Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Off to the sheep farm.
For Susan's birthday, Chris treated her to a day at a sheep farm near Waitamo about 2.5 hours south of Auckland. We had a great day. The shepherd introduced us to his three dogs. Tahi is heading dog, but looks and acts like a boarder collie. Fly is a Huntaway and loves to bark at the sheep. His newest dog Jog is a heading dog in training. He showed us how he is training Jog, who has great instincts for herding, but still needs to learn some commands. He is less than a year old, but is already developing good self control with the sheep (at times, with the help from a long line). It was interesting to see the different approach of the heading dog (all eyes) and the huntaway (all bark). The huntaway gets the sheep moving, but the heading dog has more precision. They both did an amazing job with the sheep. The dogs took the sheep to a pen where Susan got to help give the sheep some medicine.
We attemped to go to the famous glow worm cave afterwards, but were thwarted by high water. Tours are done by boat through the cave with the ceiling covered with thousands of glow worms. We look forward to going back to see it and to check out the kiwi house which has a darkened room where you can see kiwis (they're nocturnal).
This is how the people get around the farm.
Jog at work
Tahi at work
Susan at work
Terraces formed from sheep walking over the farm for hundreds of years.
Bye bye Fly and Tahi (who can jump over the fence, but don't)
For Susan's birthday, Chris treated her to a day at a sheep farm near Waitamo about 2.5 hours south of Auckland. We had a great day. The shepherd introduced us to his three dogs. Tahi is heading dog, but looks and acts like a boarder collie. Fly is a Huntaway and loves to bark at the sheep. His newest dog Jog is a heading dog in training. He showed us how he is training Jog, who has great instincts for herding, but still needs to learn some commands. He is less than a year old, but is already developing good self control with the sheep (at times, with the help from a long line). It was interesting to see the different approach of the heading dog (all eyes) and the huntaway (all bark). The huntaway gets the sheep moving, but the heading dog has more precision. They both did an amazing job with the sheep. The dogs took the sheep to a pen where Susan got to help give the sheep some medicine.
We attemped to go to the famous glow worm cave afterwards, but were thwarted by high water. Tours are done by boat through the cave with the ceiling covered with thousands of glow worms. We look forward to going back to see it and to check out the kiwi house which has a darkened room where you can see kiwis (they're nocturnal).
This is how the people get around the farm.
Jog at work
Tahi at work
Susan at work
Terraces formed from sheep walking over the farm for hundreds of years.
Bye bye Fly and Tahi (who can jump over the fence, but don't)
# posted by Susan @ 7:27 PM 
