While exciting events have occurred at times at Medicine Spirit Ranch such as bull fights, marauding feral hogs, and flash floods, but never before have we experienced frank thievery. And bovine sneak thievery at that!
Not long ago I posted a blog piece describing five black baldy cows who had calves by their side purchased to restock our cattle herd. The calves were the product of black baldy cows and apparently black baldy bulls or Angus bulls. While small, the calves appeared healthy and who would have suspected skullduggery from any of them.
Black baldy calves mixed in with our smoky calves (crosses between black baldy mothers and Charolois bull)
One calf stood out from the rest because she was brown rather than black and had no white patch on her face as is typical for a black baldy. I dismissed these coloration differences because the calf appeared healthy and had a good mama. Who would have thought the behavior of the calf in addition to its appearance would differ from the usual?
The little brown milk thief. And he looks so innocent!
For readers unfamiliar with cow behavior, to see a calf suckling on a cow other than its mother cow is unusual. This is especially so for non-milk cows. When seen, this behavior is referred to as allosuckling. An underweight calf might attempt to suckle an unrelated cow, but typically will promptly be shaken off by the seemingly offended lactating cow. While on rare occasion a non-mother cow will suckle an orphan calf, in my experience this behavior is unusual, and I’ve never seen this behavior for a normally developing calf with an accepting and nurturing mother. We have in the past needed to bottle feed calves whose mothers did not produce sufficient milk, were ill, or died.
The milk theft I witnessed has now become a recurring crime, confirming my suspicions of outright calf sneak thievery. Both occasions transpired while I was in the process of feeding range cubes, informally called “cow candy”. While the mama cows hurried forward to enjoy their protein feed, the little brown calf, eyeing her opportunity and with nefarious intent and gleam in her eye, sneaked between the hind legs of a cow who was not her mother. There she attached herself to a teat. Presumably, the cow in question was sufficiently distracted to not check the identity of the alien calf.
After witnessing this unusual cow behavior for the first time, I wondered if the calf had been abandoned or was failing to obtain sufficient milk from her mother. However, this seemed not to be the case., as the calf was observed to feed normally from her mother. My further enlightenment occurred about a week later when I saw the sneak thief latch onto yet another mother while again feeding range cubes. A quick inspection of the little brown sneak thief found her to be both healthy appearing and not starved for milk.
Who me, steal milk?
Even stranger was the sneak thief’s selection of which cows to suckle. One would expect the calf to select one of the well bonded cows in the purchased herd from which he came. Instead, the alien calf on both occasions selected a cow from our original and unrelated herd. Admittedly, cows from our original herd are experienced and gentle mothers, perhaps helping to explain their tolerance for the interloping, little milk thief.
And as Yogi Berra has been quoted as saying, “You can observe a lot just by watching.”
A cattle trailer opened its back gate last week at our ranch and out bounded five recently purchased black baldy cows and their calves. The animals proved docile but stuck closely together. The next day I opened the gate to the adjoining pasture where our resident herd grazed. The immigrant cattle slowly were drawn into the adjoining pasture. I observed the wary interaction of the new cattle and the established larger herd of black baldy cattle and their smokey calves (cross between black baldy and Charolais). The intermingling of the new and old herds then took its familiar course that I’ve witnessed from numerous episodes of introducing new cattle to the resident herd.
A new black baldy mother with three of the new calves
Several of the cows from the older herd approached the immigrants with a certain intent. Before long several minor altercations broke out between members of the older herd and the newer one with head to head pushing taking place. Even several of the immigrant calves became challenged to shoving matches by calves from the established herd. The smaller new cows were first time mothers and were over matched by the larger resident black baldy mothers. Likewise the calves from the resident herd were on the whole larger than the immigrant calves.
Foreheads pitted against foreheads, the pairs pushed and strained. Muscles bulged in their necks and hind quarters, eyes stared balefully. Eventually some slight movement began to occur with a dominant bovine shoving the other several paces backward. It seemed that no intent existed to harm the other cow (calf) but rather to demonstrate dominance. A new order of dominance was being developed.
For the majority of the cattle from the established herd (lets call them the citizen herd), avoidance seemed the order of the day. The separation of the lesser and newer herd from the older, larger herd developed over the next several days. The immigrants as a group initially wandered away into a nearby pasture, avoiding members of the older citizen herd. There they seemed content, languidly munching on green grass or chewing their cuds and maintaining close proximity with the members of their small herd. No doubt previously established dominance within this group continued unchanged.
On day four the larger herd wandered into the pasture occupied by the immigrants. No more shoving matches occurred and instead the cattle ever so slowly and tempted by nearby green grass began to intermingle. The immigrants still herded together but maintained position on the periphery of the citizen herd. Tolerance was being developed.
A smokey calf intermingling with the older citizen cows
As the saying goes all behavior has meaning, but the question arose as to what meant the behavior of these bovines. Did the new herd represent a potential threat to the established herd? Did their positions of dominance within the herd feel threatened. Did competition for grass bring about the shoving matches? Did the citizen cows sense competition or fear that their usual circumstances or prerogatives might be affected?
Whereas the cows were all black baldys and looked much alike, major physical differences did not divide them. Their vocalizations also sounded very similar to this observer; however, clearly calves could differentiate their mother’s call from that of the other cows. Might the immigrant cows have a different vocalization (dialect) that was perceivable from the citizen cows? Was competition for available grass (jobs) the source of concern- the greater number of cows with the same amount of grass?
