About Those Beasts

I got so involved in my discussion of package bees versus nucs in the last post that I failed to deliver on the beasts portion of Bees and Beasts. Bees have a way of capturing one's attention and not letting go. As for the beasts, this morning I finally introduced our dogs to the water buffalo and vice versa.

For days now, I've been walking the dogs just up to the point where the buffs can see us, then turning the dogs around before they can pinpoint the location of the smell of new beasts. Figuring the buffs were used to the routine enough that they'd know the dogs were associated with me, we went all the way up to the gate today. All 3 buffalo made a beeline for us. Effie, always the explorer, led the way and got her nose to the gate first.

True to their respective natures, Buddy was very quiet and tried her best to be invisible in hopes that we could resume our walk as soon as possible and with little contact with any other non-humans. Bru stuck his head through the gate as far as he could go and got nose to nose with Effie. All 3 buffs sniffed him and he sniffed back, albeit with far more excitement. As is his way, he got a bit overexcited and used all of his telescoping neck powers to lunge a bit further and in the process, bopped Effie on the nose. She immediately rebuffed him, pushing him back. He withdrew to his side of the gate, ever so slightly cowed but still quite interested in them.

All told, I think it was fairly successful. They clearly aren't scared of him, tho' I don't think he'll be their favorite critter, and seem to understand that they can put him in his place if need be. After I took the dogs back to their fenced-in yard, I was happy to see that Bru did not start immediately plotting his escape route. When he first met the horses, he made several unauthorized visits. Maybe the arthritis has finally slowed him down enough that he'll leave the buffalo be. We'll all be happier if that's the case.