Okay, so the first picture is Guacho (pronounced WAH-choh) and he is the Pit or Rottweiler mix.
The second picture is a typical example of the behavior of Lucky the Jack Russell Terrier and (she thinks) HER cat Simona. (Simona KNOWS, though, that Lucky is HER dog. LOL) Lucky looks--generally up--for the prey. She spots and chases, then Simona helps her catch it. Sort of. I think. Mostly I believe Simona waits for Lucky to do the work and she keeps it from getting away when Lucky flings it. Simona chose US. She teetered into our lives when she was 5-6 weeks old. She was so malnourished her skin was sloughing off her legs. She was also full of parasites. When my husband carried her to me, asking "can you save it?" she fit in the palm of his hand. She is still small, but you'd never know it by observing her. She is the ultimate barn cat that accepts us as her peons.
The third is the most common way to encounter ANY Jack Russell--hips deep into a hole chasing the critter. Lucky definitely has a strong prey drive. She uses her eyes more than any of my other dogs do, in part to her being glued to my hip for the last six years. She is bi-lingual English/Spanish and has a fairly broad vocabulary. She hasn't adjusted well to no longer being an inside dog. She looks at me with this expression in her eyes "Why don't you want me to be part of your pack anymore? Why don't I get to come be by your side all the time anymore?" Hopefully, when we get the big trailer settled, she'll get to come back in with me. When I adopted her, I was told by her previous owner that they picked her up from the road. She'd been flung from the window of a van in front of them. Lucky to be alive, so Lucky became her name. She was the first dog either one had ever owned...not the best breed for beginners in the dog world. They had two young children, one of whom was special needs. They were the types to "baby" a pet, and in Lucky's case that created a little submissive monster. She was a fear biter, a submissive pee-er, flinched at any loud sounds, and was the boss of their household. When I came in to meet her, I ignored her as soon as I saw the little river trailing down the hall to me. When I sat down on the couch, her owner said-in a high pitched talking to babies voice--"oh look, she likes you so much she's smiling at you!" I knew right then Lucky had to come home with me. That poor dog was submissive tooth baring, and had I moved my hand quickly she'd have snapped at me. Now, all these years later, she will still submissive pee when greeting strangers if they don't follow directions and ignore her. She's never overcome her fear of being in a vehicle. She can only ride if she's in her small crate, facing into the car. Otherwise she hyperventilates and makes herself sick. She is my best friend though. We definitely have a working relationship. She keeps the place clear of vermin, and I tell her she's great without too much ado.
The fourth picture is a profile of my most noble Penny. On a trip out to Paula's one day, I passed a box on the side of the road. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw heads. I drove on another quarter mile.......then had to go back. Sure enough, I found a cardboard box with half a dozen large rocks and 3 puppies. I called animal control, and assessed the pups while I waited. Penny seemed like a good prospect for what I wanted, a ride along friend that wouldn't challenge Lucky yet would partner well as a work dog. I named her Penny because of this rhyme: "See a penny, pick it up. All the day you'll have good luck." My grandma taught me this rhyme when I was little and she always picked up pennies off the ground. I do too, so Penny seemed appropriate for my new Belgian Shepherd mix pup.
The fifth is Mr. Shrimp-a-dimp Spanky. He's put on quite a bit of hair in the last two weeks, just in time for the cold snap this weekend. In this shot, he's just heard the shutter snap on the camera and is on his way to stick his nose into the lens for his close-up.
So, my group aren't LGD's, because they don't guard livestock in the traditional sense. They all are working partners on my place though. Guacho is still learning that he's to bark at people only and not everything that moves. Penny is the most aware of nuances, has a soft mouth and the desire to learn the most skills, and ignores the poultry. Lucky is just a heartless killing machine who does comedy on the side to keep me laughing. All in all they're a good pack for me.