A week has passed and now the cattle have intermittently integrated without signs of disagreement or competition. While still identifying with their original herd, the negative behaviors appear to have stopped. Based on prior experience integrating cattle into the resident herd, I expect no further shoving matches. And if the combined herd follows true to form, before long the cattle will pay little attention to which herd they derived. If only people could adapt to immigrants as quickly, as it appears to take years and even generations for this assimilation to occur in our society.
Intermingling of the mothers from both herds and a smokey calf with several of the black baldy calves
Admittedly, people have far more complex social behaviors than cows. But are there not similarities? Don’t citizens feel threatened that jobs or societal expectations might change with an influx of different folks with different customs, dialects or languages? Is that really different from the behavior shown by my cattle when confronted with immigrant cattle? Might the uncertainty of place in society or herd be threatened by newcomers? The immigrants may possess skills greater than the residents and therefore ascend in dominance (wealth) in society or within the herd.
Perhaps, just perhaps, cows can teach us something about assimilating faster with immigrants.
The news of terrible flash floods in the Texas Hill Country, most notably in the Kerrville area, are now well known around the world. Many friends and family members from across the country and as far away as Australia have checked with us to be sure we are okay. For those of us who live in the Hill Country, the impact has been personal, painful, and concerning. Our ranch is only 22-miles from Kerrville. Rain totals on Friday at Medicine Spirit Ranch measured six inches on top of already saturated soil from earlier rains this week. Today, we have had almost another three inches thus far, creating flash floods. We are unable to get off our hill due to multiple flooded low water crossings. The water at the base of our hill is raging and would sweep my pickup away if I were foolish enough to attempt a crossing.
Our lives at the ranch have been only minimally impacted with our inability to ford low water crossings, cancellation of Fourth of July parades and fireworks, and concern over blow out fences where streams flow into and out of our ranch land. That is not true for many unfortunates in the Hill Country. No doubt fences are down and stock will wander. Round ups are in my future when feasible.
My major concern has been with the poor folks in Kerr County some of whom have lost their lives, houses, and property. Many people living in our area and some of our family members have had children or other relatives attend Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. Our local representative to Congress, August Pfluger, had two daughters at Camp Mystic who fortunately have now been evacuated.
I’ve spent time in the past on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville. People had gathered for the Fourth of July celebration and had been enjoying the festivities. At 2:30 am and in a matter of minutes the river rose 30 feet and swept away campers, cars, pets, and people. As I write this some 80 people have been declared deceased with 11 girls from Camp Mystic are still missing. The count will inevitably go up.
While living in the Texas Hill Country is idyllic, flash floods have long been a threat. The reasons for flash floods are multiple. The soil is thin in the Hill Country and retains water poorly. I’ve always been surprised the day following a good rain that the ground often will be dry. Also the hilly and rocky terrain and steep canyons cause rapid shedding of ground water into shallow creeks and gorges. The humid air from the Gulf and from the Pacific Ocean can meet a front moving down from the Great Plains and give rise to torrential rainfall. Such was the situation that has given rise to our flash floods that began three days ago.
The flash floods in the Texas Hill Country are recurring. The last big flash flood with loss of life was in 1987 when the Guadalupe River rose 27-feet in a matter of a few hours. Extreme weather has become more frequent and worse with global warming. The warming causes the air to hold increased water vapor that on meeting cooler air gives rise to torrential downpours and raging streams and rivers.
Federal, and State emergency services are at work. Even faster has been the local response. For example today our church took in countless jugs of water and many bags of personal items to distribute to the needy. These packages will leave shortly for the affected area. Our Rotary District has already established methods for donating money and plans to send many Rotarians to the flood sites for clean up purposes. Everyone seems to be mobilizing in some way to lend a hand during this tragedy. Texans are resilient and events such as these sad events give rise to uncommon cooperation and generosity.
Finally I’ll add a few random thoughts. Prior to the torrential rain, the sky took on a definite purple cast. Both Trudy and I noticed the strange color of the sky that in the past has been associated with thunderstorms, hailstorms, and tornadoes. The sky had an ethereal appearance.
Also this afternoon after checking Live Oak Creek and finding it flooding, I found an unusual number of animals roaming around the top of the hill. I saw a gray fox run across the road. This was an unusual sight to see a fox in the middle of the day. Secondly, I saw a turtle arduously crawling up the ranch road from the creek toward one of our stock tanks (read pond). It had traveled over 200 yards to that point. Finally, I spotted the largest herd of deer I’ve ever witnessed atop our hill. No doubt these animals sought high ground to escape the raging water below.
Upon returning from checking the status of the creek and immediately after spotting the large herd of white tail deer, I parked the pickup, heaved a dejected sigh, and let out the Border collies. Duke, our young Border/Aussie cross jumped out like his tail was on fire, ran across the yard, traversed several cattle guards and disappeared from sight. Without a doubt Duke decided to exercise the deer because later on his return he was panting excitedly. Well at least Duke found a bright spot for the flash floods! Somehow he had lightened my grief somewhat.
Received notice that my blog has been featured on FeedSpot as one of the top Ranch Life Blogs. I am gratified for the recognition and express my appreciation for this honor.
