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Wow... ever have a dog that was worth his weight in Gold? That's our Bear!

Doris Uphoff and I became co-owners of Bearin Yon Blizzard in December of 2005, when I drove 250 miles (one way) to Rapid City to pick up a bundle of white fluff at the airport and returned home in a Blizzard.

Over the next year Bear was a puppy. He did puppy things, there were days that I felt he would never grow up. He was clumbsy and goofy, and wanted to play with my goats (he lived with the mature bucks for a few months and that came to a stop), he wouldn't listen when he was called. He was a power house as a pup and that hasn't changed.

But he has grown up! He has now sired two litters of gorgeous pups for us... and Doris should have a litter soon. (May 2008) He has turned into an incredible LGD... he has taken the protection of the kidding barn and patrol of that pasture on as his personal mission in life. He chooses to stay in that pasture, even when our two female Pyrs move to the corrals closer to the house. He is on constant watch for hawks, eagles (which have proved a threat) coyotes (always a threat) and stray dogs (which I trust the least of any of the above).

Today... he proved himself in ways I never expected from him. Early this morning while doing chores, I notice one of my dairy does had really bagged up during the night... Mark and I decided to leave her in the dairy pen and check her in a couple of hours. The weather was good, shouldn't be a problem. I'd move her later if she looked like she was going to kid. That was at 7:00 a.m.. At 9:00 a.m., I went out to check on her. AND she had two newborns she was cleaning up. The weather had changed and the wind was cold and blowing hard. I felt she and the kids would be better off in the kidding barn about 150 feet away. So I went and bedded a stall down with straw, got a big towel to wrap and carry the kids in, along with a lead rope for the doe. And returned to the dairy pen.

After gathering the kids up and getting a lead on mom, I headed for the kidding barn. Well within 30 feet, this doe decided she was having no part in moving. She locked up on all fours and refused to move. I teased her with her kids... I tried to get her front feet of balance to make her move... I pulled and tugged to no avail. Then wind is blowing hard, dirt and debre all over us. Suddenly Bear walks quietly up behind her and... pushes her. Put his nose in her flank and pushes. She moves. "GOOD BOY, BEAR'. We then walk another 30 feet and again she locks up. Bear comes up and gives her another little push. Again, we're moving! Now he's just quielty walking along behind her.

I get to the gate of the corral, going into the kidding barn.... and the moms who have already kidded are crowding the gate to see what's going on. I realize there is no way I can open the gate, pull this doe thru, and juggle kids at the same time. I lay the kids down in the shelter of a wheel barrow that has blown onto its side near the gate, and I tell Bear to "watch them".

As I'm pulling mom thru the gate Bear stands over these two newborns and barks, his... "I'm on duty... nothing gets past me and gets to these kids" bark. He remains over those kids until I get back out to get them. Then he steps back, as I pick them up and tell him he's a "good dog", Bear turns and makes a loop along the fence line barking and checking the perimeter. He then returns to the gate of the kidding barn.

He was curled up at the gate sheltered somewhat by the wheel barrow, when I finally returned to the house. A quick peek out one window (an hour later) has revealed that Bear is still curled up at that gate.

He has newborns to protect.