Phase One - Integration of CC with her Sheep Peeps

As I earlier mentioned, CC's fate was not to be snuggled up on a Costco pet pillow in front of the fireplace.   She had been born outside in a sheep pasture and would be continuing a similar path here on our little hobby farm. We would not be bringing this sweet pup into the house upon arrival home from the Seattle airport. She would be taking up permanent headquarters in the sheep field.

We started CC off in a kennel inside of one of the shelters. This way, she could become familiar with the sheep and Julio while still being safe and comfortable inside the kennel. During the day, initially while we were with her, she was free to roam the field with the animals. At night, until she grew bigger and would be able to physically handle her protection role, she slept inside the confines of the kennel at night. It wasn't until she was 4 or 5 months old that we no longer locked her up.

CC Arrives

After settling on the Great Pyr breed and contacting a number of breeders around the continent, we laid a deposit down on a puppy being born to a litter in the little hick town of Casar, North Carolina. Ultimately, our decision came down to cost. For nice-looking, fully AKC-registered dogs, this lovely Christian family was almost giving these dogs away. When we factored in the flight cost of having the dog shipped to us, it was a totally feasible deal.

We anxiously awaited the birth of the litter. The pictures we'd seen of the sire and dam assured us that our dog was going to be a beauty.
Here's her dad, Dreamcatcher...

And her mom, Daisy...

When it came time in October of 2008 to make the drive to Seattle airport to pick up our puppy from the cargo flights she had taken that day - from Charlotte to Chicago to Seattle - we were more than ready. Albeit, a little anxious.

We'd given her a name - Carolina Cargo, or CC for short. In fact, her registered name is Caroline Cargo FlowerDress, because we made the mistake of letting our daughter, Sulli, pick her third name. For some odd reason, we never use it....

Because CC is a working herd protector, it was important that she did not bond with us. Particularly during those first few months of life, CC needed to be fully immersed with the sheep and recognize them as her family. Not us. Which I knew was going to be a challenge, especially when she was the most adorable puppy ever!! CC could never come in our house or our yard, nor could we talk to her at the edge of the fence. We could only interact with her and pet her while on her turf; in her pasture, with her and her sheep. When we arrived home that first night, CC would be put into a pen that was set up inside the sheep barn. This is where she would spend her nights for the first 4 months. During the day, she would be let out to run and bond with the sheep. Our involvement in the process, and certainly our interaction with the dog, was minimal.

So, I thoroughly relished the long and snuggly drive back from Seattle, knowing that it was likely the one and only time that I would ever hold CC on my lap. She had been born in a sheep field in North Carolina and was about to continue life in a sheep field in British Columbia. I was lucky enough to have that brief opportunity in between!

In the beginning...

The first year that we started losing sheep to the coyotes, we decided to buy a large mini donkey to protect the herd.

Julio happily joined the others and would, many nights, make a huge racket in his attempt to ward off the predators. (And, really....let's face it...mainly to put out a booty call to the cute jenny two fields over.) Despite the noise that Julio made, we lost yet another large lamb that spring. Her name was Cindy, because she had a sweet expression and the sexiest little beauty mark on her face that reminded us of Cindy Crawford.

Enough was enough. Something more had to be done.

And the path led us to the incredible Great Pyrenees breed.
And C.C., whom this story is all about.