I am SO proud of Ellie! I just had to tell y'all!
When we went for our walk this morning, we encountered a mama duck with about SEVENTEEN babies! I think she was baby-sitting some, because half were black and yellow and the other half were all yellow. I don't know about duck husbandtry (maybe Dr. Shelli can tell us of ducks normally babysit or if they normally have this many babies). Anyhoo, I thought there might be a problem with Ellie for numberous reasons: She's never seen baby ducks; they were teenty weenty; they were scattered all over; they were running this way and that; they made strange noises; and her natural herding instinct. To her credit, she's didn't get excited, she didnt pull, she didn't lunge, she didn't whine, and she didn't bark. We walked behind them for about a 1/4 of a block. The only thing Ellie did was raise her muzzle and twitch her nose getting their scent. But the funniest thing EVER was when one little baby got turned around somehow and didn't see the rest of the group, but did see Ellie and she ran towards Ellie frantically quacking like Ellie was mama! It was hysterical! It was particularly funny because that's when Ellie reacted. She stopped walking and pulled her head way back on her neck and then looked at me with this horribly worried look on her face and then finally stepped behind me so I could protect her from the three inch high intruder. I leaned down and put out my hand to stop the baby from getting any closer (as I was laughing my head off) but mama noticed the baby just at that second and called the baby and the baby turned on a dime and ran back quacking her head off to join the rest of the group. I had tears in my eyes it was all so sweet and touching and funny. That mama duck was SO calm! I am so glad I didnt come upon a goose!
I have never been more proud of Ellie! Good girl!
When we went for our walk this morning, we encountered a mama duck with about SEVENTEEN babies! I think she was baby-sitting some, because half were black and yellow and the other half were all yellow. I don't know about duck husbandtry (maybe Dr. Shelli can tell us of ducks normally babysit or if they normally have this many babies). Anyhoo, I thought there might be a problem with Ellie for numberous reasons: She's never seen baby ducks; they were teenty weenty; they were scattered all over; they were running this way and that; they made strange noises; and her natural herding instinct. To her credit, she's didn't get excited, she didnt pull, she didn't lunge, she didn't whine, and she didn't bark. We walked behind them for about a 1/4 of a block. The only thing Ellie did was raise her muzzle and twitch her nose getting their scent. But the funniest thing EVER was when one little baby got turned around somehow and didn't see the rest of the group, but did see Ellie and she ran towards Ellie frantically quacking like Ellie was mama! It was hysterical! It was particularly funny because that's when Ellie reacted. She stopped walking and pulled her head way back on her neck and then looked at me with this horribly worried look on her face and then finally stepped behind me so I could protect her from the three inch high intruder. I leaned down and put out my hand to stop the baby from getting any closer (as I was laughing my head off) but mama noticed the baby just at that second and called the baby and the baby turned on a dime and ran back quacking her head off to join the rest of the group. I had tears in my eyes it was all so sweet and touching and funny. That mama duck was SO calm! I am so glad I didnt come upon a goose!
I have never been more proud of Ellie! Good girl!