Our pets have shorter lives than humans, making it possible for us to observe their transitions across their aging spectrum. We can view them mature, grow old, and die. This can be instructive. For me, I’m staring at a formidable eighty years old at my next birthday and am sobered by the fact that by virtually anyone’s standard, I am now old. Despite physically feeling healthy and reasonably vigorous, I cannot completely shut out the concern about the not so stealthy approach of the old man.
As I stare into the formidable aging abyss, I find comfort from the actions and examples of my aging and deceased pets. Allow me to explain.
Mollie was a female Border collie that we acquired shortly before moving to the ranch almost twenty-five years ago. She was a Border collie from working stock and in her youth was a terrific herder. She could also run at an amazing clip. The latter trait was shown one day when I observed her run down a grown white tail deer. Molly had chased the white tail doe across a large pasture and was gaining ground on it when the deer in her panicked state attempted jumping a fence. Instead of clearing the fence, the deer trampolined off the barbed wire fence, landing in front of the paws of my semi-crazed, tongue wagging, blue eyed dog. Of interest to me was that Mollie made no attempt to attack the deer but merely waited for the deer to regain her feet. Soon the all out chase was on again with my deliriously happy hound in fast pursuit.
I mention this anecdote, as it strangely reminded me of my own youth and my own ability to run fast. Watching Mollie brought back proud memories. Of course I was not able to run down deer but was sufficiently agile to be offered track and field scholarships for the sprints and broad jump. Now fast forward twelve years from Mollie’s youth to her older years when she had been diagnosed with cancer. I recall on her last day of life, she wanted to go for her walk even if it proved to be a short one. There was no “give up” in that dog. Mollie lived her life fully, squeezing out all the activity and pleasure she could.
The following night Mollie began as usual sleeping on the floor next to my side of the bed. Sometime during the night, she apparently got up, walked about thirty feet down the hallway, laid down, and peacefully died. I found her cold, lifeless body the next morning. She had stayed engaged with life up until the very end of her life. Is there not a lesson to be learned here?
I’ve been advised by friends on the verge of selling their property in the country and moving to town to consider the same. Another friend questioned my continued efforts in golf lessons and time spent on the practice range, as it was his opinion that our golf games were never likely to improve. He may have been right about the golf scores, but that is not how I roll. Mollie comes to mind. She didn’t roll that way either, so why should I?
Please understand that I am not in denial about getting older, but I’ll do everything I can to fully enjoy my late years. I’ve had cataracts taken off and lens implant placed with excellent results. No more glasses! Recently I suddenly lost most of the hearing in my right ear and required a hearing aid for my left ear and essentially a microphone for my right ear to transfer sounds to my left ear. While the result is far from perfect, it allows me to remain engaged with life. My stamina isn’t what it used to be. Actually it is no where near the same. A nap after lunch has transitioned from a rarity to a necessity. And by the way my loyal, two-year old dog, Duke, never fails to join me for a nap, despite his characteristic boundless energy.
My current thirteen-year old and virtually blind Border collie, Bella, has also demonstrated graceful acquiescence to her aging. One difference in Bella is that when I now stop the pickup for a walk, she remains behind in the cab of the truck while young Duke and I go for a walk. She learned on her final walk several months ago that her limitations were simply too great and that she became too exhausted. Now Bella waits patiently in the truck for us to return, in the interim no doubt sneaking in an extra nap.
Bella has learned the extent of her physical abilities and has adapted to them with a sensible grace. She is accepting of those physical limitations that she can no longer perform. Doing so with calm acceptance and grace is what I’ve observed from my Bella and strive to learn. Yup! No more ladders for me!
The top picture is of the mature Bella and the lower picture is of the old Bella
On that most uncomfortable of all subjects, death, I’ve also learned from my Border collies. Our first dog Bandit who proved responsible for transferring us from a hectic city life to a bucolic ranch life, became old, severely infirm, unable to walk, and finally compassion required that we put him down. He had dearly loved the ranch with its abundant wildlife, scenic views, and cattle to herd.
When finally we deemed it time to let our old Bandit die with his dignity still intact, I placed him in the bed of the pickup, a spot where he had spent so many happy hours. I strategically parked the pickup so that Bandit had a view from the top of the hill and could sense the cattle grazing below. On a warm day with the gentle breezes and amid the songs of birds, our veterinarian facilitated the peaceful passing of our noble Bandit dog.
While the moment was incredibly sad for me, and I bawled my eyes out, I can think of no better way for our beloved pets or we as humans to die than surrounded by natural beauty, memories of outstanding accomplishments, and surrounded by those he/she loved. I can only wish that a graceful ending of my life will occur and that we humans might become as accepting of the inevitable as were my Bandit and Molly.
Perhaps you have observed your pets and gained wisdom from them about life’s mysteries. If so, please let me know what you have learned and share here with other blog readers and pet lovers.
If you have not had the chance to read my latest book, Hitler’s Maladies and Their Impact on World War II: A Behavioral Neurologist’s View (Texas Tech University Press), I invite you to do so. The book explores an important aspect of the Hitler story and World War II that has not been well studied. Many of Hitler’s catastrophic errors including the premature invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slowness of German forces to counterattack at the Battle of Normandy in 1944, and the highly risky Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 into 1945, can be better understood, knowing the sizeable impact that Hitler’s physical and mental conditions had on these vital battles.
