Little Ms Milkmaid, pt. 2: The Lick

I took the dogs to with me to go milking this past weekend. It wasn't their first time to see the cows. The introduction esd msfr a couple of weeks ago when I went wild blackberry picking. But everyone is still very much interested in each other. Kody likes to say "Hi" and after that he doesn't really mind them. He is used to large hoofed animals being that he has spent the last ten years running around with me and my horses. But Willow on the other hand is not too sure what to think.

From afar she thinks they are pretty cool but then they come right up to her face and she runs behind me and barks; mind you, she is a 100 lb dog. (Since I am not really a deterrent when the cows are really interested, I keep the fence between me and the interested bovine; at least for now. I still don't quite know how to read them).

This past weekend the milking had been done and the cows were all out in the front pasture. Kody, Willow and I went to check the water. The cows were on the other side of the pasture, so we stepped through the gate to adjust the water hose. All it took was one cow to see us. The next thing I knew I had four bovine headed our way. At first they were slow and ambling, but then one, Mickalyn, picked up her pace. She wasn't running because that would use too much energy and she is making milk, but she was no longer ambling!

Kody and Willow were excited about the approaching friends, so much so they wanted to greet Mickalyn. I had other plans.

Once we got on the other side of the fence the stragglers had picked up their pace and were coming. Mickalyn just barely got stopped before she put her nose down to greet Kody. Since her nose couldn't fit through the gate, Kody stuck his head through. They were cold wet nose to warm wet nose sniffing each other. It was very sweet, then the best thing happened. Mickalyn licked Kody with her long blue tongue!!! I don't know who was more surprised Kody, Willow or me! (Willow was watching her big bro with amazement and awe. She seemed to say, "What are you doing touching that...that...well, that?") Through all of this I was wishing that my camera was handy.

Kody must have understood what Mickalyn was saying because he began to "dance" and started "talking" to her in his "Let's be friends" howl. The whole time we were at the gate, Kody "talked" to the girls.

Juliann, Calf Tan and Begonia came to investigate after they saw that Mickalyn and Kody were hitting it off. They were interested in Willow. Willow wanted to be brave like her bro but she really didn't like when their big noses took up her whole vision. She would sniff then backpedaled to be behind me, then 2 seconds later go back to sniff them again. This went on until I was ready to head home, meaning the water tank was filled.

I can say that the cows, Kody and Willow have been introduced and for the most part are getting along. It will be nice when they don't pay attention to each other. And next time my camera will be at the ready, so tath I can catch any more signs of affection between Mickalyn and Kody. At least I have my memory of "The Lick".

Mickalyn and Kody's first introduction.