Confused Cow Thinks She Is a Dog

Well howdy! Good to see you! I have a great story for you today...no bull! But before I get to that, pour yourself a mug of coffee and moo-o-o-ve one of those heifer-sized muffins onto your plate. I want to tell you about Milkshake the cow. Seems like an appropriate name for a cow, don't'cha think?

Milkshake may be a perfectly normal-looking cow, but she’s ‘udderly’ confused. All her best friends are dogs, she refuses to graze like all the other cows and she wants her food to be brought to her in a bowl, just like for her canine friends.You guessed it, the eight-year-old Hereford heifer thinks she is a dog! 

Beth DiCaprio of the Grace Foundation, who rescued Milkshake from an abusive animal hoarder, said: “I think a lot of people think it’s like a trick. She hung out with the dogs, so I think that’s what she assumed – that’s what she is, more than a cow. She doesn’t really know. She was never around another cow.” Beth even tried getting a cow friend for her, at the El Dorado Hills ranch in California, but Milkshake still feels comfortable with the pack. She follows Beth and her mutt Riley all over the ranch. 

“She follows me around all day long, just like my dogs – she comes and watches me tend to all the other animals. She’s even followed me into the bathroom before, although she was a little scared of her own reflection.” Milkshake has tried to get into the backseat of Beth’s car and has no problems hanging out in her house.

Her eating habits are strange as well. “Milkshake is still not convinced she is a cow and has never been a fan of grazing. When she first arrived at the ranch she didn’t even know what grass was.” But even now, after getting accustomed to life on the ranch, she refuses to graze. Instead, the 1,200-pound heifer prefers to be fed like a dog. 

“I think she thinks it’s pointless finding her own food when she can wait on us bringing it to her in a bowl, like her dog friends” said Beth. 

In fact, she also gets restless when there’s too much food around, knocking over furniture that gets in her way. “If she goes into a room she causes mayhem – especially if she spots some snacks.”

The Grace Foundation normally rescues and rehabilitates ‘last chance’ horses, but they made an exception for Milkshake because she’s such a unique animal. “Everyone loves Milkshake – she’s certainly one of a kind,” said Beth.

Yup...I reckon she is. 

See ya, eh!

Bob