Wiley wandered onto Barse’s farm in mid-June and declared herself to be the only sheepdog on the property. Moreover, she is doing an outstanding job.
The supposedly Pyrenees had wandered around Barse’s and his neighbor’s farms for about five weeks, wandering around Timmons and Dollyhyde roads. Whatever the reason was, she decided to stay with Barse and his sheep.
“She moved in and has taken over,” Barse, the owner of Stillpoint Farm and Milkhouse Brewery, said. “We decided that she’s hired.”
Before a thunderstorm hit the farm, Wiley herded the flock into the barn. She did this without any encouragement from Barse.
The pup has proved to be difficult to befriend due to her timid nature. It’s been impossible for Barse and his wife, Carolann McConaughy, to get close to her enough to check her collar or make certain she isn’t covered in fleas.
It is also feared she will be traumatized, so they have refrained from darting her or capturing her. However, instead of rushing into things, they are being patient and trying to earn her trust.
Barse said the workers on his farm always have Milkbones to drop off for Wiley, just to try to socialize her a little more. Tom Barse has gotten into the habit of carrying Milkbones wherever he goes over the past three weeks.
Just outside the sheep pastures, he drops the treat in a blue bucket. At that moment, Wiley, weighing in at around 80 pounds, emerges from the shadows, a golden furry girl who sports a tuft of gray fur on her neck.
Gradually, they are making slow progress. She would stay 20 feet away when McConaughy first started bringing food for Wiley, and she would wait until he left before eating. These days, she stays just about five feet away.
The couple has an Australian Shepherd puppy, Heidi. One day, the folks experimented by letting her off her leash. She proceeded to shoot through the fence toward Wiley.
Despite her skepticism at first, Wiley gave in to Heidi’s puppy tricks, and the pair began chasing one another and rolling around.
“She’s not that old because she plays with Heidi like a puppy,” Barse said. Heili is acting as Wiley’s “ambassador” and is helping her overcome her shyness, he said.
After Barse’s attempts to get close enough to read her collar’s name failed, he came up with his own name. Chuck Smith, a neighbor, was his inspiration.
While Smith and his dog, Dolly, strolled on the farm, Wiley ventured out to them and the two dogs got close enough to touch noses.
Wiley had never left the safety of his flock before, according to Barse. Wiley scurried away when Dolly barked at her, and Smith exclaimed, “She’s just like Wile E. Coyote!”.”
This name stuck.
It isn’t too surprising for Barse that Wiley is distant and standoffish. He said that many sheepdogs are not properly socialized. Unlike a family pet, they live and work with their sheep.
Based on her behavior and her skill at dealing with rebellious rams, Barse speculates that Wiley worked on another farm as a sheepdog.
A second promotion awaits the furry new tenant, too. She’s only working with about 15 sheep right now, but Barse intends to raise it to 50. Since the new sheep will not know her, he is curious to see how things will turn out.
Sheep and dogs normally train together in sheep herding, Barse explained. It’s about using the instincts of both animals to your advantage.
It is instinctual for the dog to approach the sheep, and the sheep have a tendency to herd together. These instincts allow the protection of the flock if danger threatens.
Barse said that it is what she does, which she does a good job at.
As a result, Wiley may indeed be a lost dog, not just a stray that has moved in with her new owners. They made several social media and website postings in search of an owner. Wiley also did not match any description of a missing sheepdog they found in Frederick County.
“If we get her up and find out who she belongs to, we’ll try to contact them,” Barse said. “But I would hate to see her go.”
Thanks to U.S.News for reporting this story and the featured image.
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