11/11/2023
A little blurry because I was being lifted by an overly ambitious snuggle, but look at my Howdy boy’s SMILE! He and Bella have adjusted to life in Tennessee like champions and it makes me SO happy to see them so happy. They still get the zoomies every night, and frolick the pastures just like I imagined them doing when Adam and I first saw this property. I knew at that moment this is where we belonged. For those of you who are curious, Howdy and Bella are livestock guardians and I spent three painstaking years training them to pull carts and farm implements. Both of them absolutely love to work, Howdy comes alive in his harness in a way I never otherwise see. Howdy is a bit mischievous and is often the instigator of some very amusing shenanigans. Bella has a soft spot for the young animals, and is always the first to befriend a new flock member. Donkeys have a bad rap for being stubborn, and they can be, but it’s not because they have a mean streak like people assume, it’s because they are extremely cautious. Earn a donkey’s trust and respect, and they will do anything you ask. Training Howdy and Bella has been one of the most rewarding processes of my life. Donkeys are dogs that live for 40 years. They are loyal and trainable and love to snuggle and will fiercely protect those they are bonded to. They regularly run off coyotes, bobcats and foxes. I can’t wait to grow old with these guys by my side.