New Useless Dog

Ok, useless sounds kinda harsh and cold. But this new dog wasn't added to the farm with a purpose in mind, other than to give it a stable home that it so desperately needed. 

Introducing Sweetie. (She came with that name.) 

We don't know what breeds are in her, but she seems to be half Bull Terrier. Here in Hawaii, the other half could be just about any combination. It just needs to be based on another breed that also produces the extreme white pied coloration, such as Dalmatian or Pointer. 

Until we and Sweetie get to know one another, and Sweetie gets to understand the house rules, she will be keeping Willie company. Willie is the farm watchdog, our big shepherd. When not patrolling the 20 acres, Willie spends his time in his yard, a 100'x150' fenced enclosure. So having Sweetie bunk with him won't cramp his space any. In fact, Willie instantly liked Sweetie. He's been asking her to play. 

Sweetie needed a home because Sweetie is not your average dog. She's like having an autistic person around. She sees the world differently, and reacts differently. She tends to ignore other animals to the point that she simply doesn't acknowledge their existence. She cannot walk on a leash, though we will work on that. She tends to walk in circles, especially in new surroundings and when under stress. She has difficulty targeting a food bowl, and differentiating between the food and soil. So we her eating out of a deep bucket which we have found is easier (and safer) for her. So far she has ignored all toys except for a tennis ball. Nor has she showed signs of playing with Willie, though she isn't afraid of him at all. He is the only animal here that she has acknowledged yet, but he's been hard to ignore. And the trait that cinches the argument that she is strange....she hasn't made a sound. No whimpers, whines, barks. Yes, she hears. Barks...no. 

Sweetie will be another of the farm's long list of useless animals. I don't foresee her having a farm oriented function, other than being a companion to us and Willie. While we hope to have her run the farm like our other dogs, I'm not certain yet that she will. It's up to her. Time will tell. We shall let Sweetie tell us how comfortable she is with living on a farm. She will have a choice of coming & going into the house, that is, if she can master the dog doors. Or she may opt to stay with Willie. If she bonds to him, then she might follow him around as he patrols. It would be a good experience for her and would extend her horizons. 

We've only had Sweetie a few days, so we are still in the discovery and bonding stage. And don't take it too seriously when I call her useless. We actually are fond of all our useless animals.....including Hubby. Oops, did I say that? Sshhhh.