Transitioning from zero dogs to one dog seemed difficult. Adding Kintla to my home was a lot of work, but I never could have imagined what is happening now: I'm adding more dogs: not just one, but two!
I now own three dogs!
Recently, a friend reached out to me, hoping I might adopt one of her dogs she would soon be unable to care for. Then, somehow, that dog of hers became two dogs, and I couldn’t say no!
I couldn’t imagine in my wildest dreams that these sweet pups would be heading to a shelter or staying somewhere that didn’t suit their needs anymore. I was preparing to move onto a larger property, so I figured adding a couple dogs won’t be too bad. They are outdoor dogs after all.
My sweet pup, Kintla, is still an indoor/outdoor dog and so far, she loves her new siblings. She runs and plays with them outside but then retreats to her own space inside the house. I was worried she'd feel left out, not getting ALL my attention, but she seems to love this move to a farm. Her play area has been upgraded; now she can dig holes galore, and I don’t bat an eye.
These new family additions, Dog 1 and Dog 2, are hunting dogs. They don’t fetch and they don’t cuddle. Their nose is to the ground 90% of the time and the other 10% their heads are deep in a hole they dug, ripping out some poor creature from its den. Forget "barn cats." These are "barn dogs" lol.
Dog 1 and Dog 2 have been relatively low maintenance except they require vigorous exercise and mental stimulation. Because I have cows on the property, I can’t take the dogs on a run around the perimeter. Currently, we walk over to a field part that is loaded with mice, and I let them hunt for an hour at a time, a few times a day. It seems to tire them out because they dig trenches and are worn out by the time I reel them back to their enclosures.
Because these dogs are older and have never had any training, they are free spirits, still getting acquainted with me and my commands. Last week was extremely difficult because they showed no respect for me, but after just one week of training and working with them, I notice a large difference—they are beginning to listen and recall!
I love my little farm dog family! Protecting me and the property!
