Bees, dogs, and a cat

This was how the nuc arrived. There
are five frames full of bees inside.

It was a busy day that started with me pulling every dog bed out of the house for vacuuming and some fresh air. Then I picked up my new bee colony. I am starting a second hive, this time from a nuc (nucleus), which is essentially a mini hive, a queen on five frames with her own brood.

I installed the nuc in my new hive and left them to their bee business. When I was back out in the pasture in the afternoon, I could observe bees coming and going at the entrance of the new hive, so I have to assume that they are happy in their new home.

I had a vet appointment for Jack in the afternoon. He's already neutered and he had a vaccine history but everything was due to be updated. That was accomplished and his heartworm test was negative. They took him in the back to do the exam and vaccines, and I soon heard him barking. They said that he was nervous and scared, but was non-aggressive. The barking was at another dog that he encountered back there. That's what he does when he encounters anything new, he barks. He's a vocal shepherd, never an unexpressed thought.

I just transferred the five frames into
the new hive in place of five empty
frames. They will continued to build
their colony and then I will add
another super (box) on top.

Jack at the vet. This pic
looks like a mug shot.

Then we went to Berta's house (Clay's mother) to meet her cat. It took him a little while to see the cat, but when he did, he did his usual greeting: he barked, he jumped, he pulled. The cat retreated, wisely, although not that far. The ideal dog/cat encounter is when the dog simply doesn't care and the cat exhibits no fear. This was far from ideal, but I can't really say if it's prey drive or simply his normal reaction to encountering something new because it's the exact same reaction he has to meeting new dogs but there's no real aggression or prey drive there.

I would have been happier with a more ideal reaction, but I can't say that I'm surprised. I also can't really be mad at the guy. He's just a pup trying to figure out the world and he's got only an undeveloped German Shepherd brain to work with.




We came home and went out to the pasture to play ball with Theo. Max and Gigi came out too. The new bees seemed to be finding their way in and out of the hive.

Jack is trying his best, and he's really pretty
good but he needs time and training.

Gigi and Max out in the pasture with the bees.

After the cat meeting.

Here he is, looking his best.

Gigi has been enjoying the spring weather,
actually asking to go outside and even
spending some time in the dog yard.

The new bee colony is on the left. Last year's hive is on the right.