Elementary school drama on the farm

Photos:  Baby Ruby.  ("I don't look mischievous, do I?  Don't believe anything that you read in the story my farmer is sending to you!!!!")  ;) Little Ruby the calf is more than twice the size of the dogs now.  She stands about 4 feet tall, I think.   She's tall enough that she looks very awkward trying to nurse from her mama.  ;) She has developed into a teasing, coy young girl.  I wonder what cow-years translate into in people years?  Maybe the same as dogs, since cows can live to be over 15 if their genetics haven't been messed around with for higher production (and shorter life span).  So, possibly Ruby would be about preschool/Kindergarten, while Rocky would be about 7. Watching Ruby kick up her heels in the pasture is like watching little kids running aimlessly and joyfully on a playground, so the Kindergarten guess at her people-years age seems to fit..... Ruby unsuccessfully tries to play with the chickens, tossing her head, running into their midst, stopping to watch as the chickens squawk and flap and run away from her.  I think she knows what they'll do and decides to go for a reaction.  Classic teasing.  She desperately wants someone or something to play with. Ruby watches with great curiosity when I'm in the pasture with Shadow and Rocky (the dogs).  She will trot along the inside of the electric fence that borders the cow pen, just to get a closer look at what the dogs are doing on the other side of that fence.  (This must be truly fascinating for her:  Rocky actively and almost violently chases an old crumpled Hawaiian Punch plastic jug, Shadow whips a deflated soccer ball back and forth so that it whacks hard against her shoulders, they both dig frantic holes after imaginary chipmunks or stare longingly up into trees at a chattering squirrel....)  Whatever they are doing, Ruby's ears are perked forward and she is watching intently. A week or so ago, the gate to the cow pen was open, and she tentatively made her way out to get a closer look at all the crazy running that the dogs had decided to do.  Shadow had found an old tennis ball and was fetching it, while Rocky tried to head her off and kept body-slamming Shadow and tried to make her angry.  Shadow occasionally gave in and let her fury show as she streaked across the field to pound Rocky into submission.  Little Ruby pricked her ears forward and came closer to watch the show.  Shadow and Rocky gradually became aware that Ruby was in their vicinity, and hesitantly came over to sniff noses with her.  She shied away, but not out of nervousness.  It was pure playfulness, like she wanted to see what they would do.  ("Oh!  that dog just touched my nose!  I need to put on my bashful routine.....")  The dogs shied away, too, but then came back.  She ventured towards them again.  They pulled back.  Rocky licked Ruby's nose.  Ruby gave a little kick and trotted away from him.  Shadow came by me because she didn't know what to do.  Ruby trotted over and had great fun making Shadow dodge behind my legs.  ("Silly black dog.  Why won't you come out and play?") Ruby made the mistake of turning her back on the dogs, tossing her head and trotting away.  ("Well, YOU'RE just no fun!!!  I'll go find something more interesting.")  They saw this as a chance to give chase, and Ruby was caught off guard (Think of a little girl on a playground, flouncing away, while the boys take one look at each other, get a devilish gleam in their eye, and start the chase!).  She tore around the back pasture, with both dogs keeping up, no trouble.  ("Wow, they're faster than I thought!")  Ruby seemed to be enjoying it.  (She tries time and again to get her aunt Lucy to frolic with her, but Lucy is acting much more laid-back and matronly since the "breeding".  No fun there.) Rocky proved yet again that he thinks like a wolf, in the way that he ran just ahead of Ruby, anticipated her next move, turned quickly when her direction veered off course, and how his eyes were focused and intent on watching her every move.  If she hadn't raced full-speed back to the safety of the cow-pen, I was ready to step in.  (Ruby's thoughts at that point must have been "Maaaaamaaaaa!!!") The next time, I kept Rocky on the leash.  Ruby came out again, acting shy but very sure that she wanted to touch noses with the other furry critters and see what fun could be had.  Bessie (mama cow) was out then, too, and Rocky was definitely inviting her to trample him with his insolent snaps at her nose as she positioned herself between innocent little Ruby and the big mean dog. And later, when it was dark, the dogs got one last chance to run the pasture before being crated for the night.  I usually close the cow-pen gate before then, but that particular night, the cows were still waiting on me.  Some nights the routine just doesn't happen the way the cows expect it to.  They all looked up expectantly for me to get their grain and put them in the barn.  No luck. Ruby trotted out like before.  The dogs took notice of her and Rocky galloped over.  I went to close in the chickens on the other end of the barn, and came back to a bit of a commotion between cows and dogs.  Ruby was hiding behind her mama, and Bessie was righteously indignant.  (Ruby:  "Mama!  That big bad dog is trying to GET me!")  Bess kept lowering her head at Rocky, who took that as a challenge.  He knew enough to stop just short of infuriating her, which was fortunate.  That's when I saw what was REALLY happening.  Ruby WAS behind her mom, and Bessie was being such a good mom by fending off the naughty dog.  ("Don't you DARE mess with my baby!  Shoo!") As soon as Bessie determined that the danger was over and let down her guard, naughtiness happened.  Not from Rocky (who I would have expected it from), but from Ruby!  She would peek out, acting shy and scared, Rocky would perk up his ears and start towards her.  Ruby would shrink back behind Bessie and Bessie would fall for it again, and lower her head at Rocky.  Things would calm down.  Ruby would peek out from the other side and bat her eyes.  ("You can't get me back here!  My mom will PROTECT me!" in a sing-songy kind of voice/moo.)  Rocky would respond by trying to play, and would immediately be blocked by a mad mama cow.  Poor Rocky.  He's definitely on Bessie's list of enemies now.  I think that Ruby knew EXACTLY what she was doing.  ("Of COURSE I did!" smirks baby Ruby with a stamp of her dainty hoof!) Laura http://dykstrasfarm.blogspot.com/