Also, consider picking up a copy of my earlier book, Carrying The Black Bag: A Neurologist’s Bedside Tales (Texas Tech University Press). Please join me on my personal journey as a physician and meet my patients whose reservoirs of courage, perseverance, and struggles to achieve balance for their disrupted lives provide the foundation for this book. But step closely, as often they speak with low and muffled voices, but voices that nonetheless ring loudly with humanity, love, and most of all, courage.
Like his royal name suggests, Duke came our home to visit and stayed and in the process anointed a painful emotional scar left by the forced departure of our earlier dog, Beau. Trudy and I had been grieving Beau’s loss for over six months when we received a phone call from our veterinarian’s office, informing us that they needed to re-home a Border collie. The dog in question had refused to stay cooped up in a small backyard located in a town some thirty miles away. The owners,the caller said, simply could no longer keep the escape artist and had given him up to Second Chances, a dog re-homing service. Would we be interested in meeting Duke? The question from the caller was the equivalent of kicking in an already opening door.
Not long after Trudy and I along with our twelve year old Border, Bella, arrived at the vet’s office where we met Duke. He was skittish but friendly. He immediately took to me, so much so that Trudy now refers to Duke as a Velcro dog. Of importance to us was Duke’s behavior toward Bella. He was curious about Bella, but in no way did he bully or harass our old, sweet, and largely blind Bella.
Duke at our first meeting at the vet’s kennel
We learned that Duke had been found wandering about the streets of Mason, Texas where he had been for an unknown length of time. He had weighed only 36 pounds when he had arrived at the vet’s office in Fredercksburg but had gained several additional pounds there. Evidently he had eaten poorly for some time while on the streets or at his prior home. His name had been given by his prior human parents so that we thought it best to maintain it. He was estimated to be around a year old. Duke seemed grateful for new parents, was housebroken, and had been neutered. The decision to keep Duke proved easy. Duke would come live with us at Medicine Spirit Ranch where he could run free.
On closer inspection Duke had a slightly different appearance from our earlier Border collies. He had larger and floppier ears that have proved an endearing feature. Also he sported brown patches over his eyes that we refer to as his eyebrows, something not seen in Border collies. Trudy through a GOOGLE search determined that his appearance fit perfectly for a Border collie/Australian shepherd cross.
Duke’s temperament is that of our prior Border collies, likely because Aussies and Borders are so closely related. He quickly learns tricks, possesses incredible energy, loves to chase jack rabbits and deer, and is protective of his human family. He quickly learns patterns of behavior such as when we dress differently to leave the ranch, he will lose interest. He also loves to take walks about the ranch, ranging far ahead or behind but returning quickly when called. Thus far he has not had close contact with our cattle but shows high interest in the large animals when staring at them through the windshield of the pickup. Once fully settled in, Duke’s herding prowess will be tested when the need arises to move the cattle to different pastures.
To Trudy’s credit, she took Duke for a six week obedience school. He shined in the class, quickly learning the stay, heel, sit, and down commands. He also largely ignored the twenty other dogs. His initial ravenous appetite has settled somewhat, but Duke has gained up to around fifty pounds and has added additional height as well.
Perhaps his greatest pleasures have been two fold. First, he loves to stand on the sink cabinet and watch the birds outside at the bird feeders. He watches them intently, never barking or shooing them.
Secondly, he loves to chase armadillos. For the most part, he simply enjoys herding them. On rare occasion he has grabbed the armadillo in his large mouth and carried it about as a trophy. But Duke has usually released them on command. Unfortunately, he has killed a few armadillos but for the most part seems content to chase, herd, and scare them back into their burrows. For reasons I know not, armadillos are plentiful on our ranch this year. Duke routinely will chase from four to ten on every walk.
Earlier today after Duke prodded me to take a walk on a blustery, cold day, Duke developed great interest near a large water drainage pip running under the “road” on our ranch. I approached to see what had captured his attention. As I peaked over the edge of the hill, I saw a large snake that I estimated to be five to six feet long. It was silvery in color. I became alarmed when it reared up, cobra-like, flicking out his tongue at Duke and me. Its head appeared far too triangular for my satisfaction, although it did not fit the description of any of the four poisonous snakes that live in Texas. On command Duke backed off the snake. The large snake dropped back to the ground and went one way, and Duke and I went the other.
I am in awe of Duke’s agility and speed. To watch him bound across a field of tall grass, zigging and zagging, and bouncing upward while searching for armadillos gives me pleasure. His kinetic energy is nature’s poetry. I find myself recalling my youth when I too could run virtually effortlessness. To see his keen look, excitement, and with his tongue dangling allows me vicariously to enjoy his athleticism and my own long lost ability to run. How often human dog parents must enjoy the abilities of their pets or recognize the modeling of various behaviors common to mankind. We have a truly special bond with our dogs.
So welcome to the ranch Duke. Make yourself comfortable. We have a lot of ground to cover.
