I’d like to formally introduce you to Akuna, the newest member of our family (farmily?)!
Akuna – Australian aboriginal word meaning “the way forward” and “flowing water”.
Imprinted on chickens, ducks, and lambs with her mama and siblings, this gorgeous Great Pyrenees puppy is being charged with guarding our own chickens, turkeys, and goats.
While there will be some training to do (as well as some mental preparation on my part for her to reach her massive ~100 pound grown up self shortly), she is incredibly calm for a puppy and has a very sweet disposition. She’s also an amazing help (already!) when we check on the chickens and turkeys as she doesn’t pay them any mind…unlike every other dog I’ve ever known who immediately wants to make a meal out of them!
Unlike our other two (pre-farm/city convert) dogs, as soon as we get our goats, she will live outside in order to protect the livestock from any lurking predators. For now (and since she’s only 8 weeks old), she spends her days outside and her nights on the screened in porch.
There’s definitely some adjustment happening for all of us since, no matter how calm she is, she’s still a puppy, which means she nips and jumps and gets underfoot all the time.
Ember goes back and forth between absolute adoration (“Oh! Baby!”) and yelling, “No, no, no!” because she’s jumping, nipping, licking, and just trying to say “hello”…but in such an exuberant way it’s overwhelming.
Our older dogs are tolerating her and, I believe, are on their way to accepting her.
Kim and I are just so happy to have her and are working on simple commands and cleaning up copious amounts of pee from the screened in porch every morning due to her small (yet very large) bladder.
With her addition to our homestead, we are well on our way to fulfilling the majority of our farm goals for this year. Though I should admit that we’re moving pretty quickly (raising turkeys, new pup, goats on their way), I feel so very lucky to be in this space and to have the opportunities we have.
It’s been quite the year, hasn’t it?
Hoping all of the dreams you’re dreaming are coming true, too…
xoxo,
M
http://www.simplifylivelove.com
This is a blogger I know in Iowa. She has homestead and a GP as well. Maybe she can give you some tips about your cutie.
Thank you for thinking of this, Marlis! I love that blog! 🙂
Oh my God she is SOOOO cute!! I can’t wait until we can get an LGD. She’s going to be ginormous when she grows up! I’m so glad she’s already doing well with the critters, what a good pup.
Meredith recently posted…Urban Foraging: Finding Free and Wild Food in our fair city
She’s really the best! I’m just hoping we do t break her 😉