My Beauty.....

This creature has been quite a surprise for me. I don't care very much for German Shepherds..... or so I thought. This girl...... well, she has stolen her way into my heart and I do not even want to think about this farm with out her. Seth wanted one for years and I strongly resisted because we already had more dogs than we needed and Shepherds are...... a lot of trouble, high maintenance, aggressive, high strung, energetic, blah, blah, blah........ Anyway, you all know that even though I am known as the toughest-Mama-on-the-planet, I really love my kids and eventually I caved in and let him buy this puppy.

From the very first, she has been very different from my expectations. Her prey drive is very strong and the cats on this farm have learned to gauge her moods. She has more stock working instinct that the cow dogs.
She is monstrously big and stunningly beautiful but....... what has stolen my heart is her utter devotion to this family.

She is strong and quiet---until the coyotes get too close. She lives to please us and is surprisingly obedient as well as strong minded. A stern word breaks her heart and brings her back in line but she will still try to sweetly convince you that you should allow her to do what ever she is being reprimanded for.

The instant I open a door on this house, she is on the alert and headed my way. Every morning, she and the other dogs gallop around me as we head to the barn. If Seth makes it out before me, she might go with him but I can almost guarantee that she will come back for me.

I do not know if this sweet soul would be aggressive to protect us but...... for now--- she at least looks very impressive. She is still a young dog--- just over a year old.

Yesterday afternoon, we had company. They were out in the pasture hunting coyotes. As they made all those eerie calls, Elsa stalked around the barn as I did chores with her hackles raised and growling deep....... She stayed as close as she could to me. She was afraid but determined to stay with me---just in case. She was torn between recognizing the danger of a coyote pack and her loyalty and love for me. The fierce part of her young heart won.

Elsa has not been feeling well for the last few days. It wasn't until I took this picture that I noticed her hind foot. The raised one is swollen and oddly shaped. Somehow she has torn off her dewclaw. Probably from racing across the pasture after rabbits. I did manage to convince her to eat half of a can of dog food laced with antibiotics.