About the German Shepard Family Pet

This story is about a German Shepard dog fondly known as Spike and his owner Nikki. This German Shepard dog is a garden guard dog. He is an outside dog who spends the bulk of his time on a chain. Nikki became the German Shepard's owner when he was still a young pup in winter 2009. They quickly bonded and the pet was spoiled with a sturdy dog house, soft cushions, warm blankets, treats, best dog foods, and toys. The German Shepard dog's favorite toy was a stuffed dog that was sitting upright that resembled him a lot. He often carried it around the yard when he was allowed to roam without the chain.

This German Shepard dog was a hyper and affectionate pup who didn’t know his own strength. It was for this reason that he was chained up. The dogs eager and frisky welcome to guests often left them with injuries (as a result of him jumping on them, particularly as he grew older).

Home Vegetable Garden

Spring 2009 his owner, Nikki, decided to raise a vegetable garden, her first vegetable garden ever. Odds were against her from the beginning. She had lived in the community for 5-years and neighbors had failed on previous attempts to raise a vegetable garden due to woodland animals, such as deer, rabbits, gophers, and birds (mostly crows). Nikki’s house sits on 2.5-acres of land, surrounded by huge corn (that attracts crows) and soy bean fields. It seemed like such a waste to have a big backyard that she couldn’t raise a vegetable garden in. After 5-years she decided to try to raise a garden despite neighbors advice.

The man who plowed and disked the vegetable garden for her left huge clots of dirt and grass ( as is common when you first plow a field of deeply rooted grass). Nikki didn’t own a tiller and didn’t have a man or an experienced gardener to help her. However, she had read about using straw and other items for mulching (organic mulching is used to smother out deeply rooted weeds, keep the earth moist, and fertilize the soil as it decays), and she decided to try it. Note: Some people use old newspapers, grass clippings, discarded outer leafy vegetables, coffee grounds, eggs shells, pine needles, tree twigs, etc. for mulch and composting (for more information click here).

Next Nikki bought vegetable garden seed and vegetable plants, recruited her daughter and sister to help her, and together they planted long, crooked, too close together rows of vegetables in her vegetable garden.

The German Shepard Loved His Master

She was the apple of her German Shepard's dogs eye, as she went about her business of planting the vegetable garden. Since the dog was right next to the garden it entertained him to watch her as she toiled. Sometimes she let the pet run loose when she was working in her vegetable garden, but he chose to trail after her, laying quietly at her feet if she spent some time on a gardening task. Somehow, in dogs mind he concluded that the vegetable garden was a thing his mistress loved. Therefore, it became his greatest treasure, and he began to guard it.

As the plants grew in the vegetable garden pests began to arrive. Rabbits, birds, and deer came to eat the tender plants and vegetables. But the noble and loyal German Shepard dog wasn’t going to allow it. Many times during the night he awakened his owner barking angrily at the trespassers as they tried to invade the vegetable garden. It wasn’t long before Nikki realized that her dog was a great garden guard dog.

By the time the vegetables in the vegetable garden matured it was apparent that Nikki had what is often called a “bumper crop”. Meaning she harvested much more food than her family could eat. Therefore, she had to learn how to can, dry, & freeze the food from her home vegetable garden (she found the information here: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning).

The German Shepard Dog Didn't Want Anyone To Pick
The Vegetables From The Home Vegetable Garden

It comes as no surprise that the dog resented anyone besides Nikki harvesting the crops, and often threw himself in front of the plants to protect them. There were times the German Shepard dog even tried to prevent Nikki from collecting the big luscious looking vegetables from the vegetable garden.

Home Vegetable Garden 2010

Now in winter 2010 as snows and ice covers the ground, and chilly winds penetrate through to the bone, the dog keeps looking at the garden through, remembering the happy times he and his owner spent there in 2009. When Nikki goes to feed her pet he whines and pushes her toward the garden with his head. She chuckles, ruffles his fur, and responds, “Not yet Spike.”

There are watch dogs, work dogs, and lap dogs, but this is the first time we’ve ever actually met a garden guard dog. As a rule German Shepards are gentle, loyal, intelligent, and easily trained work dogs. But this dog Spike, is a very unique and valuable canine.

If you wish to contribute to the cost of buying Spike a chain link fence so he can run free contact us.

By Janet Sue Terry
Copyright 2009©Janet Sue Terry
February 07, 2010
www.jmbpub.com/janet.htm