More kid encounters

We get our haying done by a three generation team, and while the youngest member, Michael,  has always worked hard at pulling his weight, he finds time to visit for a few moments, and brighten our dogs' days.  This is much appreciated, because the dogs must remain locked up until the large equipment leaves again for the year, and our canine contingent feels quite left out, and craves attention.
So when Michael comes in to visit the dogs, a balance is reestablished.
Michael is very good with animals, and he seems to genuinely like the dogs.  He plays with them, without getting them riled up.  Decibel took right to him.  As Michael was sitting on the stairs updating us about his 4-H projects, and haying work, not to mention the fact that he just got his learners permit, Decibel was encroaching on his space.  Suddenly she got the look... it means only one thing.  She is going to kiss this human, and there is no escape.
I warned Michael, and he laughed it off, trying to push Decibel away, just to prove me wrong.
Hah!  He doesn't know that Decibel can be "the Determined".  After a bit of wrestling Michael ended up stretched on the stairs, Decibel on top, finally reaching his face, giving him a few (not too sloppy) kisses, before she let Michael get up.
Naturally I got to the camera way too late.

Best TOY we have:  doggie door.  It has seen a lot of human action lately.

Then we had another set of visitors with children, and again Decibel did quite well.  She didn't jump on anyone, didn't use her massive paws, and in the end played with the boys, mostly bring a toy and tug of war.  Ralph is an old hand at kids, he grew up with his own, and I think he misses them still at times.  Skeeter loves the extra attention that visitors entail, and he always finds someone who will pet him.  Maggie finds the whole bit rather boring, and in the end gets a bit grumpy.  I think she fails to see the point of it.  She is not allowed to boss the little people around, she can't ignore them, and they are ruining her hunting.  So she goes off to wait for them to leave.

Migrant workers

Faced with a peach avalanche, I decided to invite Sheila and Elliot and their sons Noah and Samuel, for rather selfish reasons:  To pick peaches!

It was a clever ploy, and they worked really hard too, and best of all, they TOOK a whole bucket full of peaches.  I asked Noah, who is a fruit connoisseur, how many peaches he wanted to take home.  Without hesitation he decided on 180.  I think they got that many.

Now just to review Decibel's faces (previous post):

This is the "I'm not sure what is going on, but something is happening.  Mom brushed me, and the floor is clean.  Visitors?" face.

I was a little worried about Decibel, she hasn't seen short humans for a while, and with her jumping up on visitors lately, I didn't want to have any injuries, we needed peach pickers!  

But Decibel showed how smart and good she can be.  She never jumped on the boys, she tried to be on her best behavior, and only once Noah decided to play tug of war with her did she accidentally use her paw and scratch him a little.  She even tugged lightly, I mean, Decibel can pull me along, but she didn't topple Noah.

All the dogs were pretty good, even if Samuel wouldn't agree, (he was a little intimidated by all that canine action).  No one got knocked over, no tears; everyone left with the digits and limbs they came with.  

People trekking up to see cows

Cows trekking down to see people

Close encounters... "I like your hat"

Decibel is in the thick of it

Donkey is really good with Noah

 

Even Samuel enjoys the "ride"

After the fun with the farm critters, and a quick dip for the dogs, we put the people to work!

 Decibel is entertained by the little human  - Look Mom, he's almost like one of us... Can we keep him?

The transparent Decibel

Decibel is a smart dog, she shows me that several times a day.  She is observant, understands a lot of words we never taught her on purpose, and she is intuitive.  She likes being helpful, she is attentive, and she even has her protective aspects.

One thing she is not is sneaky.  She hasn't got it in her.
When a thought pops into her head, you can pretty much read it off her face in LARGE BOLD PRINT.

She might see a bone or 'stinky' (it is what we call the hoof trimmings the farrier leaves behind, for obvious reasons.  The dogs like chewing them and since they are free and essentially the same as cow hoof, stinkies are fair game) and try to get it without attracting notice from the other dogs, but her delight far outdoes her sneakiness, and EVERYONE in the immediate vicinity knows that she is up to something.
She is prancing, eyes on target, tail high, ear flopping, with a big grin on her face... yeah, so subtle - NOT!

I can read her when 'she is up to something', when an idea strikes, when she is willing, or unwilling.  Her herding for example:  Decibel is a helpful dog and she delights in having a job to do.  Still, those steers give her trouble at times, requiring her to dance out of the way.  Deep down Decibel is a bit of a chicken.  So when I tell her to bring up the cows, she goes with an air of dutiful honor-bound compulsion.  It is fun to watch especially when the other dogs are goofing off.  For a split second there is temptation, should she chase after Maggie who is hunting (imaginary) squirrels?  After all, Mom is busy with the big cow, and might not notice, and in any event, humans are S-L-O-W.  Then there is compliance.  Mom needs me.  I can herd cows.  I can show her.  I am a good helper Briard.  And she's off pushing cattle.

This is: hoping for a cookie

This is: someone is touching the bowls!

This is: I hope they go to bed soon.  They have to come by here.

This is:  Maggie has something I want.

This is: I really want it, but Maggie is the boss.

This is:  Hi Mom, can we go do something fun?

This is: Mo-om, get off the darn computer, it's nice out!

Naturally she has her barks too.  One just means 'Ralph is in my way'.  Then there is the 'someone at the gate' or the even better 'Daddy is home' bark.  Another is more serious, 'something is WRONG'!
I was cleaning the kitchen floor, an activity that practically spells futility, not to mention begs for an interruption.  I have to blast my music until the floor practically vibrates, since I believe this helps the dirt removal process.  Still, I could hear the 'something wrong' bark over the wet vacuum and the music.  So I shut off the cleaner, and no, the other dogs are not joining.  This is clearly something that only Decibel finds noteworthy.
I check it out.  She "found" the fan Harold had set up in the study.  It is one of those small fans that rotates, which didn't convince Mademoiselle Decibel that it could be harmless.  It moved!
So I got a break from cleaning and let her check it out, until we were both assured that no danger lurked in the study.
One of the funniest things was watching Maggie come in to check things out, and not finding anything worth her while.

Unfortunately Decibel can read me pretty well too, at least when it comes to grooming tasks, for she disappears out the doggie door the second the thought has formed in my head, and before I can move towards the basket with the grooming utensils.