‘Baarking mad’ - meet Keith the sheep who thinks he’s a dog

Meet Keith, the sheep who thinks he is a dog.
NAPB 1411258AM1 Keith the sheep. Anna Burton (19) with her dog Bess a Keith the sheep that thinks he is a dog. (1411258AM1)NAPB 1411258AM1 Keith the sheep. Anna Burton (19) with her dog Bess a Keith the sheep that thinks he is a dog. (1411258AM1)
NAPB 1411258AM1 Keith the sheep. Anna Burton (19) with her dog Bess a Keith the sheep that thinks he is a dog. (1411258AM1)

He steals food from the dog’s bowls, tries to sneak in the house to watch TV and loves cuddles from his owner, Anna Burton.

The 19-year-old Harrogate College student adopted Keith as a little lamb when he was born on the family’s Nidderdale farm earlier this year.

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She said: “We thought the mother was having twins and saw the other two lambs, then a few hours later we found him hidden amongst the hay.

NAPB 1411258AM1 Keith the sheep. Anna Burton (19) with her dog Bess a Keith the sheep that thinks he is a dog. (1411258AM1)NAPB 1411258AM1 Keith the sheep. Anna Burton (19) with her dog Bess a Keith the sheep that thinks he is a dog. (1411258AM1)
NAPB 1411258AM1 Keith the sheep. Anna Burton (19) with her dog Bess a Keith the sheep that thinks he is a dog. (1411258AM1)

“He was very, very small, he was so little couldn’t stand up so I made him a sling in a cardboard box to keep him on his feet.”

Anna said it was not the first time the family had brought a lamb into the house to take care of it, though none made themselves at home quite as much as Keith.

Anna said: “We’ve got six dogs, but he fit right in with them. They are actually still very protective of him even though he is much bigger than them now.

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“We’ve got collies and it must be confusing for them because Keith just thinks he is one of them. The other sheep don’t like him very much though.”

After a few months Keith grew too big to live in the family home and he moved into a barn where he lives with his girlfriend Ruby and best pal, Stevie the blind sheep.

Anna grew up at Knoll Top Farm and is now considering working with animals in the future.

She said: “I didn’t really think about it, but I have always looked after any of the poorly animals on the farm.”

The family have decided it is now time to look for a new home for Keith.

Anna said: “He would love to live on a petting farm, he loves people and he would love to get all the attention.”