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The Farm:
My farm centers
around my mini goats and my farmdogs. My goats are charming, and far
too clever for their own good. My dogs are loving, loyal, and
actually useful. Puppies and goat kids come along periodically, which
I advertise locally. Please contact me if you want to talk about animals.
Mini Goats:
I
have a couple of breeds of mini dairy goats: Nigerian Dwarf goats,
and Mini Nubian goats. They make wonderful pets, and are very
intelligent animals. The relationships they form with each other are
heartwarming, and watching a doe raise her kids can redefine how we
view the hearts and minds of livestock. They are usually very
healthy and easy to take care of, and feeding them the correct diet
is the most important thing (lots of hay, and a little grain for
treats). Maintaining hoof health is another important aspect of goat
keeping, as is a sturdy goat-proof fence. I breed my goats so they
will give me milk, but if milk is not wanted they do not need to be
bred, will not need to be milked, and will be the most charming
little weed eaters you have met. A note: Nigerian dwarf goats are
very similar to pygmy goats if kept as pets, since they are the same
size with similar personalities. The difference between the two is
that pygmy goats are a meat goat breed, and Nigerian dwarfs are a
dairy goat breed.
Dogs:
Learn more about my available puppies here.
I have
some mini Australian shepherds, who are the most loyal dogs I have
ever had. I am very impressed with their abilities, and decided that
I was a fan of the older style of dog-breeding -- back when dogs'
abilities were tested on farms, before dog shows encouraged the
growth of burdensome fluffy coats, and when Aussies were lean with
slender bone structures built for speed and maneuverability. This new
interest in old-time farmdogs led me to a collie that I purchased
from a breeder who specializes in dogs that are healthy,
sweet-tempered, and useful around a farm. The collie I have has shown
me what "Lassie dogs" ought to be: loyal, protective,
thoughtful, and not fluffy. All my dogs were chosen for having
sleek coats that allow them to run through brush for hours and come
out of it looking just as elegant as when they went in. I have
started a breeding program with the goal of saving the
characteristics that I believe make these traditional dogs great
companions. I make a nod to appearance, but I am mainly concerned
with breeding intelligent, loyal, and obedient companions that also
have the old herding instincts intact.
Useful Links:
For Dogs:
American Working Farmcollie Association, an organization dedicated to the preservation of old-style farmdogs of various breeds: https://www.farmcollie.com/
I advise watching "kikopup" dog training videos by Emily Larlham: https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
Learn more about Emily Larlham on her webpage: https://dogmantics.com/
For Goats:
I frequently go to the Fias Co Farm website for general goat advice, although I do not share all the author's views on "Western medicine": http://fiascofarm.com/