If you have not had the chance to read my latest book, Hitler’s Maladies and Their Impact on World War II: A Behavioral Neurologist’s View (Texas Tech University Press), I invite you to do so. The book explores an important aspect of the Hitler story and World War II that has not been well studied. Many of Hitler’s catastrophic errors including the premature invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slowness of German forces to counterattack at the Battle of Normandy in 1944, and the highly risky Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 into 1945, can be better understood, knowing the sizeable impact that Hitler’s physical and mental conditions had on these vital battles.
Also, consider picking up a copy of my earlier book, Carrying The Black Bag: A Neurologist’s Bedside Tales (Texas Tech University Press). Please join me on my personal journey as a physician and meet my patients whose reservoirs of courage, perseverance, and struggles to achieve balance for their disrupted lives provide the foundation for this book. But step closely, as often they speak with low and muffled voices, but voices that nonetheless ring loudly with humanity, love, and most of all, courage.
We have a new dog at Medicine Spirit Ranch about whom a future post will be written. Duke our new Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix who despite many good qualities turns out to be an inveterate crotch sniffer. His nosy behavior (pun intended) is awkward when friends drop by for a visit, as clearly Duke doesn’t respect human boundaries. His nose to the groin behavior prompted me to review why dogs sniff crotches and what can be done about this embarrassing doggie trait. Perhaps you have had a similar experience and wondered as well?
Duke our new Border/Aussie mix
It is common knowledge that all dogs have a keen sense of smell, but did you know that a dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 times as sensitive as humans? It is this keen sense of smell that makes it possible for them to sniff out drugs, bombs, cancer, bed bugs, insulin levels and even Covid-19 infections. That’s quite a good sniffer!
Mary Beth McAndrews writing for the American Kennel Club also describes how dogs have a special olfactory organ termed a Jacobsen’s organ or vomeronasal organ that is located in the roof of the mouth. It plays a vital role in the dog’s superior sense of smell. The scent-dedicated part of the brain in dogs is forty times as large as in humans. But what is it that dogs are sniffing for?
Dogs sniff for the scent put out by sweat glands also termed apocrine glands, as they release pheromones that convey tremendous amounts of information for canines. The highest concentration of apocrine glands in dogs is found in the genitals and anus, explaining why dogs sniff other dogs’ butts. Apocrine glands in humans are especially prominent in armpits and crotches. Whereas most dogs are too short to sniff human armpits, most focus their keen olfactory attention on crotches for gaining information.
These pheromones inform them for example whether a person has recently had sex, given birth, or if menstruating. In each instance a sniff reveals a higher level of pheromones. These higher levels of pheromones also explains why many dogs tend to steal underwear since these undergarments carry the owner’s scent. Talk about awkward when your pooch parades through a social gathering at your home with your underwear clenched in his teeth!
While dogs love to introduce themselves to other dogs by sniffing the other’s rear end, something gets lost in doggie decorum when they do it to people. To better understand why dogs sniff crotches, it is helpful to understand why they are doing it in the first place. When meeting humans, we can ask relevant questions, but of course dogs can’t speak and must rely on their superior sense of smell. They instead will rush in to do a nose scan of the private areas, leaving behind their wet nose spot on your nicely laundered garment.
According to Rover.com and Dr. Sperry, it is improper to discipline your dog when they get nosy with a guest. The dogs won’t understand your concern, understand what they did wrong, or comprehend what you would wish for them to do differently. Dr. Sperry instead advises a more polite outlet by redirecting their sniffing behavior.
One example of redirecting is to teach your dog to sit when guests enter the house. By doing so your guest will have time to extend a hand for sniffing (plenty of apocrine glands in the palms of hands exist) rather than providing an unguarded opening for a crotch sniff. Another more guest friendly approach is to teach your dog to a High-Five. This is a particularly cute trick that will undoubtedly invite praise from your guests.
To train a dog to give a High-Five, place a dog treat in your fist and hold it out head high to your dog. Eventually your dog will paw your hand and allow you to reward him/her with the treat hidden within your fist. By rewarding your dog with praise, a treat, and a verbal “High-Five”, the trick can be learned. Our new dog Duke, learned the trick in only three repetitions (a little bragging here). A verbal cue can usually be learned quickly, making the trick both diverting and praiseworthy.
Of course taking your dog on a long walk with ample time for nose work may also prove helpful. Gaining opportunity to sniff will reduce the need for crotch sniffing. Myriad objects in the outdoors will tantalize your dog’s Jacobsen’s organ and allow for more socially acceptable nosework.
And please keep in mind that when your dog sniffs a crotch, it is not trying to be rude. Instead it is only trying to learn more about the person. Crotch sniffing is in the doggie world is more like a handshake or introductory human banter. Let’s be gentle with our pouches and redirect crotch sniffing in a more socially acceptable way.
We teach our dogs tricks, but hubris may prevent us from recognizing what dogs can teach us. During my numerous trips around the sun and from watching my canine friends age, I’ll admit to a few things I’ve learned from my dogs.
If you will just listen, I can teach you a few things!
Lately, I’ve observed Bella, my Border collie, changing some of her behaviors. As Bella has aged, she has developed Diabetes. Her Diabetes has clouded her eyes, similar to the cataracts I developed and had surgically removed. Due to her low vision, I’ve observed Bella bumping into doors and fences. When Bella and I take walks on the ranch, she has taken to trailing me by scent with her nose to the ground and with cocked ears, listening for my footsteps. Both are good adaptations to her visual loss.
