When our hobby farm began to grow, we discussed purchasing a guardian animal to protect the goats and ducks. We researched llamas, donkeys, and dogs. I decided there must be a good reason why way more people own dogs than llamas and donkeys, so we decided upon a Great Pyrenees. We've never regretted it.

Pictured with Andie is her only child, Wendy Darling (named after the heroine in Peter Pan). Yes, Wendy is a goat. And yes, Andie is her mother. Her adoptive mother. When our does are about to kid, we bring them up to a "labor & delivery" pen near the house. I mis-calculated the due date of Wendy's birth mother. Early one March morning (two years ago now), I heard the bleating of a baby goat. I looked around and saw Andie curled around this beautiful white baby.

Where was her mother? We found the mother nearby, confused and seemingly  oblivious that she had a new baby to care for. We had to force her to allow Wendy to nurse. It took three of us to hold the mama while one helped Wendy find the teets. We separated them from the herd, hoping they would bond, but instead of bonding, the mother became violent and butted Wendy.

Goats find their young using the sense of smell. I suppose, since Wendy was left alone in the cold and Andie rescued her, that Wendy smelled like Andie. Therefore, her mother rejected her. We gave the mother away. She was one of our "mutt" goats, not a registered Pygmy. We bottle fed Wendy, and Andie adopted her. To this day, they romp together and sleep together in Andie's dog house.

Wendy couldn't have found a better adoptive mother!