Farmer H was unduly harsh with him when carrying in some groceries today. Speaking quite sharply to Jack to LEAVE THAT CAT ALONE! It’s not like Farmer H even likes the cat. Barely tolerates it enough to feed it every morning. And Jack was only barking at it. Not chasing, not biting, not attempting caticide. I think Farmer H is still holding a grudge because Jack tore up the insulation on the inside of the BARn’s garage door. Farmer H needs to watch pointing the finger of blame at Jack, because there are three fingers pointing back at himself! It’s not like Jack asked to be locked in the BARn for 26 hours, with a plan to wreak mischief.
Anyhoo… that unfortunate incarceration of little Jack happened on Thursday/Friday. Farmer H miraculously made it through the weekend without imprisoning any other pets, though our newest dog Marley remained behind metal, in his pen within a pen. He’s not a canine Hannibal Lecter. He’s just double-penned so he can’t tunnel out too fast.
Sunday evening, Farmer H RELEASED Marley. On purpose. Just to see what he’d do. You may recall that the first recreational release had Marley up at HOS’s old place within a half hour, and Farmer H capturing him (after multiple attempts) to re-incarcerate.
I had no idea Marley was out, until Farmer H bragged about it from his La-Z-Boy during supper.
“I let Marley out while I was mowing. He ran around in the BARn field for a while, then laid down, like the big Jack does, where he could watch me. I think Marley knows he lives here now.”
“Well, you were outside with him. Juno hates when you mow! She runs straight to her dog house.”
“Yeah, she don’t like it much. It doesn’t bother Jack. I don’t know where he went. He barked a couple times, but he didn't bother Marley like before.”
“So you put Marley up when you came in?”
“No. He’ll stay around. I left the door open to his pens.”
“Where will he sleep? If he comes up on the porch for one of the dog houses, these other dogs are gonna flip out!”
“I imagine he’ll go back in his pen and sleep, in his little shed. It’s what he’s used to now. It’s where his food and water are.”
“Anything can get in there and eat his food, with the doors open. You might want to check and make sure he’s out there. And put him back. He’ll feel safer overnight.”
After eating, Farmer H went out. Not for long.
“I don’t see him out there. I guess I’ll drive around and look for him. He might have went up to HOS’s again.”
Indeed. When he returned 15 minutes later, Farmer H reported that's where he found Marley.
“He was up there. Neighbor Jack’s two dogs are his buddies. He was standing over by HOS’s shed with one of ‘em. He came right to me, and I brought him back and put him in his pen. I might have to put him on a rope next time I let him out, unless I’m right there with him.”
That was my plan from the beginning.
Did you get the new dog while I was in Iceland? How did that come about?
ReplyDeleteWith three dogs, you have plenty of doghouses for Farmer H to choose from, the next time he gets into trouble.
Sioux,
ReplyDeleteYes, I think so. The new dog Marley belonged to HOS, who also has a giant Marmaduke-like dog not a Great Dane, that now lives IN the $5000 house with the family. It sleeps upstairs in the 10-year-old HOSS's (Farmer H's Oldest Son's Son) room. Marley is not a house dog. He barks a lot, and runs off, and they didn't want to keep him in a pen in town. He can run around out here, as long as he knows to COME BACK so we'll feed him.
We volunteered to take Marley, but HOS left him overnight one weekend without bothering to mention it! Farmer H found Marley in the pen, on the way to the BARn. We think he'd been there a couple days. With our dogs always barking their fool heads off at nothing, we hadn't noticed another bark.
I don't know what kind of dog Marley is, but he's cute as a button. Right now his fur is getting dirty from all the rain and mud. They neighbor with the killer Rottweiler has some kind of dog business. Farmer H says he will ask her to give Marley a haircut. HOS and them used to get him a summer haircut, and I can see why.
When Marley used to come down here with HOS and HOSS on the 4-wheeler, our dogs HATED HIM, and chased him around. I think they're getting used to him being here now. Juno lays over by the pen during the day. Jack thinks he's big and bad with his pair of balls, so of course doesn't like Marley. He'll probably get used to Marley if Marley will act more submissive to him. Jack only defers to Juno, because she was top dog when he came here as a pup, and Juno is quick to remind him. Copper Jack doesn't care much, he's just a barker, not a chaser or nipper.
I agree Marley should be on a rope when he's "free" for at least six months until he knows this is now home. Reading your comment to Sioux about HOS leaving Marley without telling anyone, I suspect that apple didn't fall too far from Farmer H's tree. Both of them do things without thinking or saying.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh! Farmer H was talking to HOSS on the phone. Asked him when his dad left Marley, because, "Nobody bothered to let us know Marley was here." To which HOSS replied, "Huh. Imagine that."
oh lordy! Now there's three of them....
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to break the cycle, I guess!