Bella as a healthy puppy, full of vigor and promise
I am struck by her seeming calm acceptance of her sensory loss. Also I admire her desire to continue walks about the ranch, albeit it at a slower pace and requiring her other more intact senses to manage the task. She doesn’t seem to get upset with herself when bumping into objects but accepts her diminished vision with grace. The line from the Desiderata by Max Ehrmann comes to mind, “Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.” The writer rendered good advice, and Bella has modeled surrendering gracefully for me.
Look closely at Bella’s cloudy eyesthat vets refer to as nuclear sclerosis
Frankly, Bella has modeled this behavior better than I. A number of times friends have asked me given my age if I ever consider selling the ranch and moving to an easier life in town? Or I’ve been asked, would I consider cutting back on my ranch activities? Certainly, the amount of work that is required in keeping up the ranch would be less if I were to sell it, and the injuries suffered from being around large animals would certainly be reduced. Yet my sheer enjoyment of the ranch with its views, purpose, and peacefulness prevents me from making drastic changes in my ranch activities. But in recognition of my growing physical limitations, I have learned to ask my ranch hand for more help when my loss of speed and balance would place me at greater risk.
Bella is now twelve years old. In dog years this makes her 84 years old. She certainly is not the energetic, athletic dog of her youth. Bella is now content to curl up in her place in the sun and snooze away the day. I too have found the comfort of a nap after lunch, and Bella and I often partake of a nap together in the afternoon. We still enjoy a walk late in the afternoon, but both of us take longer to recover from the exercise than we did earlier in our lives.
Bella now spends an inordinate amount of time napping
As Bella has aged, I’ve noticed her becoming increasingly dependent on Trudy and me. She now requires a boost when jumping into my pickup. She also needs help getting onto my elevated bed in order to take her afternoon nap. Bella no longer pays attention, or perhaps even sees, deer meandering through our yard or varmints on the ranch. I recall in earlier days when she and Jack, our rescue dog, would tear into marauding armadillos. It wasn’t pretty, but demonstrated amazing mutual hunting skills and athleticism. Armadillos by the way, can really run!
I suppose as we age, we all need to accommodate to diminishing physical skills whether it is wrestling calves, mowing the yard, or replacing light bulbs from a ladder. Avoidance of certain activities reduces risk of injury and are better left alone. This makes sense, but admittedly can be hard for humans, especially men, to accept.
While her physical skills have diminished with Bella’s aging, her love and extreme loyalty have only increased. She has taken to following me around the house, moving with me from room to room. She appears uneasy when not with me and will, with nose to ground, seek me out wherever I am. As I write this, Bella lies beside my desk, placed in such a way that I cannot leave my desk without having to alert her by stepping over her. She seems to gain pleasure from being with me, perhaps for protection or merely for the love and affection she receives.
Bella almost ended up as a show dog and owned by a man in South America. We like to think we gave her a happier life on the ranch. Her name means beautiful in Italian and fits her well
Likewise, my desire for companionship and spending time with friends has also increased as I’ve aged. I’ve always been a person who needed human (and animal) companionship. Nevertheless, if I don’t have human or animal contact, I find myself missing it, even more so than in my earlier years.
I recall an earlier Border collie of ours named Molly who grew old and ill. The vet assumed she had cancer but she was still up and about and enjoying life to some extent. Shortly after seeing the vet, I awoke in the morning and found Molly dead on the floor not far from me. Molly accepted her illness with great stoicism, a strong trait in Border collies. The vet was embarrassed and regretted not offering to put her down earlier. I felt there was no need for his embarrassment, having witnessed the incredible stoicism of my serial Border collies.
I often recall Molly’s stoicism and that of my other Border collies when I hear aging human friends recount their numerous ailments. Jokingly, I refer to their complains by medical terminology as their “review of systems.” I hope that I will be able to retain a degree of Border collie stoicism in light of advancing aches and pains and potentially more serious health problems that undoubtedly will come with advancing age.
“Hey, we’ve taught you as well,” Jack and Buddy say! Jack in the front seat, Buddy and Bella in the bed of the Gator
The lovely aspect of having serial dogs throughout my life is that with their shorter life expectancy I’ve observed the maturation and behavioral changes due to their aging. I’ve observed many cycles with my many dogs. Any teacher will share the importance of repetition for learning. My dogs have provided me healthy examples of how to age gracefully and model acceptance of life’s inevitable changes. For this I am most grateful.
Bella and I giving each other a big hug with a jealous Jack looking on and Buddy in the shadow at my feet
If you have not had the chance to read my latest book, Hitler’s Maladies and Their Impact on World War II: A Behavioral Neurologist’s View (Texas Tech University Press), I invite you to do so. The book explores an important aspect of the Hitler story and World War II that has not been well studied. Many of Hitler’s catastrophic errors including the premature invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slowness of German forces to counterattack at the Battle of Normandy in 1944, and the highly risky Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 into 1945, can be better understood, knowing the sizeable impact that Hitler’s physical and mental conditions had on these vital battles.
Also, consider picking up a copy of my earlier book, Carrying The Black Bag: A Neurologist’s Bedside Tales (Texas Tech University Press). Please join me on my personal journey as a physician and meet my patients whose reservoirs of courage, perseverance, and struggles to achieve balance for their disrupted lives provide the foundation for this book. But step closely, as often they speak with low and muffled voices, but voices that nonetheless ring loudly with humanity, love, and most of all, courage.
