Down on the Farm: Honoring Lena

It’s tough that dogs grow old so fast.

Lena joined our farm as a puppy in 2008. She was our first working dog, an English shepherd — tri-colored with black, tan and white markings, including the most adorable tan eyebrows that belied her expression. We still had Grandpa’s old black Labrador Meg and our little white bichon Sophie, and Lena was a bounding, rambunctious member of the team.

Kara was still in college at the time, in the same low residency program I had attended in Vermont, so we brought the puppy with us for the trek to New England in the fall. We brought her kennel too, where she slept at night, taking her on rocky hikes and exploring a world unlike the farm back home. One especially favorite memory is young Lena playing with her squeaky toy, holding it up high in her toothy jaws, skirting the edge of the pet-friendly hotel bed while we sat on top, reading. She looked like a puppy version of a shark — all jaws and wide eyes, nothing else! We laughed and laughed.

Lena took her jobs on the farm very seriously, hunting down voles in the garden, chasing (and even once catching!) red squirrels and bunny rabbits in the yard. At the sight of her, the squirrels would be up the trees, chattering away at her in disgust. But they dared not come down, for Lena was fast.

She always had a special hankering for the poultry, keeping them away from the edge of their fences or following behind the tractor pens to keep the birds moving. Sheep were more of a challenge, as Lena is of slighter build than some English shepherds, and a full-grown ewe can be intimidating, but she adored lambs. Any chilled lamb or piglet in the house was hers, which she would keep company and give kisses.

Lena loved the turn of seasons, digging in piles of leaves, romping in the snow, getting her paws black in the mud — a true farm dog. Later, she had a litter of puppies, one of which we kept and named Finlee. Soon, the little bounding furball was learning from his mother and became Kara’s shadow, helping with chores to guard gates, hunt unwanted critters, and fluster turkeys.

As Finlee was learning the ropes of being a farm dog, Lena was right there. She would grab his leash in her teeth, pulling him to keep up. I remember her having such a proud look on her face as she tugged, wide-eyed little butterscotch-and-white Finlee working his wee legs as fast as he could to try to keep up. Mothers take their tasks seriously.

Dogs and farms have a way of going together, making it difficult to imagine one without the other. The “dog bell” alerts when someone pulls up the drive — or it might be something like a rabbit darting past. Off they go to investigate, plumed tails held high.

This summer, Lena turned 16. As we all do, she struggled with aging, until it was time. Deciding when the end is the best mercy is never an easy call. It shouldn’t be. All of our dogs have been long-livers, a testament to them staying fit and having a good life out in nature for a working dog.

Lena was surrounded by love during her life on the farm, love from her people and her fellow animal friends. We will always remember her spark and her long-tongued doggy smile, the sparkle in her dark eyes. We will remember how she would lie in the shade of the old maple trees in the afternoon, surveying her kingdom to see that all was well.

We will miss Lena, but we also know that a part of her will always be here down on the farm.

Laura Berlage is a co-owner of North Star Homestead Farms, LLC and Farmstead Creamery. 715-462-3453; northstarhomestead.com.