Jello

Or Jello-like.  It has been raining so much (as usual this time of year) that the land is like jello with grass. The de rigueur Hilo wear of rubber boots is necessary when the weather is like this.  I really need to either cover my last bean plant or harvest them soon, because they will rot in this weather.  


I am really considering how I will keep the dogs from chasing the sheep.  My dogs are chicken and cat eaters.  They do leave our house cat alone, but have killed every barn cat, and several strays. They will eat chickens who are out - and have been known to get into the pen and murder a whole flock.  (My coop is Fort Knox - five layers of wire fence and a stand out electric line now).  The won't murder the sheep, but they might bark and chase them.  The real answer is finding homes for the two older dogs and brining in another herding type dog, but that isn't emotionally easy.  Another answer would be building kennels for them, but that wouldn't be very nice either - they have always been free to roam our land.  


I have had a dog who was a chicken/wild pig/goat killer, and I retrained him successfully.  He still hunted pigs in the forest on his own, but the domestic animals were left unmolested - even free range chickens.  Once, a little goat kid who was rejected chose him to sleep with....and that was telling.  In the past, I caught him trying to pull my goat under the house by the ear.  (I shoved my fist down his throat 'til he gagged - I am not afraid of dogs, but can barely stand to talk in front of adults).  


I just don't think I can retrain two dogs at the same time.  They just reinforce bad habits.