backwards circles - which literally means he turns circles backwards, leading with his butt instead of his nose (he's a bit weird) until the door opens. I haven't discouraged this because it's kind of funny.
In the country, I let them chase things. In the city, I restricted their expression of their prey drive to things like tracking, fetch and maybe the occasional squirrel that ran the fence line. They were quite fulfilled with this. But out here, rabbits eat my garden vegetables and squirrels dig up my flower bulbs. The first time Piper saw a rabbit run across the back pasture he turned and looked at me and I said, "Go for it buddy." The expression on his face can only be described as disbelief followed by sheer joy. The gleeful yelps that came out of him as he raced after that rabbit brought tears to my eyes. He never caught it, nor will he ever. Those rascally rabbits are fit and fast out this way.
In the city I always leashed my dogs when approaching a horse, even though they were socialized with them. Being leashed, I managed their behaviour and they never learned that, despite its size, a horse can move very quickly! On the farm my dogs have learned a healthy respect for horses and know they are not big dogs that respond to invitations to play. I have taught my dogs to give the horses a wide berth because they kick from one end and bite from the other.
My dogs have also learned that cows can jump, very high, straight up, almost like a cat. When Raider saw a cow do this for the first time I swear I heard him say, "Are you kidding me?" Now, given my dogs' experiences, you would think that all dogs would take to farm life like a fish to water, but that's not always true. Many moons ago my Doberman, Alex, who has since passed on, joined me in a visit to my family's farm. I expected him to run joyfully through the peach orchard with me, but he would not leave the front porch and instead opted to eat oatmeal cookies with my Mom.
He was a true city loving dog.
Joan Klucha has been working with dogs for more than 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her through her website k9kinship.com.