This past week has been the hottest of the year with highs up to 104 Fahrenheit in the shade. The animals and people at Medicine Spirit Ranch are wilting and making their best efforts to avoid becoming overheated. For the first time I have have spotted one heifer spending most of her time during the day standing up to her belly in a shady spring-fed creek. She has appeared happy with her cool aqueous location and pays me little attention when I approach her. Who says all cows are dumb? I admire this mama cow for figuring this cooling strategy out. I too have been taking dips in our small backyard pool but never thought a cow would use the same strategy to cool off.
The cows arise early at daybreak before it gets too hot. They graze until the temperature climbs before retreating to shady spots. They usually head for groves of trees, particularly the Texas Pecan trees that provide the most shade. There they lay or stand throughout the hottest part of the day before heading out to graze again at the end of the day.
A cow or perhaps the bull will end up with babysitting duties with many calves throughout the hottest portion of the day. As if by signal, the calves will return late in the day to suckle their mamas before bedding down for the night. They sleep in a large group, presumably for safety reasons from predators. Fortunately, this summer has provided ample green grass for the cows. The pastures benefited greatly from early summer rains. The rancher also benefited by not having to put out hay during late summer when the green grass typically turns brown and becomes too short to graze.
The phrase “dog days of summer” derives from astronomy. Dog days originated in ancient Roman times when people noticed that the star Sirius (known as the dog star in the “Big Dog Constellation” because of its extreme brightness) would rise with the sun from July to August.
Since our dog Bella sleeps during the daytime in an air conditioned house, “dog days of summer” somehow just doesn’t fit. Our cows best exemplify the lassitude that comes with the summer’s heat.
But do astronomical references to cows exist? Well, glad you asked and yes they do.
Cow supernovae are a newly-labeled subclass of the explosive events, which occur when giant stars reach the end of their lives; they run out of fuel and collapse, triggering powerful explosions. Depending on the original star’s size, the explosion can give birth to either a black hole or a neutron star. We can thank Mr. GOOGLE for this information.
Stay cool if you can.
If you have not had the chance to read my latest book, Hitler’s Maladies and Their Impact on World War II: A Behavioral Neurologist’s View (Texas Tech University Press), I invite you to do so. The book explores an important aspect of the Hitler story and World War II that has not been well studied. Many of Hitler’s catastrophic errors including the premature invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slowness of German forces to counterattack at the Battle of Normandy in 1944, and the highly risky Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 into 1945, can be better understood, knowing the sizeable impact that Hitler’s physical and mental conditions had on these vital battles.
Also, consider picking up a copy of my earlier book, Carrying The Black Bag: A Neurologist’s Bedside Tales (Texas Tech University Press). Please join me on my personal journey as a physician and meet my patients whose reservoirs of courage, perseverance, and struggles to achieve balance for their disrupted lives provide the foundation for this book. But step closely, as often they speak with low and muffled voices, but voices that nonetheless ring loudly with humanity, love, and most of all, courage.
Over the years I have expressed moments of great joy at Medicine Spirit Ranch and a few instances of deep sadness. Today, I express the latter. Beau our young Border collie who had such great promise as a herder and with whom we fell in love over his antics, is leaving us.
Beau showing off his star form after making a Purina One Commercial
You see, Beau began to pick up the bad habit of biting not only our old and virtually blind Bella, but also Trudy and me. Trudy sustained a wound to her hand that required five stitches while I have received too many bites to count. Yesterday he sank his teeth deeply into the fleshy part of my right hand. I bled extensively and it was quite painful. His biting is getting worse and increasing in frequency.
Why Beau enters into a blind rage that leads to his biting, is difficult to say. In part he will growl to protect his food, his toys, and even his people. Resource protection is not all that unusual. But at other times he curls his lip, growls, and attacks ferociously because he is willful to keep his position in the truck or because he demands to chase cows or horses or for other reasons known only to him. His enthusiasm is welcomed, but his rage and serious biting are intolerable. It is as if he has a screw loose.
Beau has been through obedience school. Other than a single instance in which he growled at another dog, Beau proved the star of his class. No great surprise as Border collies usually are the stars in obedience class. We also have been working with a wonderful dog trainer. For the longest time, Beau hid his aggressive tendencies from her but last week his rage showed forth in front of the dog trainer. Yvonne, the dog trainer, was taken aback. She now says that she fears Beau and tells us his behavior will likely only worsen. She advised we contact Beau’s breeder and ask if similar examples exist in their other dogs and whether she would take him back.
The breeder shared that no other examples of such aggressive behavior have occurred among her dogs. The breeder agreed to take Beau back. The alternative for us was to put Beau down, a move that I cannot yet carry out. We know the breeder likely will see similar bad behavior and that Beau has only a small chance of living much longer. We are heartbroken.
I don’t recall any of our Border collies having as much instinct for herding as Beau. Likewise, I’ve never seen any of our prior four Border collies become aggressive or bite.
Trudy and I feel like dog rearing failures. We’ve done everything our veterinarian and dog trainer have advised. Beau was neutered without any appreciable change in his behavior. Doggie downers have been ruled out by our vet. We have worked extensively with him on his decorum and on various types of training. He is well cared for and never abused. He is deeply loved. So why the rare but very real aggression?
