Big Elk Mountain Farms ; Goat Dog "Midwife Training" Page

The dog pictured in this story is "Lil' Sister" ... a Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dog. She was the first goat dog I got. She is one of the finest creatures I've ever experienced. This page was started as a most joyful testament to her wonderful "being" ... For me to share what is one of the greatest joys, and experiences I've ever had in life. Now it is one of the saddest things I ever look at ... I'll explain below. Please enjoy these pics as a great example of God's incredible creations, and interactions. I hope you share the awe I did in seeing this dog "do her thing". This was only a small part of her "thing" though ! : )

At the bottom of this page, you'll see the sad part of the story of Lil' Sister ...

This is how it started : Me working on the new, improved goat shed, and this goat, "Short-Legged Nanny Mama", hanging around. Lil' Sister was hanging around too... Both of these things were a little unusual, but with my limited experience, I didn't realize why. If fact, SLNM had a fairly young kid on her, and I didn't even know she was pregnant ! They stay pretty fat and "swoll up" in the warm weather when they're eating real good ! And heck, you see a mama nursing a kid and you don't think much about her being close to having another already ...

Then, all of a sudden... I realized why everyone was hanging around close to what I call "Goat HQ" ... The mama started moaning , and Bam ! Out plopped the first one, right in the dirt ! Lil' Sister was right there ... The mama goat hardly even looked or paid attention to the babies till after Lil' Sister had handled things.

I had wished often I could see a mama giving birth... Today was my lucky day ! I didn't realize what a wonderful experience was awaiting me !

I had seen Lil' Sister protect the young kids, viciously, even from the other younger goat dogs... But I was brought to tears when I saw the tenderness and perfection in her attending the newborn kid... And we hadn't even gotten to the good stuff yet !

When I saw the "bag" that held the 2'nd kid coming out I figured the poor mama goat was "blowing her guts out" and was having a serious internal problem ... Duh. I didn't even think about a 2'nd kid, and I didn't know what the heck was sticking out of her ... Then Lil' Sister started cleaning and licking around it ... Then, it blew my mind ... My God, she bared her big tooth and actually broke the bag herself ! VERY CAREFULLY ... I couldn't believe what I was seeing !

"Wow... this new world is pretty cool ...Uh, you missed a little bit behind that right ear ...umm... thanks, there ya go ... Dang, I heard these goat dogs take care of us, but this really is 5 Star service ! "

Little Sister is dead now... I found her on 6/24/01 ... and estimated her death to be on 6/22/01. She had died because of complications in delivering her litter, evidently... She'd been dead a couple days, I think... She was infested with flies and maggots. Her head was not messed up yet ... I looked at this dog, that had been with me since the beginning of my time here in Arkansas, a part of every good thing I'd experienced here, ... and I wept to God, and for her. I wished so much I could just have a part of her beautiful, living being to keep forever. But that would never be again. For much of that day I wept ... and I do now, as I write. Oh, Lil' Sister, how I love you and miss you, and am so sorry for your suffering, and that I wasn't there to help you.

I heard on a TV show the other day that some Indian grandma, whose folks were mourning her death, had a name that meant 'the wind is her spirit', and so, wherever the wind was, she was, and they could speak to her, even though she couldn't answer back. When I heard that I realized that I would use that out on the place, to remember, and try to feel close to Little Sister, and speak to her. Lil' Sister, I love you.

The other day on the hill side, where she used to lay and reign over her farm, I spoke to her, and God, in the breeze… I felt/realized a love that I’ve rarely had in my life… I was crying as I thought of how I missed her, and most of all, how I was just devastated by the thought of her suffering for an extended time… I realized that I would have suffered for her, in her place, if only I'd had the chance. Probably not unto death, as Christ did for me, but I'd have done most anything to save her the pain she went through.... I'd do most anything to have her back. Oh, God, I wish it could be so…

I believe that the last thing she did, as she was dying, was to help (or try to help) this same goat, "Short Legged Nanny Mama" to give birth to 2 new kids ... they were in the goat shed, just 20 feet from her decaying body... They appeared to be as old as she was dead ...

Losing Lil' Sister is one of the greatest losses I've ever experienced ... And one of the greatest regrets of my whole life is that I did not stay with her, or bring her "in" to oversee her delivery, and possibly save her and prevent her suffering and death. Things will never be the same on BEMF without her glorious presence, love, power, and energy ... She is inextricably connected to, and a part of everything about BEMF, and I feel very much as though I would never have accomplished what I have on BEMF without her ...