Herding Cardigans

The past few days have been so fun to watch Cardis do their job. Herd animals!

My remaining four Pygmy goats have started to find NEW gates OUT of their pen and then come and go at will. Little to my knowledge! Most days when I would return from work I'd go and open the ONE gate I know and call them as they all come marching back into the pen, feeling obviously smug that they once again 'pulled one over' their owner.

Well I wanted them to take heed and pay attention. Enter Oliver. Wow were those goats mortified yesterday when they started heading to MY gate! I've never seen them run so fast and wow was the Oliver on them like stink on S*&)! Oliver also got to chase two calves back into the pen via the fenceline feeders and he couldn't believe i was asking him to move such big animals! he'd run towards them and they'd start to run, and he'd slow down and look over his shoulder and I'd say "Yes Oliver! Get 'em!" and he'd barrel after them again for a bit, and turn over his shoulder and make sure it was still 'ok' to chase them! He's so much fun!

Apparently though with all of Oliver's maneuvers and barking and working, the goats must have forgotten how scary it was as when I came home again today...they were out again.

Well ok, maybe ONE Cardigan isn't scary enough.

So today I let out the seasoned pro, Sadie, and just for fun Ell. It was Ell's first time herding anything and I KNEW she wanted to, but I didn't know if she'd be ABLE to. Well they both passed with flying colors and those goats were so shocked as to the tag teaming, they ended up being herded right to ME! Yup! Ell and Sadie worked those goats right up to me and actually the girls kept the goats RIGHT next to me all the way to the barn! Talk about an "easy, breezy, beautiful way to work goats!" I kinda like this herding ability thing ;)

Ell and Sadie did too! They worked when allowed to, held back when asked and didn't push or move too fast. All with zero training and a handler with no experience training or working dogs. WOHOO!