Sylvan Farm Life
Click on any of the pictures for a larger view and more information....
Sylvan
Borzoi's home on terra firma is on ten fully fenced acres in
Alachua, a small town in north Florida, with a large pond, lots
of shady trees, and enough acres of grass to make mowing a second
hobby. The Borzoi take advantage of the
pond for swimming and play, the wooded areas for hunting and
the open areas for high speed chases.
Our
area is mostly crop and pasture land, and we enjoy the quiet
and beauty of the surrounding farms. The field to our east, where
we watch the sun come up every morning, is home to ever-changing
herds of commercial cattle. Many of them, especially the spring
calves, become
quite interactive with the dogs.
The adult Borzoi have the freedom of the whole farm most
of the time. They have to be obedient enough to stay back from
the big picket gates at the front of the farm, and not dash out
onto the highway when we drive in and out. That generally takes
about 15 to 18 months. There are always a few to greet us there,
no matter what the hour.
Much
of our life revolves around outdoor activities. In addition to
the many chores associated with the dogs' care, both of us like
gardening and building. It's a good thing, for there is a tremendous
amount of work involved with keeping up so much land. We are
never without four-legged company to "help" us in our
daily pursuits.
The youngsters are kept in large paddocks unless supervised,
otherwise, all of our belongings end up in the pond. Once they
become civilized, they merge into the loosely ordered pack hierarchy,
that always includes an alpha dog and bitch, and their lieutenants.
Of course, the real alphas are the humans!
Special
interest groups form for hunting, swimming, perimeter patrol,
vehicle escort, etc. The hunters have an unlimited supply of
squirrels and a few cottontails to chase, and occasionally nab
an unwary raccoon, 'possum or armadillo. Other wildlife, such
as otters, ducks, and the egrets and
herons stay safe in water, trees or the air.
