Yes! I am asked often if Bixby is an Irish Wolfhound. And yes, he is genuinely so sweet. I tell him all the time he’s the “best dog EVER.” 🙂 He often shows up in my instagram stories. He even has his own hashtag: #Bixbadoodle 🙂

Oh my word, your dogs sound wonderful! <3

Our daughters were in 4H, raising chickens, cavies, a veal calf, junior beef, senior beef, goats, pigs and horses. In all instances, our two lab mutts quickly learned the new animals were “family” and protected them just as they did our daughters.

Every morning and evening they helped us herd the chickens and found randomly layed eggs for us. Their reward, after we were all outside the pen and work was done, a single raw egg. Most folks argue against feeding them the eggs in full form, but our dogs loved it and NEVER stole any other eggs. They meticulously guarded our flock during the day when we were away and even alerted me to “chicken rustlers” one evening, holding them sitting on the ground until the Sherrif could arrive.

The dogs also saved both my daughter, on her horse, and myself when on foot from rattlesnakes.

One night, they sounded the alarm, and I discovered a man attempting to enter our home. Again, they kept him at bay until the sherrif could arrive. Note, that these are the very same dogs who ran out to greet every visitor to our property with tongues lolling and tails wagging.

Our daughter also taught them to help her exercise the horses during turnouts. And I taught the puppy to fetch avocados from the neighbors yard (we traded fruit) when I needed them for dinner. She would bring them back one at a time until I had enough. I always let her have the last one. Funny that she never got them on her own.

Without a doubt, our dogs were very helpful and we trained them via positive reinforcement of natural behaviors.

Thank you Paula. 🙂 I will warn you, it won’t be easy and it may take longer than you’re anticipating, but it will be sooooo worth it if you’re successful! I truly hope you are. Please keep me posted.

I’m sure it will take a lot more work for your terrier, but don’t give up. It will be so worth it!! Trust me, I came so close to giving up about a month into the process then all of a sudden one day I realized we had been successful. And it may help you that you’re starting with the ducks in the house. Best of luck! Please let me know how it goes! (And I’d love to see pictures of these sweet critters! You can share them on my fb page.)