Monthly Archives: November 2011

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Nature Calls

Ranger the Corgi heads out on the trail I wanted to share that I don’t always get to go sheep herding, which is a drag. Sometimes the days pass under computer tables with my head on the modem, airport, or whatever those warm buzzing things are called, at my human’s feet…trying to be patient. Sometimes those days drone on and on. I do my best to get her attention and get her to go outside and get some fresh air. Sometimes this requires doing a bunch of yoga stretches in front of her, looking sad, and licking her wrists until she finally gets up!

Today she’s letting me take a moment to write you guys, and helping me with some typing. We don’t have a keyboard adapted for dogs yet. So I’m happy for her help.

In these pictures (again, thank you Linda) I share with you some more interesting terrain. I wish I were there now! The trails below the UCSC campus. These trails are great for dried coyote poop perfume and hiker’s dog’s messages all framed in fresh woodsy air. It’s not bad. Occasionally, I get off leash for a romp. (See photos below.)

We want you to know, by the way, that it is not legal to be a dog on the UCSC campus. Not allowed. I asked, but nope, not even on a leash. It’s not okay to be off leash on this trail either, so most of the time I stay tethered to the humans…and hear “leave it” and “Leeeave it.” and “Ranger! LEAVE IT!” a lot.

Please enjoy these few photos of my favorite Santa Cruz Mountain trail. And, speaking of romps, um, it’s really time to go on one. Don’t make me lick your wrists! Take a break. Now!

Ragner the Corgi pauses on the trail
Run Ranger Run

Run Ranger Run

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Herding is one of my passions

Ranger the Corgi herding goats.

Here I am herding goats with one of my humans.

I got started quite young “freelance” herding sheep and horses around a farm in Nevada. Some people might call what I was doing “chasing” rather than herding. Whatever the humans want to call it, it was fun. I learned that nipping a large animal’s ankles moves them along quite nicely. Now that I live in the suburbs and my name has been changed from “Lone Ranger” to “Lawn Ranger,” it’ different. It’s so hard to find any livestock to boss around. There are so few ankles to nip! The fields around here and far and few between, there are more statues of animals than real ones, including a lawn deer that I (so embarrassing) mistook for a real deer and barked at.

My humans seem to have access to a few horses, but I’m not allowed to “work” them. I have to stay a certain distance and hear “heel” and “out” a lot. I have to sit and watch boring activities like “brushing the horse,” if only they understood that I’m a cowboy and could really help them to get those horses running!

I am happy to say that occasionally we drive to Paicines and there’s a ranch there where I have a chance to chase, I mean herd, some goats and sheeps around a circular pen. There are rules that I’ve yet to figure out, but at least I’m keeping my skills up.

See my photo gallery for a few shots of me in action…well, I’ve still got to figure out how to create this.

Ranger the Corgi and a sheep.

I just love these guys!