In the Flight Path

Millie is a rescue Pyr I got with the idea of training her as a working guardian. Twice I've thought she was trained, put her in with the animals, and she's done well for a while - and then starts playing with (and damaging) her charges. I'm going for a third try.

We started over at square one. She now lives in a large kennel in the middle of everything, where she can watch Charlie, the hoofstock, and is surrounded by the birds. She comes with me every day as I do chores, now loose with her long line trailing behind her. When I'm around she is tied to the outside of the kennel (where she can go in and out), so she has more exposure to everything.

The neighbors are building a barn, so I get lots of barking at the strange noises. But this afternoon Millie was really carrying on, with that "come look! come look!" bark. She was jumping skyward, tearing between sides of the kennel, and jumping up some more. I stepped outside to see what was going on.

I was just in time to be under the flight path of a low-flying Bald Eagle. Full white head and tail. He was so close I felt like I could reach out and touch him. Obviously Millie thought that too, as she tried to snatch him out of the sky. He ignored us both, winging his stately way in a straight line north.

I always tell people to listen to their dogs, and come when asked. Sometimes we are richly rewarded.

Millie, very pleased with herself for chasing off an eagle.