I would not be able to live with myself if Beau were to bite a child or another person. I feel we have no good options left.
The breeder has a number of Border collies and a large working cattle ranch. Perhaps, just perhaps a change of environment will bring about a favorable change in Beau’s behavior. He will become an outside dog living much of his time in a dog run. Will this extend his life? Well, I can hope…
This evening we make the transfer. My nearly constant ranch companion for the last year will leave us and take with him a little of my heart.
Having a Paint Horse, the typical Indian pony, on Medicine Spirit Ranch seems highly appropriate. Native Americans believed that Paint Horses would protect them from death or injury during a conflict. Paints were deemed to have magical properties especially those with “medicine hat” markings.
Meet Fancy–
Fancy, our filly Paint horse
We bought Fancy, our Paint Horse, from a riding stable where my granddaughter Ramsey had learned to ride. Fancy was a gentle riding horse that Ramsey loved so that when the opportunity arose, we purchased her for our ranch. Fancy like other Paint horses is gentle, intelligent, and has a good temperament. Paints are valuable on ranches for riding, roping, racing, jumping, and stock work. These versatile horses will do about whatever its rider wishes, making its flexibility and good nature valued traits for ranch work.
The question arises as to where did paint horses come from? In the 1500s the Spanish Conquistadors brought horses to the New World. The predecessors of the Paint Horse were likely Barb, Andalusian, and Arabian breeds and sported distinctive spotted and two tone coloration. Inevitably, some of the horses escaped, bred, and dramatically increased in number. Large herds ranged the prairies for many years before Native Americans learned to capture, train, and utilize the horses for hunting and warfare. A mounted Native American warrior proved an intimidating and effective opponent such that the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache all became excellent horsemen and the dominant Indian tribes in Texas.
The terms Paint and Pinto are often used interchangeably but technically Paint refers to the breed and Pinto to its color. Fancy is black and white but many different colors may be found in Paints including brown, bay, or red. Fancy is Tobiano, meaning two colors, and because she is black and white referred to as a Piebald Paint horse.
What is there about a Paint Horse That Makes Them Special?
As noted above Paint Horses with “medicine hat” markings were especially deemed to have magical properties. These horses have predominantly white heads with pink noses and mouths, and blue eyes. No, our Fancy does not have a “medicine hat.” Below are two examples of a filly Paint Horse and her foal, both of whom have “medicine hats.”
While descended from the same stock as quarter horses, Paint Horses have their own registry, the American Paint Horse Registry. This separate registry connotes a special status for the breed. Due to the popularity of the Paint Horse breed, the APHR has now grown to be the second largest equine registry. These smart and versatile horses are well muscled, beautiful, colorful, and in high demand.
Native Americans, in addition to the magical properties they saw in Paint Horses, also chose to paint designs on their horses, providing even greater protection and boast of the warrior’s prowess. Painting a warhorse for a battle or hunt was a sacred act that held power, not only in the Paints made from Nature, but also those with painted symbols as well. The act of painting a horse was viewed as serious business, as it could mean life or death for the rider.
According to a February, 2020 article in Notes from the Frontier, the painted symbols had specific meanings. The symbols were mostly drawn from nature such as a hand printmeant vengeance against an enemy or sometimes indicated success in hand combat. Zigzags represented thunder that symbolized speed or stealth. Hail markings predicted the enemy’s defeat and misfortune. Circles around the horse’s eyes or nostrils were believed to strengthen its senses for battle. Painted horse hooves symbolized successful raids or sometimes the number of horses stolen. A cross meant the rider had escaped an ambush. Slashes of color across a horse’s face indicated the successful defeat of an enemy village. Additional symbols with their interpretation may be viewed below.
One of the benefits gained for Trudy and me by living on a ranch is that we continue to learn from both our animals and our surroundings. I’ve tried to document the delights that I’ve encountered on Medicine Spirit Ranch and hope that you the reader have learned something as well and have enjoyed my efforts. Wishing you a wonderful 2024.
I’ll close this blog piece with a few famous horse quotations.
“The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse’s ears.”
“Blame it or praise it, there is no denying the wild horse in us.”
“A horse doesn’t care how much you know until it knows how much you care.”
“If you have gained the trust of a horse, you have gained a friendship for life.”
If you have not had the chance to read my latest book, Hitler’s Maladies and Their Impact on World War II: A Behavioral Neurologist’s View (Texas Tech University Press), I invite you to do so. The book explores an important aspect of the Hitler story and World War II that has not been well studied. Many of Hitler’s catastrophic errors including the premature invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slowness of German forces to counterattack at the Battle of Normandy in 1944, and the highly risky Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 into 1945, can be better understood, knowing the sizeable impact that Hitler’s physical and mental conditions had on these vital battles.
Also, consider picking up a copy of my earlier book, Carrying The Black Bag: A Neurologist’s Bedside Tales (Texas Tech University Press). Please join me on my personal journey as a physician and meet my patients whose reservoirs of courage, perseverance, and struggles to achieve balance for their disrupted lives provide the foundation for this book. But step closely, as often they speak with low and muffled voices, but voices that nonetheless ring loudly with humanity, love, and most of all, courage.
Views From Medicine Spirit Ranch 